Category: Ministry of Justice

LASPO Review: Bar Council reaction – The Bar Council

Posted February 11th, 2019 in barristers, benefits, bereavement, budgets, coroners, costs, families, inquests, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, press releases by tracey

‘The Bar Council has reacted to the Ministry of Justice’s LASPO Part 1 review, published today. Richard Atkins QC, Chair of the Bar Council, said: “The Bar Council is disappointed with the Government’s post-implementation review of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (“LASPO”), published today. When the Bar Council gave evidence to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) last year on the impact of the LASPO cuts to legal aid we identified five priorities to help reverse the decline in legal aid provision over almost six years. (See notes to editors). Few have been addressed.” ‘

Full press release

The Bar Council, 7th February 2019

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Fury over MoJ ‘betrayal’ on legal aid at inquests – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 11th, 2019 in bereavement, budgets, families, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, litigants in person, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice has been accused of betraying those campaigning to ensure an equality of arms between bereaved families and the state at inquests.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 8th February 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

A ‘drop in the ocean’ for justice? – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 11th, 2019 in budgets, legal aid, litigants in person, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice sweetened its long-awaited review of swingeing legal aid cuts with a pledge to spend £8m on legal support and litigants in person. But does its response go far enough?’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 11th February 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Justice ministry knew court IT systems were ‘obsolete’, papers reveal – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2019 in criminal justice, electronic filing, electronic mail, Ministry of Justice, news, reports by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice knew its court computer systems were “obsolete” and “out of support” long before the network went into meltdown last week, internal documents have revealed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Former prisoner sues Ministry of Justice over PTSD from rats – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2019 in equality, human rights, Ministry of Justice, negligence, news, post-traumatic stress disorder, prisons by sally

‘A man is suing the prison service after he developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from rats running across his body and bed while he was locked in his cell, the Guardian has learned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Courts IT chaos prompts call for compensation and more funding – The Guardian

Posted January 24th, 2019 in budgets, compensation, computer programs, courts, delay, electronic mail, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by tracey

‘The computer network collapse that disrupted courts across England and Wales for days has prompted calls for compensation and improved funding for the beleaguered criminal justice system.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law courts in chaos as IT meltdown disrupts thousands of cases – The Guardian

Posted January 23rd, 2019 in courts, electronic filing, electronic mail, internet, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘Thousands of cases have been disrupted or delayed across England and Wales after the courts service’s main computer network repeatedly crashed, preventing lawyers and judges from working.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges reject MoJ plans for trials by video link and warn against cuts – The Guardian

Posted December 20th, 2018 in budgets, courts, judiciary, live link evidence, Ministry of Justice, news, remote hearings by tracey

‘Judges have rejected radical Ministry of Justice plans to hold full trials via remote video hearings and warned that imposing deep cuts on staff numbers will render the courts system “unworkable”.

Full Story

The Guardian, 20th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

MoJ calls for evidence on new personal injury discount rate – Litigation Futures

Posted December 11th, 2018 in bills, case management, compensation, costs, insurance, Ministry of Justice, news, personal injuries, rates by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has issued a call for evidence on the new personal injury discount rate to be set under what will soon be the Civil Liability Act.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 10th December 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Judge appeals for funds to fight judiciary whistleblowing ruling – The Guardian

Posted November 13th, 2018 in appeals, contract of employment, disclosure, employment, employment tribunals, judges, judiciary, Ministry of Justice, news, public interest, Supreme Court, whistleblowers by sally

‘Claire Gilham wants judges to have legal protections for disclosures in public interest.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

New research questions link between austerity and legal aid cuts – The Bar Council

Posted November 8th, 2018 in budgets, criminal justice, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, press releases, statistics by tracey

‘New research commissioned by the Bar Council reveals the full scale of a decade of dis-investment in justice and argues that decisions to make wholesale budget cuts cannot be blamed on austerity measures alone.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 1st November 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Divorce & Financial Remedy Update, October 2018 – Family Law Week

Posted October 5th, 2018 in brexit, consultations, debts, disclosure, dispute resolution, divorce, EC law, families, financial provision, marriage, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by tracey

‘Naomi Shelton, Associate, Mills & Reeve LLP considers the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during September 2018.’

Full Story

Family Law Week, 2nd October 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

High Court: Gauke breached principle of judicial independence – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 13th, 2018 in judiciary, ministers' powers and duties, Ministry of Justice, news, parole by sally

‘The parole board’s tenure arrangements ‘continue to fail the test of objective independence’ – a High Court judge has said in a ruling that also critcised the actions of justice secretary David Gauke leading up to the departure of its former chair as ‘not acceptable’.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 10th August 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Justice secretary wrong to push Parole Board chair to quit, judge rules – The Guardian

Posted August 10th, 2018 in judicial review, ministers' powers and duties, Ministry of Justice, news, parole by sally

‘A high court judge has ruled it was unacceptable for the justice secretary to pressurise the Parole Board chair Nick Hardwick into resigning, and that the board lacks independence from the government.’

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The Guardian, 9th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Stephen Lawrence killer David Norris to get damages – BBC News

Posted July 6th, 2018 in assault, compensation, Ministry of Justice, news, personal injuries, prisons by tracey

‘One of Stephen Lawrence’s killers has settled a claim with the Ministry of Justice after he was attacked in prison. David Norris suffered a broken nose and ribs at HMP Belmarsh in 2011 where he was being held on remand ahead of his trial for murder. He sued for damages, reported to be £10,000, after the assault.’

Full Story

BBC News, 6th July 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

We got it wrong: MoJ admits overcharging for court fees – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 5th, 2018 in courts, fees, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Ministry of Justice has admitted overcharging for a string of different court fees – with the lost income from reducing the fees set to cost around £9m a year. The announcement follows the Gazette’s revelation that some personal injury claimants had been overcharged by more than £100 for starting proceedings in the High Court and County Court since 2016.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 4th July 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Law Centres Network wins battle with MoJ over housing legal aid scheme changes – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 25th, 2018 in housing, judicial review, law centres, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has quashed changes introduced by the Ministry of Justice to the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme (HPCDS), it has been reported.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 22nd June 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

MoJ to review use of pain-inducing restraint on young offenders – The Guardian

Posted June 8th, 2018 in Ministry of Justice, news, restraint, young offenders by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice is launching a review of the use of pain-inducing restraint across all child prisons and escorting procedures after a children’s charity threatened legal action.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ministry of Justice “a little frustrated” by legal aid strike as CBA recommends ‘no returns’ policy – Legal Futures

Posted May 10th, 2018 in barristers, criminal justice, industrial action, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news, rule of law, select committees by sally

‘David Gauke, the justice secretary and Lord Chancellor, has admitted that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is feeling “a little frustrated” by the direct action taken by criminal law barristers over legal aid fees.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 10th May 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

MoJ postpones plans to reduce female prison population – The Guardian

Posted May 3rd, 2018 in criminal justice, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, women by tracey

‘A multimillion pound government strategy to reduce the number of women being jailed for non-violent offences has been postponed, the Guardian can disclose. Plans to set up community prisons for women and to launch a scheme that would provide support for female offenders were supposed to be announced this month. The Ministry of Justice has delayed finalisation of the strategy, which is now going to be rewritten.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 2nd May 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com