‘Rape and domestic violence cases in England and Wales will be among the worst hit from the growing backlog in the judicial system, and trials could soon start collapsing because of severe delays, the new crime commissioner for England’s second biggest force has warned.’
The Guardian, 6th June 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Care order applications are usually made when social workers decide a mother is unable to look after her child on her own. The baby will probably go into foster care and it may be adopted.’
BBC News, 4th June 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘HM Courts and Tribunals Service have recently published statistics about the number of hearings conducted remotely, ie by audio, video or on paper, compared with physical in-person hearings, over the course of the coronavirus lockdown. The statistics cover civil and criminal cases as well as family law cases, but it is possible to extract from them a picture of how the family justice system, in particular, has responded.’
Transparency Project, 4th June 2021
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘The number of personal injury claims relating to Covid-19 continues to be very low, despite the significant rise in infections over the winter, new figures have shown.’
Litigation Futures, 3rd June 2021
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘All serving police officers accused of domestic or sexual abuse should face misconduct hearings as well as criminal investigations, according to the most senior police officer for domestic abuse in England and Wales.’
The Guardian, 2nd June 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Instructing solicitors must not jeopardise the impartiality of expert evidence, the deputy president of the Supreme Court said today, citing a study which suggests expert witnesses are being used as “hired guns” by lawyers.’
Law Society's Gazette, 28th May 2021
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Nearly £30m has been offered in compensation to victims of the Windrush scandal, it has been confirmed, amid criticism over slow payments.’
BBC News, 27th May 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Black people are 12 times more likely to be prosecuted for cannabis possession than white people, according to new analysis by the Liberal Democrats who are calling for an end to the use of Stop and Search for small amounts.’
The Independent, 27th May 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The government must urgently extend the “unjust” six-month time limit for domestic abuse victims to report domestic physical violence to the police, according to MPs who are to raise the issue in parliament.’
The Independent, 22nd May 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The Home Office has failed to compensate victims of the Windrush scandal quickly enough, a critical National Audit Office (NAO) investigation into the compensation scheme has found.’
The Guardian, 21st May 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Police and prosecutors are to place greater focus on the actions of alleged rapists rather than their victims, after charges hit a record low. New legal guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) says investigators must use an “offender-centric” approach and look closely at the actions of suspects before, during and after reported attacks.’
The Independent, 21st May 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Seven in 10 lawyers consider the disclosure pilot scheme unfit for purpose, with many believing it has exacerbated the adversarial environment, new research has found.’
Litigation Futures, 19th May 2021
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘Mental health assessments are being conducted in the presence of police in little-known hubs that embed nurses and psychologists with counter-terrorism units, raising “serious ethical concerns”, a medical charity has said.’
The Guardian, 19th May 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Rape victims in England and Wales will be able to provide their evidence on video prior to a trial to help improve conviction rates, it is understood.’
The Guardian, 17th May 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Home Office has pursued a policy of psychological brutality by locking up scores of torture survivors in solitary confinement for indefinite periods, according to fresh testimony from immigration detainees.’
The Guardian, 15th May 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The CPS has now reviewed a full year’s worth of cases charged under the coronavirus legislation, as part of our commitment to ensuring the laws are being applied consistently and correctly. Prosecutors checked 1,821 finalised cases under the Coronavirus Act and Health Protection Regulations between 26 March 2020 and 31 March 2021.’
Crown Prosecution Service, 13th May 2021
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
‘Hundreds of women were forced to wear face masks while giving birth despite this violating formal rules, a new study has found.’
The Independent, 14th May 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘A new best practice guide urging board-level attention at NHS trusts so they can learn more from clinical negligence cases has been issued in a bid to improve patient safety and reduce claims.’
Litigation Futures, 10th May 2021
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘The UK’s cybersecurity agency has taken down more scams in the last year than in the previous three years combined, with coronavirus and NHS-themed cybercrime fuelling the increase.’
The Guardian, 5th May 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
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