Around 100 courtrooms closing every week due to ‘endemic’ dilapidation, warns Lady Chief Justice – The Independent

‘Dilapidation is “endemic” in Britain’s crumbling court system, with around 100 unplanned courtroom closures every week exacerbating trial delays, the head of the judiciary has warned.’

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The Independent, 18th January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Women harmed after Wiltshire police failed to disclose partners’ violent pasts – The Guardian

‘At least two women were harmed after a “catastrophic” failure in the way a police force dealt with applications under Clare’s law, which gives people the right to ask whether a partner has a violent past, it has emerged.’

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The Guardian, 11th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Delays at Probate Service starting to ease, says minister – Legal Futures

Posted January 12th, 2024 in delay, government departments, HM Courts Service, news, probate, statistics by sally

‘Delays at the Probate Service are shortening in the wake of a “distinct improvement in recruitment, competency, productivity and call handling”, the government said this week.’

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Legal Futures, 12th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rape complainants warned pre-recording evidence could backfire – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2024 in evidence, news, prosecutions, rape, statistics, video recordings by sally

‘Rape complainants should be told pre-recording evidence could harm their chances of securing a conviction at trial, researchers say.’

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BBC News, 11th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Revealed: police refusing requests for background checks on violent partners – The Guardian

Posted January 8th, 2024 in disclosure, domestic violence, families, news, police, statistics, violence by tracey

‘Police in England and Wales are leaving people at risk of domestic abuse by refusing to release information on suspected violent partners, the Observer can reveal, with one force declining 95% of requests for checks.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Applications for deprivation of liberty under MCA up by less than 1% compared to same quarter in 2022, but orders nearly double – Local Government Lawyer

‘There were 1,655 applications relating to deprivation of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act made in the most recent quarter (July to September 2023), an increase of less than 1% on the number made in the same quarter in 2022, government data has revealed.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Prison Overcrowding: A review of recent court of appeal cases, past and future legislative changes – 2 Hare Court

Posted January 4th, 2024 in chambers articles, news, prisons, sentencing, statistics by sally

‘The number of people currently held in prison in England and Wales is at record levels. On 19 October 2023, according to figures released by the Ministry of Justice, 88,225 people were held in the prison estate.’

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2 Hare Court, 29th November 2023

Source: www.2harecourt.com

SRA issues first fixed penalty fine for diversity data failure – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has handed out the first fixed penalty fine for a law firm’s failure to submit its workforce diversity data within the deadline.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Cleverly says UK asylum backlog cleared as almost 100,000 wait for decision – The Guardian

Posted January 3rd, 2024 in asylum, delay, government departments, immigration, news, statistics by sally

‘Almost 100,000 people seeking asylum in the UK are waiting for a decision amid growing claims that ministers have massaged official figures to try to show that they have cut the backlog of cases.’

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The Guardian, 2nd January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Thousands of women at risk as police reject over 10,000 background checks on potential abusers – The Independent

Posted January 2nd, 2024 in criminal records, delay, domestic violence, news, police, statistics, vetting by tracey

‘Thousands of vulnerable women are being left at serious risk of harm because police forces are failing to hand over potentially lifesaving information on violent criminals, The Independent can reveal.’

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The Independent, 1st January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Police watchdog refuses to back use of stop and search without suspicion – The Guardian

‘The official inspectorate has refused to back police use of powers to stop and search people without suspicion, finding that chiefs cannot explain why black people are 12 times more likely to be targeted.’

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The Guardian, 15th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Eight in 10 convicted in UK over child abuse images avoid prison, NCA says – The Guardian

Posted December 14th, 2023 in imprisonment, indecent photographs of children, news, sentencing, statistics by sally

‘Eight out of 10 people in the UK caught with images of children being sexually abused avoid going to jail, the head of the National Crime Agency has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 13th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

SRA admits it has “a long way to go” on diversity – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) still has “a long way to go” on diversity, its chief executive has said – although its gender and ethnicity pay gaps are shrinking.’

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Legal Futures, 13th December 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judiciary blamed for upsurge of bullying at bar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 11th, 2023 in barristers, bullying, equality, harassment, judiciary, news, statistics by tracey

‘The bar is reporting a fresh surge of concern about bullying, harassment and discrimination – with most of the reports identifying members of the judiciary as culprits.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 8th December 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lincoln’s Inn looks to tackle “unacceptable” bullying and harassment – Legal Futures

Posted December 8th, 2023 in barristers, bullying, diversity, equality, harassment, inns of court, news, statistics by michael

‘The historic body has put in place an interim action plan to address the issue, including diversity and inclusion training and an anonymised reporting mechanism.’

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Legal Futures, 7th December 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Most victims of domestic homicide have contacted police or NHS, review shows – The Guardian

‘A review of 302 domestic homicides recorded in a four-year period has found that the majority of those killed had been “hiding in plain sight”, having made contact with the police, health services and other public agencies before their death.’

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The Guardian, 6th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Reforms bring hope to rehabilitated people still serving abolished indefinite sentences – Ministry of Justice

‘Thousands of rehabilitated ex-prisoners serving long-since abolished indefinite sentences will become eligible to have their licence period terminated earlier as part of new reforms.’

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Ministry of Justice, 28th December 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Nearly half of Bar students now from ethnic minority backgrounds – Legal Futures

Posted December 1st, 2023 in barristers, diversity, equality, legal education, news, pupillage, statistics by tracey

‘Nearly half of UK students on the Bar training course are now from ethnic minority backgrounds, compared to a quarter a decade ago, according to new figures.’

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Legal Futures, 1st December 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Greater Manchester Police ‘remains institutionally racist’ – BBC News

Posted November 28th, 2023 in news, police, racism, statistics by tracey

‘One of England’s biggest police forces remains “institutionally racist” and must do more to tackle the problem, a leading equality advisor has said.’

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BBC News, 28th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Women in mental health crisis still being jailed in prisons deemed ‘unfit for purpose’, major review warns – The Independent

Posted November 24th, 2023 in bills, imprisonment, mental health, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, statistics, women by tracey

‘Women dealing with severe mental illness are still being jailed despite prisons being “ill-equipped” to offer suitable care, a major review has warned.’

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The Independent, 23rd November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk