Law and the Justice System

The Community Justice Fund (CJF) – which only went live six weeks ago – has already awarded nearly £2m in grants to the legal advice sector to help it cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) continues to stall on when it will progress the next wave of personal injury reform, with the delay set to stretch for at least another year.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/moj-stalls-on-next-wave-of-pi-reform?utm_source=iContact%2BWeekly%2BNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=legal-futures&utm_content=

A senior junior barrister has been reprimanded and fined £1,000 for her behaviour in court, including shouting and pulling faces at a judge.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/barrister-sanctioned-for-shouting-and-pulling-faces-at-judge?utm_source=iContact%2BWeekly%2BNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=legal-futures&utm_content=

The time litigants have to wait to reach trial in civil claims reached record lengths even before the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic hit, new government figures have revealed.

https://www.litigationfutures.com/news/record-court-delays-for-civil-litigants

CPS West Midlands Magistrates’ Court unit successfully prosecuted 78 COVID-19-related cases over the past three months including incidents of emergency workers and key workers being assaulted, threatened, coughed at and spat on by people claiming to have COVID-19.

https://www.cps.gov.uk/west-midlands/news/west-midlands-successful-covid-19-prosecutions-march-may-2020

Remote hearings have been a successful emergency measure but should not be taken as establishing a settled mode of operation for the family courts after Covid-19, a leading judge has warned.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/covid-19-remote-hearings-must-not-become-settled-norm

The UK government has published its Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill, aimed at helping companies maximise their chances of survival, protecting jobs and supporting the UK's economic recovery.

https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/analysis/corporate-governance-insolvency-bill

Following the judgment of the English High Court in Serious Fraud Office v Barclays Plc & Another1, prosecutors are aware that they now face a more onerous task when trying to establish corporate criminal liability. However, a recent clarification of the law on dishonesty may lead to prosecutors bringing more prosecutions against individuals for complex frauds.

https://info.dechert.com/10/14110/may-2020/clarification-of-test-for-dishonesty-in-english-criminal-law--impact-on-complex-fraud-cases(1).asp

A CPS case about a dishonest care home owner who defrauded wealthy residents of more than £4m has clarified the definition of dishonesty in criminal law.

The Lord Chief Justice (LCJ) has said there will be “no going back” to pre-pandemic days for the courts in their use of technology.