Monday 8 April 2013

Monday items

(1) A post by Simon McKay - On Summary Military Justice - is well worth reading.  The military justice system continues to be a problematic area and McKay explains why.  See also post on Sgt. Nightingale's case.

(2) Governmental activity to drive down legal aid is set to continue as Grayling sets sights on prisoners' legal aid - Law Society Gazette 4th April.

(3) There is until 12th April to comment on the consultation about implementation of Part1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 - Ministry of Justice consultations.   The consultation paper seeks views on proposed coroner investigation regulations, inquest rules, fee and allowance regulations, coroner areas, and statutory guidance for bereaved people.  Previous recent posts relating to Coroners - here.

(4) Some interesting brief sentencing remarks
from Manchester Magistrates' Court - District Judge (Magistrates' Courts) Jonathan Taaffe - here.   News Group Newspapers Ltd were fined £3350 plus a surcharge of £120 and prosecution costs of £500 in relation to their guilty plea to an offence under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 s.52B.  That section deals with restrictions on the reporting of decisions in Magistrates' Courts relating to 'allocation' (i.e. a decision about the court in which an offence is to be tried) and 'sending' of cases to the Crown Court.  s52B was inserted into the 1998 Act by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 Schedule 3 para. 19.

(5) Family law, an interesting decision discussed on the Marilyn Stowe blog - High Court judge warns parents against travelling to Ireland to escape care orders.  The judgment of Cobb J is here.

(6) It is good to see veteran law blogger CharonQC  getting back into action after a period of illness from which it is hoped he has made a full recovery.   UK Human Rights blog has its usual roundup of legal stories.

(7) Lawyers are reporting that they are turning away clients now that the legal aid cuts are in force.  It would be a good idea for the Law Society / Solicitor's firms to establish some form of record keeping of those turned away so that evidence is available in the future.

(8) Halsbury's Law Exchange - Criminal Law Update: March roundup

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