May 2024 / 26 posts found
Majority verdicts facilitated 56 miscarriages of justice in England and Wales, charity says | Crime
At least 56 miscarriages of justice have occurred in cases in England and Wales where the jury was split, according to a charity, which says jury unanimity should be reintroduced to safeguard against wrongful criminal convictions. The research by Appeal, the miscarriage of justice charity, says majority verdicts “arguably dilute the principle of reasonable doubt” and have facilitated miscarriages in cases including those of Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit; Barry George, who was wrongly convicted over the death of Jill Dando; and Winston Trew, one of the Oval Four. The […]
21st century justice: Law Society proposes publicly funded online legal guidance tool
A publicly funded online guidance tool to help identify legal issues and point is one of the proposals to emerge from the Law Society’s pioneering 21st Century Justice Project. The project’s interim report, published today, lists ‘actionable simple ways’ to future-proof the justice system in seven key areas of civil law. The report’s proposals include: A publicly funded online information and guidance tool to help identify the legal issue and direct users to appropriate dispute resolution. Exploring how international models of civil legal aid could work in England and Wales and how healthcare professionals can refer people with a legal […]
More than 10,000 London black-cab drivers launch £250m Uber lawsuit | Travel & leisure
More than 10,500 of London’s black-cab drivers have launched a £250m legal case against Uber, accusing it of breaking the capital’s taxi booking rules and deliberately misleading authorities to secure a licence. The case, which has been filed in the high court in London by the litigation management firm RGL, resurrects a claim first raised five years ago, related to the way the ride-hailing app operated in London between 2012 and 2018. Cabbies allege that Uber allowed drivers to take bookings directly from customers rather than through a centralised system such as those used by minicab services, in a direct […]
After years of inquiries, why are victims of gross errors by public bodies still waiting for proper …
How much money should go to those given infected blood in the 1970s and 80s? And how much to the wronged subpost office operators? Such questions surge periodically into the daylight and then subside. Last month it was the subpost office operators’ turn, stirring a burst of public rage. Today, an amendment to a bill demanding expanded compensation for victims of infected blood is expected to pass. Both cases are heartbreaking. They tell of lives ruined through gross errors by public bodies. Both have been lurking for decades in Whitehall attics, lost in a world of lavish public inquiries and […]
What to Say in Mediation to Have a Positive Outcome
Wondering what to say in mediation? I have been co-mediating with Brian James for over 16 years and unfortunately, we have heard statements people make to their spouse that are offensive, mean, and that ultimately undermine the mediation process. On a positive note, Brian and I have also heard our clients say wonderful things—things that are kind and thoughtful and productive, and that help make the process smoother and so much more effective. It’s not always easy to be nice during mediation, given the anger and resentment you might have towards your soon-to-be-ex, or the fear you are experiencing about […]
Litigation Funding Agreements (Enforceability) Bill passes through committee stage in House of Lords
The government made two minor changes to plug gaps in its Litigation Funding Agreements (Enforceability) Bill yesterday as it passed through committee stage in the House of Lords. In grand committee, advocate general for Scotland Lord Stewart (Keith Stewart KC) described both changes to the short bill as ‘small technical amendments’. The first amendment remedies a gap in relation to litigants in person by ensuring the bill’s definition of a litigation funding agreement (LFA) includes agreements to fund the expenses of LiPs, for example to meet the cost of an expert’s report. The second amendment broadens the definition of an LFA […]