Last week's rape trial shows a youth justice review is not enough – we need to rip up the whole system and start again, say campaigners. Ailsa Dixon reports
It is a fine excitement, election time. Because of the exigencies of a tough trial I missed most of it, but was found crouching in front of the telly at 5am demanding of it “But who are our masters now?†The suspense was killing me – but eventually fevered impatience was rewarded, and the quintennial rush to the Ministry of Justice website could begin. I'm surprised it didn't crash, with the sheer weight of lawyers anxious to know who their new line managers were and what life under them would be like.
The last few months have produced contrasting decisions about the court's power to remove executors, a reappraisal of the criteria of testamentary capacity and a useful ruling on inheritance tax, says Helen Bryant
Welsh firms are still battling the recession, but, by joining forces with others and moving towards greater specialisation, they are also gearing up to take on the challenges of the evolving legal services market. Jean-Yves Gilg reports
The ruling against the UK Treasury on the misinterpretation of rules designed to prevent terrorist funding is not only a victory for common sense but also illustrates the ECJ's ability to produce sustained and comprehensive arguments, says Paul Stanley NO
Independent inquiries following complaints against the police are still a rarity and the IPCC must recognise its responsibility to undertake more investigations, says Sophie Khan
A recent case brought against a health authority for failing in its duty to protect a vulnerable detained patient opens new possibilities for families who become victims of serious mistakes, says Saimo Chahal
The coalition government has put constitutional reform and the protection of civil liberties right at the heart of the parliamentary agenda. Seamus Burns explains the changes to come
