Archive

Small criminal legal aid firms to lose contracts

A large number of small and medium-sized criminal legal aid firms would lose their contracts under the government's latest and most drastic cost-cutting plans.

Council responsible for "lamentable capitulation to aggression" over headmistress

Surrey County Council was responsible for a “lamentable capitulation to aggression” in failing to protect a headmistress from hostile accusations and behaviour by some of her primary school's Muslim governors, the Court of Appeal has held.

Conductor's family escapes assisted suicide prosecution

The children of Sir Edward Downes, the conductor, who died with his wife at the Dignitas clinic last July, will not be prosecuted, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.

MoJ suspends Cartel Client Review

The Ministry of Justice has suspended the authorisation of Cartel Client Review (CCR), one of the country's biggest claims management firms. The MoJ had been investigating the company for some time and said it had generated a “high volume of enquiries”.

Libel lawyers threaten Straw with judicial review

Libel lawyers working mainly for claimants have threatened justice secretary Jack Straw with a judicial review over his plans for a huge cut in success fees.

Catholic Care wins gay adoption challenge

Catholic Care, the charity providing adoption services to the Catholic community, has succeeded in a last-ditch attempt at the High Court to escape regulations which could prevent it from excluding gay couples.

Strasbourg blow to expats in index-linked pensions case

Thirteen British expats who brought a test case to have their pensions index-linked have lost the final possible appeal against the government's decision not to up-rate them in line with those of pensioners living in Britain.

Straw scraps court fees for care proceedings

In an extraordinary U-turn, justice secretary Jack Straw has decided to scrap the court fees paid by councils for care proceedings.