Costs

Articles

One in five firms abandons criminal legal aid

Almost one in five law firms pulled out of criminal legal aid in the year to March 2009, a National Audit Office report has found.

Lies told in court "quite rightly" do not lead to penalties, Lord Justice Ward says

In an extraordinary comment on our justice system, Lord Justice Ward said: “Lies are told in litigation every day up and down the country and quite rightly do not lead to a penalty being imposed in respect of them.”

Fearful symmetry

When it comes to decisions about withdrawing life-sustaining treatment for children, consensus and common sense are a better process than court intervention, says Seamus Burns

Passing the check point

Are the new enhanced CRB checks on educational institutions really a step too far, asks Yvonne Spencer

A complex scenario

Amending procedural codes is not enough to resolve the costs problem in complex commercial litigation; judges themselves should address costs issues by managing the behaviour of parties, says Graham Huntley

Update: commercial property

Milton McIntosh considers cases involving lease and licence distinction, the assignability and repudiation of agreements for lease, and the effect of the new compensation provisions on business tenancies

Number of firms in ARP drops below 300

The number of law firms in the assigned risks pool fell to 286 this week, allaying fears that it would reach 500 by the end of the year.

Court of Appeal allows sacked workers who sue to claim for "stigma loss"

Dismissed employees who are turned down for jobs because they sued their previous employers can claim for “stigma loss”, the Court of Appeal has ruled.