Law and the Justice System

The first virtual court case has been held with a claimant appearing via a home laptop camera, while an extremely patient judge sat in a London tribunal and lawyers presented evidence from Belfast.

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2018/mar/26/first-virtual-court-case-held-using-claimant-laptop-camera

Multiple breaches of worldwide freezing orders (WFOs) in contempt of court can form the basis of an action for damages caused by 'unlawful means' conspiracy, the UK's highest court has confirmed.

https://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2018/march/supreme-court-actions-in-contempt-of-court-can-be-unlawful-means/

The Sentencing Code project is part of the Law Commission’s 12th programme of law reform.

http://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/sentencing-code/

Justice Secretary David Gauke today finally published the Civil Liability Bill, which the government said “offered hope” of lower insurance premiums to millions of motorists by reducing the “unacceptably high number of whiplash claims”.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/the-clock-starts-ticking-gauke-publishes-civil-liability-bill

Ten years after the Corston report into women’s vulnerability in the criminal justice system, our new inquiry wants change

https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2018/mar/13/penal-system-men-women-new-strategy-inquiry

A civil case over cheating at baccarat could significantly change the way white-collar crime is prosecuted in the UK, after the Supreme Court redefined the dishonesty test.

https://www.cdr-news.com/categories/competition-and-business-crime/8004-playing-with-a-new-deck

The judiciary has threatened to withdraw from the Online Court pilot – which could go public by the end of this month – if there are “any further false claims or data” about the project from Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/judiciary-threatens-pull-online-court-pilot-lack-communication-officials

MPs have expressed concern about the government’s “evident preference” for virtual and online justice over traditional, court-based models without the evidence base to justify it.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/mps-outline-concerns-governments-push-digital-justice

Statements made by an employee in the context of an internal investigation did not attract litigation privilege, and therefore could be referred to by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in a subsequent prosecution, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

https://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2018/february/companies-warned-on-internal-investigations-after-court-of-appeal-rejects-privilege-claim/

An estate agent who “borrowed” hundreds of thousands of pounds from clients and friends to keep his business alive after it “fell off a cliff” during the financial crash, must repay a slice of the money he gained from his victims.

http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/agent-who-committed-fraud-to-keep-business-afloat-must-pay-thousands-of-pounds-to-victims-court-rules/