Law and the Justice System

More needs to be done to "demystify" the justice system for the public, the body that advises judges and sheriffs on sentencing has said.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has outlined ambitious milestones for court reform, including fully digital “journeys” for litigants in family public law and asylum and immigration appeals cases.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/hmcts-sets-out-reform-ambitions-as-impact-assessment-begins

Nobody is under any illusion that the small claims track (SCT) portal is in some disarray.  The MIB (responsible for building the portal) has held public information meetings, but these have simply focused attention on the lack of joined-up thinking between stakeholders, notably the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/blog/list-of-questions-grows-for-the-sct-portal

A man jailed for committing waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) evidence fraud has had an additional nine years added to his prison sentence for failure to pay back the proceeds of his crime.

https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/weee-fraudster-has-prison-sentence-extended/

BORIS Johnson recently pledged to recruit 20,000 extra police officers (1). This is a step in the right direction but we should have no illusions that this, by itself, will deter criminals. For the government to be serious about fighting crime, especially violent crime, it needs to do three things.

https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/criminals-must-fear-the-courts-and-the-police/

On 4 July 2019, Mr Justice William Davis approved a Deferred Prosecution Agreement ("DPA") agreed between the Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") and Serco Geografix Ltd ("SGL"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of outsourcing company Serco Group plc ("Serco Group"). SGL has agreed to pay £22.9 million, comprising a financial penalty of £19.2m and the full amount of the SFO's investigative costs of £3.7m. This is in addition to the £12.8m in compensation Serco paid to the Ministry of Justice as part of a £70m civil settlement in 2013.

http://www.mondaq.com/uk/x/826812/White+Collar+Crime+Fraud/Approval+Of+UKs+Fifth+DPA+Concludes+SFO+Investigation+Into+Serco+Companies

Two solicitor judges who failed to inform the judicial authorities that they had been investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have been reprimanded by the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/lord-chancellor-and-lord-chief-reprimand-solicitor-judges

The Centre's latest report by Helen Mills, 'Stopping short?' Sentencing reform and short prison sentences, examines the future of sentencing reform and how abolishing short terms of imprisonment might impact on prison numbers.

https://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/publications/stopping-short-sentencing-reform-and-short-prison-sentences

Director of Public Prosecutions Max Hill QC said: “This investment of an additional £85 million for the CPS comes at a crucial time for criminal justice. Our work is changing, and this new funding will provide the increased capacity to enable us to respond effectively to challenging trends we currently face, from the surge in violent crime, to the explosion of digital evidence. 

https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/cps-response-additional-ps85m-funding

The PM announced the move as he continued his crackdown on crime, after enhancing stop and search powers as well as announcing 10,000 new prison places.