Law and the Justice System

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has suspended the £58m project to change the way court orders are enforced and historic criminal debt is collected because it does not have enough money.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/moj-halts-enforcement-upgrade-due-to-cash-shortage

The Home Office launched a consultation in respect of further revisions to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Codes of Practice.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/revising-pace-codes-c-and-h

Following the Law Commission’s analysis of the law, the provisional conclusion is an electronic signature is capable in general of meeting a statutory requirement for a signature.

https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/electronic-execution-of-documents/

Magistrates in Birmingham and the wider county are dishing out strong sentences

https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/criminals-twice-likely-jailed-west-15060523

Vulnerable victims of heartless scams will soon find support in a new police initiative as fraud continues to soar.

https://www.bicesteradvertiser.net/news/16414096.more-support-for-victims-after-spike-in-fraud-cases/

The Government has agreed to improve the enforcement of financial orders, in response to a Law Commission report.

https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/financial-order-reforms-set-to-boost-unfairly-treated-former-partners-and-families/

The Court of Appeal has rejected what it described as a “cynical” attempt by two men convicted of money laundering to blame their barrister for confiscation orders made against them.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/appeal-judges-reject-criminals-cynical-attempt-to-blame-barrister

In the recent case of AXA Insurance UK plc v Financial Claims Solutions Ltd and others, the Court of Appeal awarded exemplary damages against insurance fraudsters whose actions it described as “outrageous”.

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/opinion/crime-and-punishment-fraud-and-punitive-damages-under-english-law-108163.aspx

A fraud victim left suicidal after losing his life savings to a £14.5 million Ponzi-style scheme today told how he “pulled himself back from the brink” so he could watch the conman face justice.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/fraud-victim-tells-how-he-held-back-from-suicide-to-face-conman-in-court-a3901371.html

The crackdown on holiday sickness claims fraud is moving in a positive direction, with the latest figures from the UK’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ) showing that the number of Claims Management Companies (CMCs) operating in the travel sector fell by 37 per cent between August 2017 and January 2018.

https://www.itij.com/story/114437/fraud-crackdown-gains-positive-results