After the last disastrous 5 years of the Coalition Government which has seen vast areas of law taken out of scope for Legal Aid, restrictions on the ability of Legal Aid firms to take judicial review actions and a 10% across the board cut in Civil Legal Aid fees, it is vital that supporters of Legal Aid and Access to Justice use their vote in the upcoming General Election.
Access To Justice
Enjoy this short film from the Legal Aid Team – in their words, it’s “An animated superhero adventure film pitting three audacious lawyers against the evil justice minister, Chris Grayling”.
Response to the No Mad Laws Campaign Petition from the MoJ
We have now received a totally unhelpful response from the Ministry of Justice to the Petition – see attached.
R (Ben Hoare Bell & Others) -v- The Lord Chancellor
R ( Ben Hoare Bell, Deighton Pierce Glynn, Mackintosh Law, Public Law Solicitors and Shelter) -v- The Lord Chancellor and the Director of Legal Aid Casework [2015] EWHC 523 (Admin)
In April 2014 the Government introduced Regulations which meant that, in certain circumstances, legal aid providers would not be paid for running a judicial review case. In this judgment, the High Court has found those Regulations to be unlawful.
R (Ben Hoare Bell & Others) -v- The Lord Chancellor
R ( Ben Hoare Bell, Deighton Pierce Glynn, Mackintosh Law, Public Law Solicitors and Shelter) -v- The Lord Chancellor and the Director of Legal Aid Casework [2015] EWHC 523 (Admin)
In April 2014 the Government introduced Regulations which meant that, in certain circumstances, legal aid providers would not be paid for running a judicial review case. In this judgment, the High Court has found those Regulations to be unlawful.
Comic Relief
Trying to do our bit for Comic Relief, some of the staff dressed in red and donned red noses for this selfie – and with a collection in the office raised £100 for the cause.
CLP/CAB INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE HOUSING LAW SERVICES IN HEREFORDSHIRE
We are pleased to announce that CLP, in conjunction with Herefordshire CAB, are now able to provide a Legal Aid service to those facing homelessness or repossession in Herefordshire.
UK Report to the United Nations under the International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination
This is CLP’s submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government concerning the draft UK report to the United Nations under the International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination:
Attachments
Total Attachments: 2
Traveller Movement -v- Ofcom
Traveller Movement -v- Ofcom and Channel 4 [2015] EWHC 406 (Admin)
The Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is the broadcasting regulator for independent television and radio, rejected complaints from the Traveller Movement (TM) about two Channel 4 series, Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and Thelma’s Gypsy Girls. TM took a judicial review application against Ofcom and, on 20 February, Ouseley J dismissed the application. TM now intend to appeal this decision. A report on the case can be found on the Travellers Times website at: http://travellerstimes.org.uk/News/Traveller-Movement-to-appeal-High-Court-decision.aspx
The full judgment can be accessed at: Traveller Movement -v- Ofcom Judgment
Best -v- The Chief Land Registrar
R(Best) -v- The Chief Land Registrar and the Secretary of State for Justice [2015] EWCA Civ 17
This adverse possession case did not involve a Gypsy or a Traveller but very occasionally you do come across Gypsies and Travellers who have been on land for many years where it is not clear who the owner of the land is.
The brief facts were that Mr Best had noticed an empty and vandalised property while working on a property next door in 1997. He had been told that the owner had died and that a son had not been seen for years. Mr Best entered the property and did work to it. He replaced ceilings and skirting boards, and electric and heating fitments; he plastered and painted walls. He did this intending to make it his permanent residence. He moved in at the end of January 2012.