RLC Call for Safe Winter Roads
22nd December 2009
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Unfortunately snow produces two conflicting effects: (a) It attracts children into the streets, (b) It causes cars ...
Drowning in Debt
15th December 2009
Citizens Advice Drowning in Debt Report
Summary of Key Points
Most people attempt to manage debt by their own means, i.e. without professional help, but these attempts often don’t succeed and sometimes even worsen the situation while the quality of life of debtors and their families suffers.
2/3 of people facing debt have considered bankruptcy as a way out.
1/4 have taken additional credit to pay back debt, but this frequently only protracts their indebtedness – a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
1/3 have borrowed from family or friends.
4/10 have gone without ...
RLC in Talks with Ministers
8th December 2009
On 7 December RLC took part in a meeting with Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill, and Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing, at the Scottish Government HQ at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh. RLC Principal Solicitor Jon Kiddie formed part of a delegation from the Scottish Association of Law Centres alongside Angus MacIntosh of Castlemilk Law Centre, Paul Brown of Legal Services Agency, and Amanda Pringle of Drumchapel Law Centre.
The discussion dealt with various issues affecting local community justice and law centres in general, and in particular Scotland’s need for more secure funding for social welfare and humans rights ...
Repeal of Mortgage Rights Act
7th December 2009
The Scottish Parliament is at present considering important new legislative reforms in the Home Owner & Debtor Protection (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced on 1 October 2009. As part of the government’s response to the Credit Crunch, if passed this will make significant changes to the law, particularly relating to mortgage repossession, bankruptcy and trust deeds.
This article will look at the proposed changes to mortgage repossession law.
Mortgage Repossession
Part 1 of the Bill (section 1―8) proposes to reform the Heritable Securities (Scotland) Act 1894, the Conveyancing & Feudal Reform (Scotland) Act 1970 and the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Act ...
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
2nd December 2009
Originally reported on Scottish Legal News.
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has issued its first guidance to the professional bodies to ensure legal firms tell their clients about the commission at the earliest opportunity and also notified them of a change to the SLCC rules.
The guidance states that practitioners should ensure that clients, or others, who may wish to express dissatisfaction with a practitioner or firm, should be advised of the SLCC as the appropriate gateway for complaints at an appropriate time.
The SLCC has also asked the Law Society of Scotland, Faculty of Advocates and Association of ...
Praise for RLC Website
1st December 2009
Renfrewshire Law Centre's website (this one) received its first critical review by Iain Nisbet, writing for the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland in November. Iain, himself a partner at Govan Law Centre, has had a regular column in the Journal, reviewing legal-themed websites for many years.
His review is as follows. We would only point out that the RLC logo was not inspired by the Reid Kerr logo, but in fact initially drawn up before the designer had even seen the Reid Kerr logo.
"Renfrewshire Law Centre is not a new law centre as such, but a ...
RLC & SALC to Meet Justice Minister
1st December 2009
Jon Kiddie, Principal Solicitor of Renfrewshire Law Centre, will meet the Justice Minister, Kenny MacAskill, next week along with principal solicitors of other Scottish law centres. The meeting, set up under the auspices of the Scottish Association of Law Centres, will focus on proposals for legislative reform relating to housing law, tenants' and home owners' rights, debtor protection, and on the need for secure funding for law centres and similar organisations in the future.
Watch this space for a report on the meeting.
Important Development in Law on Recalling Decree
1st December 2009
Glasgow Housing Association v Duffy 2009
Glasgow Sheriff Court ruled it was competent for a tenant to recall of decree despite having appeared in person and being represented at previous diets, and despite having stated a defence, with a proof and a pre-proof hearing having been assigned.
The tenant's solicitors withdrew from acting before the pre-proof hearing, and the tenant failed to appear in person, whereupon the landlords obtained decree for payment and ejection.
The court held that the pre-proof hearing was truly a continued diet, that decree had been granted under summary cause rule 8.2(5), and ...
RLC Volunteer Moves On
1st December 2009
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Renfrewshire Law Centre congratulates Paul Fairbridge, former volunteer lawyer, on his appointment as solicitor at Drumchapel Law and Money Advice Centre. |