Latest news with #Courts
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lawmakers vow further exploration of CYFD reforms in interim before 2026 session
New Mexico lawmakers created a new child advocate position to oversee the troubled CYFD agency. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal) New Mexico lawmakers said Tuesday they plan to investigate more reforms for the state's troubled child welfare agency in advance of next year's legislative session, pointing to the recent tragedy of a 16-year old foster child's suicide as a catalyst for further action. The Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee convened at the Roundhouse for the first meeting of the interim, which included a presentation on recent reforms to the Children, Youth & Families Department lawmakers passed in the 2025 Legislative session. Specifically, House Bill 5 created an Office of the Child Advocate, which will be administratively attached to the state Department of Justice. Tuesday's hearing also exposed continued tension over the management of CYFD. The troubled agency has faced increased scrutiny over rising costs of settlements for maltreatment and deaths of children in custody from years past, as well as the housing of children in offices, which have included incidents of injury from private security guards. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez in April announced an investigation into the April death. In a recent interview with Source, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has clashed with the AG over CYFD, said the agency intends to abide with the Legislature's reforms 'in a robust and cooperative manner.' Sen. Joe Cervantes (D-Las Cruces), who co-chairs the interim committee with Rep. Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos), said New Mexico was failing to protect children in state custody which he called 'our most important, sacred responsibility.' 'We're not saving lives, we have children who are dying on our watch,' he said Tuesday. Cervantes alluded to Jaydun Garcia, the 16-year old who died by suicide in congregate care in April, but also mentioned a second case: 'I cannot go into detail, that we had another suicide: a young woman who was pregnant at the time in our state custody.' CYFD spokesperson Jessica Preston said she could not corroborate Cervantes' statement. 'State and federal confidentiality laws strictly limit what the Children, Youth, and Families Department can confirm or disclose about individual cases. We are only authorized to release information when it is determined that abuse or neglect caused a child's death,' Preston said in a written statement. 'Accordingly, no information can be provided.' CYFD was not invited to testify at today's meeting, both Cervantes and CYFD confirmed, with Preston noting that the agenda item related to the new office attached to the NMDOJ. CYFD Cabinet Secretary Teresa Casados 'has said on many occasions that the Department welcomes oversight, and we look forward to collaborating with the new Office of Child Advocate to serve the children, youth, and families of New Mexico when it is up and running,' Preston wrote. Lujan Grisham line-item vetoed $1 million earmarked for Office of the Child Advocate from the budget, but allowed both a $650,000 appropriation the New Mexico Department of Justice to set up the office and $300,000 for CYFD to hire additional staff to respond to inquiries from the advocate to remain in the budget. Attorneys for NMDOJ said they would be able to stand up the office with the $650,000 appropriation, but would seek further funding in 2026. 'That sets us on a pretty good entry point,' said Billy Jimenez, the deputy attorney general for civil affairs at NMDOJ. 'From a purely administrative standpoint, we can provide staff to assist whether that's paralegals or clerical staff, HR staff. But I think, at the end of the day, we want to make sure that that office maintains… independence [and] their own paralegals and staff over time.' Further decisions about staffing the office will be made once the child advocate is in the role Jimenez said. The state is still in the process of appointing a statutorily required state child advocate selection committee, which is required by law to meet before Sept. 1 to consider recommendations for the state child advocate. Within 30 days of meeting, the committee is supposed to recommend a short list of candidates to the governor, who will make the appointment.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
More Funding To Cut Court Case Backlogs
Press Release – New Zealand Government ' Hon Paul Goldsmith Minister of Justice Minister for Courts Court case backlogs will be further reduced through extra funding to improve court timeliness and access to justice, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Courts Minister Nicole McKee say. 'Justice delayed is justice denied. Waiting months or years for a case to be resolved only adds to the frustration and trauma for victims and, indeed, all court participants,' Mr Goldsmith says. 'While there has been progress, it's really important that we keep things moving. This funding will to do exactly that.' Budget 2025 will provide New Zealand's courts with $246 million of additional funding over the next four years. 'This funding will support the ongoing operation of specialist courts, tribunals, the District Court, senior courts, the Coroners Court, and the legal aid system.' 'This Government is supporting the courts to be more efficient and minimise delays, to ensure everyone can navigate the process smoothly and have trust and confidence in the system,' Mrs McKee says. 'An efficient court system that delivers timely justice is an important part of the Government's plan to restore law and order. Through Budget 2025 we are making sure we keep our foot on the pedal.' In the year ending 31 March 2025, cases disposed of within expected timeframes has stabilised at 81 per cent, after almost a decade of declining timeliness. Backlog cases have decreased by 9 per cent to 7,067, while active cases decreased by 3 per cent to 37,920, with a reduction of 1,074 cases on hand. Disposals of district court jury trials are at historically high levels, reflecting the approach of applying additional resources to reduce the post-Covid backlog of trials in Auckland courts.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
More Funding To Cut Court Case Backlogs
' Hon Paul Goldsmith Minister of Justice Minister for Courts Court case backlogs will be further reduced through extra funding to improve court timeliness and access to justice, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Courts Minister Nicole McKee say. 'Justice delayed is justice denied. Waiting months or years for a case to be resolved only adds to the frustration and trauma for victims and, indeed, all court participants,' Mr Goldsmith says. 'While there has been progress, it's really important that we keep things moving. This funding will to do exactly that.' Budget 2025 will provide New Zealand's courts with $246 million of additional funding over the next four years. 'This funding will support the ongoing operation of specialist courts, tribunals, the District Court, senior courts, the Coroners Court, and the legal aid system.' 'This Government is supporting the courts to be more efficient and minimise delays, to ensure everyone can navigate the process smoothly and have trust and confidence in the system,' Mrs McKee says. 'An efficient court system that delivers timely justice is an important part of the Government's plan to restore law and order. Through Budget 2025 we are making sure we keep our foot on the pedal.' In the year ending 31 March 2025, cases disposed of within expected timeframes has stabilised at 81 per cent, after almost a decade of declining timeliness. Backlog cases have decreased by 9 per cent to 7,067, while active cases decreased by 3 per cent to 37,920, with a reduction of 1,074 cases on hand. Disposals of district court jury trials are at historically high levels, reflecting the approach of applying additional resources to reduce the post-Covid backlog of trials in Auckland courts.
NDTV
20-05-2025
- NDTV
Woman Sues Husband For Defamation Over Adultery Charge. What Court Ruled
New Delhi: A Delhi Court has recently declined cognisance of a defamation complaint filed by a woman against her husband. The man had filed a divorce petition in Karnataka on the grounds of cruelty and adultery. While declining cognisance, the court observed, "A crucial element for completing the offence of defamation is that the imputation (allegation) must have been made with the requisite mensrea (intention) to cause harm to the reputation of the concerned person." A woman had alleged that her husband had falsely alleged in the divorce petition that she was having an affair with her gym trainer, used to meet her secretly, used to invite him to their house in the absence of the accused and used to frequent hotels with him. It was further alleged that during cross-examination in the divorce proceeding, the husband could not substantiate his allegations and failed to justify the ground of adultery. As per the admitted case, the divorce was eventually granted in the matter on the ground of cruelty. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Yashdeep Chahal refused to take cognizance of the complaint. "I have no hesitation in observing that the version of the complainant fails to disclose the ingredients and nexus necessary for proving the offence of defamation against the accused herein, and thus, no prima facie case is made out for taking cognisance. Accordingly, cognisance is declined under Section 223 of BNSS and the complaint is disposed of," JMFC Chahal said in the order passed on May 16. The court also pointed a finger towards making Delhi a jurisdiction for filing a complaint. "It is also apparent from how the cause of action has been created in Delhi. To keep the pot boiling is a method which the Courts must be circumspect about. I need not say more," JMFC Yashdeep Chahal said. The complainant had alleged that when she was in Delhi to meet her friend she was having the affidavit filed by her husband. Her husband caught hold of the affidavit and read it. Her friend asked her the question about the allegations. She alleged that the false Allegations levelled in the affidavit defamed her in the eyes of her husband. The court also said that it has been observed by the Constitutional Courts, time and again, that the tendency to misuse the criminal machinery for settling monetary/civil scores must be nipped in the bud. " Without expressing much, I may only note that the prayer on behalf of the complainant to keep this complaint pending, for no reason whatsoever, till settlement talks are going on outside the Court, only points in the direction alleged by the accused to keep the pressure points on," the judge observed. The couple got married on 28.04.2008. As the relationship went sour, the accused husband filed a divorce petition in 2020 before the Family Court in Bengaluru. In the said petition, the husband filed his affidavit of evidence wherein, the accused pleaded for divorce on the twin grounds of cruelty and adultery. To substantiate his ground of adultery, the accused allegedly levelled certain allegations against the complainant.
The National
19-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Fife butcher wins Scotland's best pork sausage award
Tom Courts Quality Foods, Burntisland, managed to beat off fierce competition from more than 60 independent butchers to be crowned the Scottish Pork Sausage Champion 2025 at the Scottish Craft Butchers biennial Trade Fair in Perth. The owner, Tom Courts, previously won the title in 2011 and 2013, as he claimed he doesn't think there's a sausage in the country that has secured as many titles as his. Courts said his sausages are made with the 'very best' pork from Scotland, which is mixed with 'top quality' grains and spices along with a 'wee secret twist'. READ MORE: Labour minister breaks ranks to call out UK Government on Gaza 'genocide' 'I stay true to my dad's original recipe, which has proved a best seller for two generations,' Courts said. 'My dad said we should compete on quality – not price – and that's exactly why our pork sausage is a winner. 'It's made with the very best pork from Scotland mixed with top quality grains and spices and then made using artisan methods, perfected by our team. And there's a wee secret twist there too.' The Fife butcher took a break from the industry between 1992 and 2003 but returned to continue offering his award-winning pork products. Judges named Courts sausage East of Scotland Champion before selecting it from five regions to be named Scottish Champion. Courts (below) said it was 'wonderful' to see his pork sausages, which he hand-made himself for the judges, being recognised for their quality. (Image: Scottish Craft Butchers) He said: 'I'm really chuffed; the whole team is absolutely delighted. 'We were up against some of the finest butchers in the country and although I know we have a great product, there's nothing like the thrill of hearing your name called out as being the best in the business. 'Our pork links are such a signature product for us at Tom Courts Quality Foods,' he added. 'They're a huge seller and bring us a lot of business, so it's just wonderful to see them secure another Scottish championship – what a treble!' Courts and his team handcraft and sell around 300 kilos of pork links every week from their production unit and shop at Burntisland, outsourcing to customers throughout Britain. Gordon King, executive manager with Scottish Craft Butchers, said Court's achievement of winning for a third time was 'outstanding'. He said: 'The Scottish Pork Sausage Championship is one of the most coveted and fiercely contested competitions in the business. 'To take the title with the exact same product three times is outstanding.' King added: 'The standard of entry this year was extremely high which reflects well on our local independent craft butchers who supply this household staple food as one of their key products on a daily basis, but Tom Courts produced something exceptional yet again and wowed the judges to take a third championship title for his pork links.'
