Conspiracy to Defraud

Project status: Complete

We announced in November 1994 our intention to embark on a comprehensive review of offences of dishonesty, including those created by the Theft Acts 1968 and 1978. We concluded in December 1994 that, for practical reasons conspiracy to defraud performs a useful role in the existing law of dishonesty, and that it should remain intact … Read more >

Hate Crime [completed report: 2014]

Project status: Complete

This report was completed in 2014. View the current Hate Crime project here. Download the report Download the summary The problem Hate crime are acts of violence or hostility directed at people because of who they are. The police and CPS record data on hate crimes for five protected characteristics: disability transgender identity race religion … Read more >

Insurance Contract Law: Insurable Interest

Project status: Analysis of responses

Download the accompanying notes to the draft Bill Download the draft Bill Download the response form The problem At its simplest, the requirement for insurable interest means that, for a contract of insurance to be valid, the person taking out the insurance must be affected by the subject matter of the insurance. They must stand … Read more >

Insurance Contract Law: Business Disclosure, Warranties, Insurers’ Remedies for Fraudulent Claims, and Late Payment

Project status: Complete

On 15 July 2014, the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission presented to Government recommendations for reform of the law in four areas of insurance law: The duty of disclosure in business and other non-consumer insurance The law of insurance warranties Insurer’s remedies for fraudulent claims Late payment of insurance claims These reforms would … Read more >

Contempt of Court: Contempt in the Face of the Court

Project status: Analysis of responses

Our final report in the Contempt of Court project will deal with contempt in the face of the court and other aspects of contempt by publication not dealt with in our previous reports.

Contempt of Court: Court Reporting

Project status: Complete

We published a report explaining and setting out our recommendations in this area on 26 March 2014. In our report we recommended: ensuring that postponement orders on court reporting are all posted on a single publicly accessible website (a similar website currently operates in Scotland), and including a further restricted service where, for a charge, … Read more >

Contempt of Court: Juror Misconduct and Internet Publications

Project status: Complete

We published a report explaining and setting out our recommendations in this area on 9 December 2013. In our report we recommended the creation of a new criminal offence for jurors conducting prohibited research. This recommendation was implemented by section 71 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (inserting a new section 20A into … Read more >

Contempt of Court: Scandalising the Court

Project status: Complete

This historic form of contempt covers conduct likely to undermine the administration of justice or public confidence in courts and judges. In August 2012 we published a consultation paper on scandalising the court. This work was brought forward to feed into the Government’s consideration of the proposal in the Crime and Courts Bill to abolish … Read more >

Charity Law: Social Investment by Charities

Project status: Complete

The terms of reference for our Charity Law project, first agreed with the Government in June 2013, were updated in October 2013 to record the extension of the project to include a review of certain aspects of the law relating to social investment by charities. Charities occupy a special place in society and in law. … Read more >