Leveson report: law on libel and the Press Complaints Commission – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted December 18th, 2012 in complaints, defamation, media, news, reports by sally

“It was perhaps timely, following so soon as it did in the wake of the Leveson Report, that an Australian radio station telephoned the private hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for acute morning sickness, and pretended to be the Queen. Whilst it was amusing that the presenters, who themselves confessed that they thought their accents would give them away, actually managed to obtain any information, it also raises once again the ugly spectre of press control, and what information should be freely available to the press to broadcast to the world, and what should be left strictly in the private domain.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 18th December 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Father faces jail for finger-biting attack at school nativity play – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2012 in assault, detention, news, sentencing by sally

“A father who admitted biting off part of another man’s finger at a children’s nativity play has been told a jail sentence is almost inevitable.”

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The Guardian, 18th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

McDonald’s waitress wins £3,000 compensation for being fired – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 18th, 2012 in compensation, employment, unfair dismissal by sally

“A McDonald’s waitress won £3,000 compensation today for being fired after sprinkling too much chocolate on an ice-cream.”

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Daily Telegraph, 18th December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 18th, 2012 in legislation by sally

The Legal Services Act 2007 (Legal Complaints) (Parties) Order 2012

The NHS Bodies and Local Authorities (Partnership Arrangements, Care Trusts, Public Health and Local Healthwatch) Regulations 2012

The Legal Services Act 2007 (Alteration of Limit) Order 2012

The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2012

The Caversfield Service Family Accommodation Byelaws 2012

The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

The London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (Transfer of Property, Rights and Liabilities) (Greater London Authority) (No. 2) Order 2012

The Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Singapore) Order 2012

The Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Switzerland) Order 2012

The Cowes Harbour Revision Order 2012

The Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Liechtenstein) Order 2012

The Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Barbados) Order 2012

The Visiting Forces and International Military Headquarters (EU SOFA) (Tax Designation) Order 2012

The Visiting Forces and International Military Headquarters (NATO and PfP) (Tax Designation) Order 2012

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

The Commission on a Bill of Rights’ report– A UK Bill of Rights? – The Choice Before Us – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 18th, 2012 in bills, human rights, news, reports by sally

“The Commission on a Bill of Rights, established in March 2011 to investigate the creation of a UK Bill of Rights, has today delivered its report – A UK Bill of Rights? – The Choice Before Us – to the Government.”

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Ministry of Justice, 18th December 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Related links: The Commission on a Bill of Rights’ report– A UK Bill of Rights? – The Choice Before Us – Volume 1 (PDF)
The Commission on a Bill of Rights’ report– A UK Bill of Rights? – The Choice Before Us – Volume 2 (PDF)

IPO to launch ‘premium’ service for processing of patent applications – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 18th, 2012 in intellectual property, news, patents by sally

“Businesses will be able to obtain patent protection for their inventions within 90 days of applying for it under plans to change the way the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) works.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th December 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Lord McAlpine settlement reached with BBC and ITV – BBC News

Posted December 18th, 2012 in BBC, defamation, media, news by sally

“Conservative peer Lord McAlpine has formally settled his libel actions against the BBC and ITV at London’s High Court.”

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BBC News, 18th December 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Redundancy notice period to be cut from 90 to 45 days – BBC News

Posted December 18th, 2012 in employment, news, notification, redundancy by sally

“The period of notice which employers have to give before making large-scale redundancies is to be cut from 90 to 45 days.”

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BBC News, 18th December 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted December 18th, 2012 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Olympic Airlines SA v ACG Acquisition XX LLC [2012] EWCA Civ 1659 (17 December 2012)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Entrust Pension Ltd v Prospect Hospice Ltd [2012] EWHC 3640 (Ch) (17 December 2012)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Threlfall v ECD Insight Ltd & Anor [2012] EWHC 3543 (QB) (17 December 2012)

Dar v Vonsak & Anor [2012] EWHC 3632 (QB) (17 December 2012)

Horner v Allison & Anor [2012] EWHC 3626 (QB) (17 December 2012)

High Court (Administrative Court)

He, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2012] EWHC 3628 (Admin) (17 December 2012)

Wankuama, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Deparment [2012] EWHC 3526 (Admin) (17 December 2012)

Source: www.bailii.org

Youths who abuse on Twitter may avoid prosecution – Daily Telegraph

“Prosecutors will be told to exercise ‘real caution’ before deciding to prosecute children and young people over abusive comments made on Twitter and Facebook under guidelines to be issued today, it was reported.”

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Daily Telegraph, 18th December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Women could pay £500 more for car insurance as EU ruling comes into force – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2012 in insurance, news, road traffic, sex discrimination, women by sally

“Women who take out car or life insurance could find themselves paying as much as £500 more when an EU ruling on gender comes into force on Friday.”

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The Guardian, 17th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judges should have extra support in litigation costs reforms, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 18th, 2012 in case management, costs, judiciary, news, prosecutions by sally

“OPINION: A seemingly attractive plan to make judges responsible for predicting the cost of court action is not the best way to encourage the accurate prediction of costs, but it is better than nothing.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 17th December 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Housing benefit changes challenged in high court – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2012 in benefits, housing, news, social security, ultra vires by sally

“The coalition’s decision to break the link between the cost of renting and housing benefit payments is being challenged in the high court.”

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The Guardian, 17th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Driver who killed pedestrian after texting escapes jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 18th, 2012 in careless driving, carers, homicide, news, road traffic offences, sentencing by sally

“A motorist who killed a pedestrian after sending a text on her mobile phone has escaped jail after a judge accepted there would be no one to care for her elderly mother and 12-year-old daughter if she went to prison.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gay marriage: divorces over adultery face legal challenge – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 18th, 2012 in divorce, homosexuality, marriage, news by sally

“Unfaithful husbands could attempt to stop their wives divorcing them for adultery if gay marriage is legalised, according to senior lawyers.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

New rules will force hospitals to publish operation survival rates by individual surgeons – The Independent

Posted December 18th, 2012 in doctors, hospitals, news, publishing, statistics by sally

“Hospitals will be required to publish survival rates for operations by individual surgeons under plans to help patients to more effectively choose where they have their care.”

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The Independent, 18th December 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Barrister who fell down wine bar stairs at party wins payout – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 18th, 2012 in barristers, compensation, news, personal injuries by sally

“A leading barrister who sued after falling head first down stairs in an exclusive wine bar following a party has won a ‘substantial’ payout after settling his multi-million-pound claim.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Family sues out-of-hours GP provider and nurse over death liability – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2012 in compensation, duty of care, health, insurance, negligence, news, nurses by sally

“The family of a young woman is suing the country’s biggest out-of-hours GP provider and one of its nurses, whose failures meant her fatal condition was not diagnosed, because neither will accept liability in a test case over legal responsibility in a privatised NHS.”

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The Guardian, 17th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bill of rights: long-awaited report to put fresh strain on coalition – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2012 in bills, human rights, news, reports by sally

“The coalition government will come under fresh strain on Tuesday when the commission on a bill of rights publishes its long-awaited report, reopening the question of the UK’s legal relationship with Europe.”

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The Guardian, 17th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Care system fails young offenders – report – BBC News

Posted December 18th, 2012 in care homes, news, reports, social services, young offenders by sally

“Children in care in England and Wales who have been in trouble with the law are being failed by youth offending teams, says an inspection report.”

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BBC News, 18th December 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk