Defamation on social media – Law Society’s Gazette

“On 24 May Mr Justice Tugendhat handed down the judgment in McAlpine v Bercow [2013] EWHC 1342 (QB), finding that Mrs Bercow’s tweet carried a defamatory meaning. Following the judgment it was announced that Bercow had accepted an earlier settlement offer, saying that ‘today’s ruling should be seen as a warning to all social media users’. Although Twitter litigation is no longer new (the site has been the form of publication in a number of cases, most notably Cairns v Modi [2012] EWHC 756 (QB)), McAlpine is the first to really tackle the peculiar nature of this social media genre and could mark a key moment in social media use.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ofcom investigates broadcasting of Lee Rigby footage – BBC News

Posted June 17th, 2013 in armed forces, BBC, children, complaints, media, murder, news, ombudsmen, video recordings by sally

“TV watchdog Ofcom has launched an investigation into the broadcasting of footage from the scene of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby.”

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BBC News, 17th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stuart Hall jailed for indecently assaulting young girls – The Guardian

“The disgraced BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall was jailed for 15 months on Monday for a string of historic sex attacks on girls as young as nine.”

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The Guardian, 17th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted June 17th, 2013 in parliamentary papers by sally

Government Response to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Report HC 690 of Session 2012-13 FCO Performance and Finances 2011-12, Cm 8636 (PDF)

Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America for the Sharing of Visa, Immigration, and Nationality Information, Cm 8651 (PDF)

Agreement on a Unified Patent Court, Cm 8653 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted June 17th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Newhaven Port & Properties Ltd, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs [2013] EWCA Civ 673 (14 June 2013)

Okotoks Ld & Anor v Fine & Country Ltd & Ors [2013] EWCA Civ 672 (14 June 2013)

Lumos Skincare Ltd v Sweet Squared Ltd. & Ors [2013] EWCA Civ 671 (14 June 2013)

Superstrike Ltd v Rodrigues [2013] EWCA Civ 669 (14 June 2013)

Birch v Ministry of Defence [2013] EWCA Civ 676 (14 June 2013)

Ireland v David Lloyd Leisure Ltd [2013] EWCA Civ 665 (14 June 2013)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Tchenguiz & Ors v The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) [2013] EWHC 1578 (QB) (14 June 2013)

Roger Ward Associates Ltd & Ors v Britannia Assets (UK) Ltd [2013] EWHC 1653 (QB) (14 June 2013)

Mehjoo v Harben Barker (a firm) & Anor [2013] EWHC 1669 (QB) (14 June 2013)

Lombard North Central Plc v Nugent & Ors [2013] EWHC 1588 (QB) (06 June 2013)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Peel Land and Property (Ports No.3) Ltd v TS Sheerness Steel Ltd [2013] EWHC 1658 (Ch) (14 June 2013)

MF Global UK Ltd (in special administration), Re [2013] EWHC 1655 (Ch) (14 June 2013)

Revenue & Customs v SED Essex Ltd [2013] EWHC 1583 (Ch) (14 June 2013)

High Court (Family Division)

CM v The Executor of the Estate of EJ & Ors [2013] EWHC 1680 (Fam) (14 June 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Borough of Telford and Wrekin & Anor v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2013] EWHC 1638 (Admin) (14 June 2013)

Arranz v Spanish Judicial Authority [2013] EWHC 1662 (Admin) (14 June 2013)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Tullow Uganda Ltd v Heritage Oil and Gas Ltd & Anor [2013] EWHC 1656 (Comm) (14 June 2013)

Versloot Dredging BV & Anor v HDI Gerling Industrie Versicherung AG & Ors (Rev 1) [2013] EWHC 1666 (Comm) (14 June 2013)

Versloot Dredging BV & Anor v HDI Gerling Industrie Versicherung AG & Ors (Rev 1) [2013] EWHC 1667 (Comm) (14 June 2013)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Elvanite Full Circle Ltd. v Amec Earth & Environmental (UK) Ltd. [2013] EWHC 1643 (TCC) (14 June 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

Extending Police Retention of Biometric Material – Criminal Law and Justice Weekly

“The first Biometrics Commissioner, Mr Alastair MacGregor QC, has issued a consultation paper asking for views about how he should act in relation to the retention and use of biometric material obtained from persons who have been arrested but not charged.”

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Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 15th June 2013

Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk

Re B (A Child) – Social Engineering or Proportionate Response to Risk of Future Harm? – Family Law Week

Posted June 17th, 2013 in adoption, appeals, care orders, children, news, proportionality, Supreme Court by sally

“Janet Bazley QC and Eleri Jones of 1 Garden Court consider the Supreme Court’s decision in Re B (A Child) [2013] UKSC 22.”

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Family Law Week, 16th June 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Deposit received, one way or another – NearlyLegal

Posted June 17th, 2013 in appeals, deposits, landlord & tenant, news, penalties by sally

“There are still some questions to be cleared up on tenancy deposit law and this Court of Appeal case neatly deals with one of them, while opening up what might be a very large can of worms.”

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NearlyLegal, 15th June 2013

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Airline compensation: law firm flies to aid of delayed passengers – The Guardian

“A Cheshire solicitors has recovered more than £300,000 for 700 passengers with their no-win no-fee service.”

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The Guardian, 15th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jack Simson Caird: A Proposal for a Code of Legislative Standards? – UK Constitutional Law Group

“On the 20 of May the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee (the PCR) published its report on legislative scrutiny standards titled ‘Ensuring standards in the quality of legislation’. The Report contains two eye catching and ambitious proposals for parliamentary reform: the creation of a joint committee on legislative standards and the adoption of a code of legislative standards. This blog is about the second of these proposals. The proposal is a significant one, and if implemented it would dramatically improve the information available to parliamentarians in their scrutiny of government bills. The PCR’s code is in effect a series of questions and demands for information relating to the content and to the timetable of a bill, that the government would answer within the explanatory notes to a bill. In this blog post, I draw attention to the code proposed by the PRC and I offer a critique of their approach, and in particular of the decision not to include substantive legislative standards.”

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UK Constitutional Law Group, 14th June 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Liverpool crime matriarch and two sons jailed over conspiracy to import drugs – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2013 in conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering, news, sentencing by sally

“Key members of one of Merseyside’s most notorious crime families are behind bars after admitting to running a multi-million pound drug smuggling and money-laundering racket.”

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The Guardian, 14th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Social media advertisers responsible for user generated content they ‘positively invite’, says CAP – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 17th, 2013 in advertising, codes of practice, consumer protection, internet, news by sally

“Advertisers that encourage users of social media to respond to promotional questions they pose are responsible for ensuring that the content those users submit complies with UK advertising rules, the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 14th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Why are vulnerable women still being jailed? – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2013 in inquests, mental health, news, prisons, suicide, women by sally

“Suicide case highlights dangers of unsafe prisons, say campaigners.”

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The Guardian, 16th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid cuts ‘end high-profile BME cases’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 17th, 2013 in budgets, legal aid, legal representation, minorities, news by sally

“High-profile cases such as those of murder victims Stephen Lawrence and Victoria Climbié would not have been taken up by lawyers if the government’s legal aid cuts had been in place, a prominent solicitor-advocate has warned.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

SDT rulings send out warning to law firms over relationships with debt recovery companies – Legal Futures

“Law firms must not allow arrangements with debt recovery companies to compromise their independence, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned, after two solicitors were fined heavily for allowing litigation to be carried out in their name.”

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Legal Futures, 17th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Private enforcement: the Commission speaks at last – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

“The trio of documents published by the Commission last week mark an important moment in private competition enforcement in the EU. After years of debate and consultation, it is now clear that, whilst the Commission is determined to take some important steps to assist claimants in private actions, it is not prepared to bring about the sorts of fundamental changes which would be needed to realise the full potential of private enforcement.”

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 15th June 2013

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Sir Mark Hedley: The judge who opened the doors to Britain’s most secretive court – The Independent

“Sir Mark Hedley decided that the public should know about the judiciary’s highly sensitive rulings. He tells Emily Dugan why.”

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The Independent, 16th June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Care Quality Commission monitoring deaths in homes – BBC News

Posted June 17th, 2013 in care homes, elderly, news, quality assurance, statistics by sally

“Death rates in care and nursing homes in England are to be monitored by the Care Quality Commission to try to identify problems at an earlier stage.”

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BBC News, 17th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ian Brady in prison transfer tribunal – The Independent

Posted June 17th, 2013 in mental health, murder, news, transfer of prisoners, tribunals by sally

“Moors Murderer Ian Brady is scheduled to go before a tribunal later today in his bid to be transferred to a prison to die.”

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The Independent, 17th June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The laws that allow intelligence agencies to spy on foreign diplomats – The Guardian

“The powers that allow Britain’s intelligence agencies to spy on individuals, including foreign diplomats, were set out in the 1994 Intelligence Services Act (ISA). They were framed in a broad way to allow those involved in espionage to conduct all manner of operations with ministerial authority, and the types of techniques used during the G20 summit four years ago suggest a creativity and technological capability that Ian Fleming could only have dreamed of.”

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The Guardian, 16th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk