Strengthening the foundations of land ownership – Law Commission

Posted March 31st, 2016 in consultations, conveyancing, fraud, land registration, Law Commission, news by sally

‘The Law Commission is reviewing the legal framework that governs the registration of land in England and Wales. In a consultation opening on Thursday 31 March the Commission – the independent body that advises government on law reform – is asking how the Land Registration Act 2002 is working in practice and whether there are opportunities for the system to be clarified and updated.’

Full story

Law Commission, 31st March 2016

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Sports clip App infringes copyright – Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted March 31st, 2016 in copyright, internet, media, news, sport, telecommunications by sally

‘The recent decision of Arnold J. in (1) England & Wales Cricket Board Ltd, (2) Sky UK Ltd v (1) Tixdaq Ltd, (2) Fanatix Ltd [2016] EWHC 575 (Ch) is important not only for sports rights holders and broadcasters, but for all those involved and interested in the limits of copyright protection law in a fast moving world where developments in information technology constantly challenge the way we communicate and consume.’

Full story

Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 31st March 2016

Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org

EVENT: Gresham College – Judicial Leadership

Posted March 31st, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘History portrays judges as passive umpires, ensuring fair play between litigants at trial before delivering judgement on their disputes. We have over the last thirty years travelled a considerable distance away from that historic picture. In this year’s lecture Sir Peter Gross, Lord Justice of Appeal and formerly Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales, considers how the modern judiciary has to now undertake a wide-ranging and active leadership role both inside and outside court and how that role may evolve in the future.’

Date: 23rd June 2016, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: Barnard’s Inn Hall

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

Sex and the Law – Gresham College

Posted March 31st, 2016 in child abuse, crime, news, sexual grooming, sexual offences by sally

‘Reputations tumble; men once popular and famous but too powerful are condemned and imprisoned. Others fear their reputations will not long survive their deaths. Others will ‘get away with it’ as presumably they always have. How will all this be viewed in decades to come? Witch-hunt or confirmation that Mary Whitehouse was right all the time and the sexual revolution is to blame? If so, what should society have done that it didn’t? What should it do now apart from lock up aged offenders? And what about juries? Will they, not judges, ultimately determine how law can be fair on sexual behaviour – assuming juries can ever discuss these things candidly.’

Transcript

Gresham College, 2nd March 2016

Source: www.gresham.ac.uk

Forensic Accounting: Launch of a new, online course for pupils and new practitioners – Bar Standards Board

‘In 2015, the BSB authorised BPP Professional Education to deliver an online Forensic Accounting course to pupils and new practitioners following a review of the face-to-face two day mandatory course.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 29th March 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

The Institute for Capitalizing on Creativity: “Tales from the Drawing Board” – NIPC Law

Posted March 31st, 2016 in intellectual property, news by sally

‘According to the Creative Industries Economic Estimates published by the Department in January of this year, the gross value added (“GVA”) for the creative industries was £84.1 billion in 2014 and accounted for 5.2% of the UK economy. Between 1997 and 2014, the GVA of those industries increased by 6.0% each year compared to 4.3% for the UK economy. It accounted for 3.9% of UK GVA in 1997 and increased to 5.2 per cent in 2014. Those industries employed 1.8 million individuals in 2014 in both creative and support jobs. The creative industries’ exports amounted to £17.9 billion in 2013 which accounted for 8.7% of British exports.’

Full story

NIPC Law, 28th March 2016

Source: www.nipclaw.blogspot.co.uk

Bar regulator receives approval to license Alternative Business Structures – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 31st, 2016 in alternative business structures, barristers, licensing, news by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) application to become a licensing authority for alternative business structures (ABS) has been approved by the Legal Services Board (LSB).’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 30th March 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Adam Johnson to appeal six-year sentence – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 31st, 2016 in appeals, news, sentencing, sexual grooming by sally

‘Disgraced footballer Adam Johnson lodges appeal against his conviction for sexual activity with a teenage fan.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 30th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Land registration law up for review – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 31st, 2016 in consultations, conveyancing, fraud, land registration, Law Commission, news by sally

‘A new formula for determining which of two innocent parties of a land fraud should keep the property in question is among proposals for reform of the legal framework governing land registration in England and Wales to be published today.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 31st March 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government details law changes to address fall in adoption decisions – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Government has set out how it plans to change the law to address falls in local authority adoption decisions and the courts’ granting of placement orders.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 30th March 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Bar Standards Board set to become ABS licensing authority – Legal Futures

Posted March 31st, 2016 in alternative business structures, barristers, licensing, news by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has received the green light to license alternative business structures (ABSs).’

Full story

Legal Futures, 30th March 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Brothers filmed abusing pet bulldog put on suspended prison sentence – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 31st, 2016 in animal cruelty, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by sally

‘Shocking footage has been released showing two brothers abusing their pet dog and a petition has been launched after they walked free from court on a suspended sentence.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ban on legal highs delayed over concerns law is not enforceable – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2016 in delay, drug abuse, drug offences, legislation, news by sally

‘The government’s blanket ban on legal highs that was due to come into effect on 6 April has been postponed for at least a month, the Home Office has said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Controversial online court will need careful piloting – CJC – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 30th, 2016 in civil justice, courts, electronic filing, internet, judiciary, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘Influential advisory body the Civil Justice Council has urged a measured approach to the adoption of a new online court for civil cases.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 30th March 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bromley London Borough Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and another – WLR Daily

Bromley London Borough Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and another [2016] EWHC 595 (Admin)

‘A developer sought planning permission for a development on Green Belt land comprising nine residential houses and a barn and associated dwellings for a livery business. The proposal involved redevelopment of previously developed land at a livery, the business of which was partly retained. The local planning authority refused planning permission. On the developer’s appeal, an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State considered that the proposal comprising new buildings was appropriate development and concluded that, applying the requirements of the sixth exception in para 89 of the National Planning Policy Framework (“NPPF”), the new buildings would not impact adversely either on the openness of the Green Belt or the purposes for designation of the Green Belt. He accordingly allowed the developer’s appeal. The local planning authority applied under section 288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to quash the inspector’s decision, contending, inter alia, that para 89, which listed six exceptions to the general policy that new buildings were inappropriate development in the Green Belt, should be interpreted to mean that development which was not only operational development for new buildings but also involved a material change in use for those buildings did not fall within the categories of appropriate development, and that therefore the inspector had erred in law in treating the proposal as appropriate development, since the construction of the new houses also involved a material change of use to residential or mixed residential and equestrian use.’

WLR Daily, 15th February 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Hargreaves v Revenue and Customs Commissioners – WLR Daily

Posted March 30th, 2016 in appeals, HM Revenue & Customs, income tax, law reports, taxation by sally

Hargreaves v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [2016] EWCA Civ 174

‘The taxpayer stated on his self-assessment tax return that he was to be regarded as provisionally non-resident and not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom with effect from a certain date. The revenue issued a discovery assessment against him under section 29 of the Taxes Management Act 1970 on the basis that he was not entitled to be treated as neither resident nor ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom for tax purposes as he had not taken sufficient steps to become non-resident. The taxpayer appealed, first, against the contention that he was not in fact resident or ordinarily resident here, and, second, against the discovery assessment, alleging that it had been made without the revenue having any power to do so and therefore was invalid. He applied for a direction that the second issue be heard as a preliminary issue on the basis that he wanted to be able to elect not to give evidence until the revenue had proved its case on the relevant conditions in section 29(3). The First-tier Tribunal dismissed the application, determining that he had no right to require the revenue to establish at a separate preliminary hearing against the discovery assessment the matters which under section 29 the revenue should establish to show that the discovery assessment was validly made and that while it had a discretion to order a separate preliminary trial, it would not do so. The Upper Tribunal dismissed the taxpayer’s appeal, concluding that the taxpayer did not have any relevant right to a preliminary hearing and that it was possible to have a single hearing even though there were different burdens of proof on the two issues in the present case and that it would need to hear evidence on the issues together.’

WLR Daily, 22nd March 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

General Medical Council v Adeogba; General Medical Council v Visvardis – WLR Daily

Posted March 30th, 2016 in appeals, disciplinary procedures, doctors, law reports by sally

General Medical Council v Adeogba; General Medical Council v Visvardis [2016] EWCA Civ 162

‘In each of two cases, disciplinary proceedings were initiated by the General Medical Council (“the GMC”) against the respondent doctor. In neither case did the doctor concerned attend the disciplinary hearing. In the first case the doctor did not answer correspondence and did not attend the hearing because, knowing of the investigation and his time limited suspension, he left the United Kingdom and then failed to access the only means the GMC had to communicate with him. In the second case the doctor challenged the disciplinary process and refused to participate until his concerns had been addressed. Having considered the available evidence as to the reasons for non-attendance, in each case the separately constituted fitness to practise panel (“the panel”) determined to continue in the doctor’s absence under rule 31 of the General Medical Council (Fitness to Practise) Rules 2004 and, having examined and to some extent tested the evidence supporting the complaint, found the case proved in whole or in part. Both doctors were erased from the medical register. On appeal by the doctor in the first case, the judge, having admitted fresh evidence as to the reason for non-attendance, determined that the doctor could not have been aware of the hearing date and that the panel had been wrong to proceed in his absence. On appeal by the doctor in the second case, the judge found that there was no basis for the panel to conclude that the doctor would not attend in future if the matter were adjourned and had been wrong to proceed in his absence. In both cases, fresh hearings were ordered.’

WLR Daily, 16th March 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Jean Charles de Menezes ruling: European Court of Human Rights rejects call to prosecute police officers who shot him – The Independent

‘The UK was right not to charge any police officers over the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, an electrician who they thought was a suicide bomber, in 2005.’

Full story

The Independent, 30th March 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

One Step (Support) Ltd v Morris-Garner and another – WLR Daily

Posted March 30th, 2016 in appeals, compensation, damages, law reports, restrictive covenants by sally

One Step (Support) Ltd v Morris-Garner and another [2016] EWCA Civ 180

‘The defendants were a former director and manager of the claimant company who were found to have breached restrictive covenants not to compete, solicit clients or use confidential information belonging to the company. Losses were difficult to quantify. The judge gave the claimants the option of recovering damages on the Wrotham Park basis, being the amount which would notionally have been agreed between the parties, acting reasonably, as the price for releasing the defendants from the restrictions.’

WLR Daily, 22nd March 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Wychavon District Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government – WLR Daily

Posted March 30th, 2016 in housing, law reports, local government, planning by sally

Wychavon District Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2016] EWHC 592 (Admin)

‘The developer applied for outline planning permission for the development of 32 dwellings on a site lying outside the defined development boundaries and allocated sites set out in the local planning authority’s local plan. The local authority failed to determine the application and the developer appealed to the Secretary of State. The inspector appointed by the Secretary of State recognised that the main issue was whether the site was a suitable location for residential development having regard to the local plan and other considerations. He identified that the proposed development was in clear conflict with the location policy in the local plan, which policy remained in force and so retained its full weight as part of the statutory development plan. Having found therefore that para 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework (“the NPPF”) did not apply, the inspector went on to consider the policies of the NPPF as a whole, concluding that the proposed development constituted sustainable development so that the presumption in favour of sustainable development applied, that being a material consideration capable of outweighing the development plan, pursuant to section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Accordingly, the inspector allowed the appeal and granted permission. The local authority challenged that decision pursuant to section 288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 on the ground, inter alia, that the inspector had erred in law in failing properly to apply the approach to decision-taking set out in section 38(6)of the 2004 Act.’

WLR Daily, 16th March 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk