Blow to Commercial Court as planned e-filing of documents is put back to 2009 – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 25th, 2007 in Commercial Court, electronic filing, news by sally

“The electronic filing of documents in England and Wales courts looks likely to be delayed by at least a year, the Gazette can reveal.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th May 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

ABS threat to firms provokes Bill defeat – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 25th, 2007 in law firms, legal services, news by sally

“The Legal Services Bill completed its passage through the House of Lords last week, but not before the opposition inflicted one final defeat on the government over concerns about the impact of alternative business structures (ABSs) on high street law firms.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th May 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Society slams government over HIPs ‘shambles’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 25th, 2007 in home information packs, news by sally

“The Law Society this week accused the government of presiding over ‘a complete shambles’ after it delayed the introduction of home information packs (HIPs) until 1 August and said they will initially only be required for four-bedroom properties or larger.” 

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th May 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Competition regulator to probe Sky’s stake in ITV – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 25th, 2007 in competition, media, news by sally

“The Competition Commission will investigate BSkyB’s acquisition of a 17.9% stake in ITV. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has referred the purchase to the Commission after reports from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and media regulator Ofcom.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th May 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

Who can save the Freedom of Information Act? – The Independent

Posted May 25th, 2007 in freedom of information, news by sally

“MPs dealt a massive blow to open government last week by voting themselves an exemption to the right-to-know law. Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, considers the next move.”

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The Independent, 25th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman gets suicide advice payout – BBC News

Posted May 25th, 2007 in citizens advice bureaux, confidentiality, news, unfair dismissal by sally

“A Citizens Advice Bureau advisor who was sacked after she phoned a suicidal woman’s GP was awarded £18,000 damages.” 

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BBC News, 24th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Reid threatens to suspend human rights laws after terror suspects go missing – The Independent

Posted May 25th, 2007 in human rights, news, terrorism by sally

“John Reid faced growing anger as he signalled the Government was ready to declare that Britain faced an “emergency” over terrorism and opt out of human rights legislation.”

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The Independent, 25th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Telephone hearings have benefits but there’s a sting in the tail – The Times

Posted May 25th, 2007 in news, telephone hearings by sally

“It could be argued that the courts have been somewhat late in embracing information technology. Database and order production systems only came late in the day and the majority of judges, despite being provided with computers, printers and the like, still tend to rely on writing their notes rather than typing them into their laptops. Telephone hearings are also a recent phenomenon.”

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The Times, 25th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

MPs have no reason to be exempt from FoI law, watchdog warns – The Independent

Posted May 25th, 2007 in freedom of information, news, parliament by sally

“A campaign by MPs to remove themselves from open government laws in order to protect the privacy of their constituents has been seriously undermined by the UK’s information watchdog.”

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The Independent, 25th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Legal process in dock as judges rule ex-wife is worth record £48m payout – The Times

Posted May 25th, 2007 in divorce, news by sally

“An overhaul of the law on how to split a divorcing couple’s assets was urged by senior judges yesterday as they ruled that a woman can keep her £48 million award – the biggest ordered by British courts in legal history.”

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The Times, 25th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

‘Devoted’ husband gets life for killing wife – The Guardian

Posted May 25th, 2007 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A husband who killed his wife after she begged him to help her die was jailed for life today.”

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The Guardian, 25th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ministry may threaten judges’ independence – The Times

Posted May 25th, 2007 in judges, Ministry of Justice, news, sentencing by sally

“Judges’ independence will come under pressure as they are urged to tailor sentences according to prison spaces under the Ministry of Justice, a former senior Conservative minister said yesterday.”

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The Times, 25th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

House of Lords Judgments: What’s new?

Posted May 24th, 2007 in law reports by sally

Ceredigion County Council (Respondents) v. Jones (FC) and others (FC) (Appellants) [2007] UKHL 24 (23rd May 2007)

Boake Allen Limited and others (Appellants) v. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (Respondents) [2007] UKHL 25 (23rd May 2007)

Source: www.parliament.uk

Daily Telegraph Law Reports, 24th May 2007

Posted May 24th, 2007 in law reports by sally

Edwards v. Edwards & Others

Buckley v. Dalziel & Anr

Lawrence v. Pembrokeshire CC

R (IPCC) v. Chief Constable of West Mercia & Anr

Mead & Anr v. Babington & Anr

Walker v. Birmingham CC

Daily Telegraph, 24th May 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.u

Please note that the Daily Telegraph Law Reports are only available online for one week.

Regina (Jones) v. Ceredigion County Council (No. 2) – Times Law Reports

Posted May 24th, 2007 in appeals, jurisdiction, law reports by sally

Applicant free not to pursue appeal to House of Lords

Regina (Jones) v. Ceredigion County Council (No. 2)

House of Lords

“Where the House of Lords gave an applicant for a leapfrog appeal from the High Court permission to appeal on terms as to the issues which could be argued or as to costs, it was open to that applicant to decline to proceed and instead to pursue an appeal before the Court of Appeal.”

The Times, 24th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication. 

Boake Allen Ltd. v. Revenue and Customs Commissioners – Times Law Reports

Posted May 24th, 2007 in corporation tax, double taxation, law reports by sally

Tax statute is not discriminatory

Boake Allen Ltd. v. Revenue and Customs Commissioners

House of Lords

“Section 247 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, by denying companies with foreign parents the right to make a group income election allowing a subsidiary company to pay dividends to a parent company free of advance corporation tax, did not infringe the nondiscrimination articles of the double taxation agreements between the United Kingdom and the United States, or between the UK and Japan.”

The Times, 24th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Court upholds £48m divorce award – BBC News

Posted May 24th, 2007 in divorce, news by sally

“A millionaire businessman has lost an appeal over a £48m divorce award made to his former wife.” 

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BBC News, 24th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bid to put off info time-wasters – BBC News

Posted May 24th, 2007 in freedom of information, news by sally

“Plans are due to be unveiled to deter ‘pointless and mischievous’ requests under the Freedom of Information Act.” 

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BBC News, 24th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Big Question: Partners back judges on quality but warn there is little oversight – Legal Week

Posted May 24th, 2007 in judges, special report by sally

“Lawyers are uneasy over the lax system of policing senior judges, and many believe cover-ups of embarrassing episodes are taking place – despite general confidence in the UK’s judicial standards. Claire Ruckin reports on the latest Big Question survey.”

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Legal Week, 24th May 2007

Source: www.legalweek.com

Record £125m in assets recovered from criminals – The Guardian

Posted May 24th, 2007 in confiscation, news by sally

“Luxury mansions, classic cars ranging from Bentleys to Lamborghinis, millions in cash and even racehorses are among the record £125m-worth of assets recovered from criminals in the last year. Claiming the seizures as a great success, the Home Office will today announce greater powers to confiscate criminals’ wealth.”

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The Guardian, 24th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk