Judge and magistrates will hear flashing case – The Times

Posted June 11th, 2007 in indecent exposure, judges, magistrates, news by sally

“The trial next week of a Court of Appeal judge accused of flashing will be heard by a rare panel of a judge sitting with two magistrates because of the sensitivity of the case.”

Full story 

The Times, 9th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Judge seeks law change to cope with bank fees cases – The Times

Posted June 11th, 2007 in banking, news by sally

“A judge in London has called for a change to the legal system to stop it being overwhelmed by up to a million bank-charge cases.”

Full story

The Times, 9th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Bank charges farce requires higher intervention – The Times

Posted June 11th, 2007 in banking, news by sally

“District Judge Stephen Gerlis explains why there needs to be a test case over unauthorised bank charges.” 

Full story

The Times, 7th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

 

Bar Standards Board rejects deferral of call to the Bar and proposes new online register of barristers – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 8th, 2007 in barristers, legal education, press releases by sally

“There had been concerns that, by allowing those who had completed the Bar Vocational Course to be called to the Bar and to describe themselves as ‘barristers’, the public might be misled as to who is a fully qualified practitioner. But in a report on its provisional conclusions on deferral of call, published today after a year-long consultation and research exercise, the Board says “deferring call to the Bar until after pupillage would not be an appropriate response to the risk which it is intended to address”.”

Press release

Bar Standards Board press release, 8th June 2007

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Britain “smothered” with EU laws – BBC News

Posted June 8th, 2007 in EC law, news by sally

“Britain is being “smothered” with EU laws, imposed without proper debate, say peers behind a bid to investigate the effects and cost of EU membership.”

Full story 

BBC News, 7th June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Extended paternity leave rejected – BBC News

Posted June 8th, 2007 in flexible working, news by sally

“The government has rejected Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes’ call to extend paternity leave to four weeks.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Commons to debate Shipman case – BBC News

Posted June 8th, 2007 in doctors, murder, news, parliament by sally

“Mass murderer Harold Shipman is to be the subject of an MPs’ debate this month, the government has said.”

Full story 

BBC News, 7th June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Byrne v. Motor Insurers’ Bureau – WLR Daily

Posted June 8th, 2007 in EC law, law reports, Motor Insurers’ Bureau, time limits by sally

Byrne v. Motor Insurers’ Bureau [2007] EWHC 1268 (QB)

The procedure for making a claim to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau for compensation in respect of injury caused by an untraced driver under the Untraced Drivers Agreement 1972, which procedure was relied on by the United Kingdom as implementing art 1(4) of Council Directive 84/5/EEC, should be subject to a limitation period no less favourable than that which applied under s 28 of the Limitation Act 1980 to the commencement of proceedings by minors for personal injury in tort against a traced driver. Because the three-year time limit for the bringing of a claim under the Untraced Drivers Agreement 1972 was not compliant with art 1(4) of the Directive, which was capable of having direct effect, the United Kingdom was in sufficiently serious breach of its Community law obligations to give rise in principle to a liability for damages.”

WLR Daily, 7th June 2007

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

R v. Jones – Times Law Reports

Posted June 8th, 2007 in children, incitement, law reports, sexual offences by sally

Specific child need not be identified

R v. Jones

Court of Appeal

“The offence of intentionally causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity could be committed even though it was not possible to identify any specific or identifiable child to whom the incitement was addressed.”

The Times, 8th June 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.

Companies Act 2006 – Derivative Claims – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 8th, 2007 in civil procedure rules, company law, consultations by sally

“The Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”), which received Royal Assent on 8 November 2006, has, amongst other things, made changes to the substantive law on derivative claims. In order to support the changes it has been necessary to amend the rules of court.”

Companes Act 2006 – derivative claims

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

New measures proposed to fight terrorism – Home Office

Posted June 8th, 2007 in press releases, terrorism by sally

“In a statement to Parliament today, the Home Secretary called for new measures to fight the ‘unprecedented threat’ of terrorism.”

Press release

Home Office press release, 7th June 2007

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

National Taxing Team issues guidance on graduated fees – Bar Council

Posted June 8th, 2007 in fees by sally

“The National Taxing Team has issued updated guidance on the Graduated Fees Scheme.  This guidance is available below, with two associated recent judgments.”

Full guidance

Bar Council News, 7th June 2007

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Silencing hatred – Law Society’s Gazette

“Although the Race and Religious Hatred Act was passed 18 months ago it has yet to be brought into force. The many who regard it as superfluous fear it will be soon. Polly Botsford reports.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th June 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Problem break-ups’ of online couples – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 8th, 2007 in divorce, internet, marriage, news by sally

“The marriages of couples who meet on the internet are posing a problem for the courts when they go wrong, a senior judge said yesterday.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th June 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lords agree to hear Norris extradition appeal – The Times

Posted June 8th, 2007 in appeals, extradition, news by sally

“Ian Norris, the former chief executive of Morgan Crucible who is fighting extradition to the US on price-fixing charges, was thrown a lifeline today as the UK’s highest court agreed to consider his case.”

Full story

The Times, 7th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Limiting the number of BVC students will “not improve quality” – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 8th, 2007 in barristers, legal education, news by sally

“Limiting student numbers on the bar vocational course (BVC) and requiring students to have a 2:1 will not improve quality or diversity among barristers, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has warned.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th June 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

LSC to be responsible for withdrawing lawyers causing unnecessary trail delays – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 8th, 2007 in costs, delay, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

“Plans for judges to sack lawyers who cause unnecessary delays in very high-cost cases (VHCCs) have been revised following concerns raised by the Law Society and the Bar Council.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th June 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bill changes face reversal – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 8th, 2007 in legal services, news by sally

“The government this week pledged to reverse the major amendments made to the Legal Services Bill in the House of Lords, accusing peers of losing sight of consumers’ interests”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th June 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Paedophile rape report suppressed to protect a killer’s right to privacy – The Times

Posted June 8th, 2007 in kidnapping, privacy, sexual offences by sally

“The findings of an inquiry into why a convicted murderer freed from prison was able to abduct and rape a ten-year-old boy will remain secret because its publication would infringe the killer’s right to privacy.”

Full story

The Times, 8th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Give new fathers a month off work with pay, says minister – The Times

Posted June 8th, 2007 in flexible working, news by sally

“New fathers would be able to spend a month off work with their babies under a proposal by the Minister for Children to double the length of paternity leave.”

Full story 

The Times, 8th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk