High Court says UK-IPO was wrong to reject software-related patent – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 18th, 2008 in computer programs, news, patents by sally

“The High Court has overturned a decision of the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO) to reject a patent application as being nothing more than software. The UK-IPO said that today’s ruling is incompatible with other decisions and will appeal.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 18th March 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted March 18th, 2008 in legislation by sally

The Local Government (Best Value Performance Indicators) (Wales) Order 2008

The Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2008

The National Savings Bank (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The Social Security Revaluation of Earnings Factors Order 2008

The Companies (Authorised Minimum) Regulations 2008

The Social Security Pensions (Low Earnings Threshold) Order 2008

The Criminal Defence Service (General) (No. 2) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The Criminal Defence Service (Financial Eligibility) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The Workmen’s Compensation (Supplementation) (Amendment) Scheme 2008

The Insolvency Proceedings (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2008

The Greater London Authority (Mayor of London Appointments) Order 2008

The Transfer of Functions (Registration) Order 2008

The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2008

The Companies Act 2006 (Commencement No. 6, Saving and Commencement Nos. 3 and 5 (Amendment)) Order 2008

The Insolvency Practitioners and Insolvency Services Account (Fees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2008

The Insolvency (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The Inheritance Tax (Delivery of Accounts) (Excepted Transfers and Excepted Terminations) Regulations 2008

The Prison (Amendment) Rules 2008

The National Health Service Trusts (Originating Capital) Order 2008

The Consular Fees Order 2008

The Electoral Administration Act 2006 (Regulation of Loans etc: Northern Ireland) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Rape and Sexual Offences – BBC Law in Action

Posted March 18th, 2008 in rape, sexual offences, special report by sally

“How is the low conviction rate for rape being addressed by the criminal justice system, and what further reforms should be made?”

Full story

BBC Law in Action, 18th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government must take data protection more seriously, says Parliament committee – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 18th, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“The minister responsible for data protection should be more powerful according to a Parliamentary committee which has also condemned the Government for not taking data protection seriously enough.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 18th March 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Girl jailed for filming ‘happy-slap’ killing – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2008 in aiding and abetting, homicide, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A teenage girl who used a mobile phone to film a man killed in a ‘happy-slapping’ attack was today jailed in what is thought to be an unprecedented ruling.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BSB unveils far-reaching complaints overhaul – Legal Week

Posted March 18th, 2008 in barristers, complaints, news by sally

“The Bar Standard Board (BSB) has unveiled a raft of new measures designed to improve chambers’ complaints-handling, including the introduction of a mandatory protocol for all barristers sets.”

Full story

Legal Week, 18th March 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com

Text of full judgment: Heather Mills v Sir Paul McCartney – The Times

Posted March 18th, 2008 in divorce, law reports by sally

Between : James Paul McCartney Petitioner/Respondent and Heather Anne Mills McCartney Respondent/Applicant

The Times, 18th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Servant law among acts to be axed – BBC News

Posted March 18th, 2008 in burglary, news, statute law revision by sally

“An 18th Century law aimed at preventing servants from organising ‘inside job’ burglaries is to be repealed as part of a clean-up of obsolete legislation.”

Full story

BBC News, 18th March 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fayed seeks judicial review in Diana inquest – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2008 in inquests, judicial review, news by sally

“Mohamed Al Fayed will today seek permission for a judicial review to force Prince Philip to give evidence into the deaths of his son, Dodi, and of Diana, Princess of Wales.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mills-McCartney divorce judgment to be published in full – The Times

Posted March 18th, 2008 in divorce, news by sally

“The full judgment in Sir Paul McCartney’s divorce battle with Heather Mills is to be made public today after the former model’s application for an appeal was refused.”

Full story

The Times, 18th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted March 18th, 2008 in legislation by sally

The Immigration (Registration Card) Order 2008

The Gender Recognition (Application Fees) (Amendment) Order 2008

The Social Security (Industrial Injuries) (Dependency) (Permitted Earnings Limits) Order 2008

The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008

The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment (No.2) Order 2008

The S4C (Investment Activities) Approval Order 2008

The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (England) Regulations 2008

The Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1969 (Code of Practice) (Armed Forces) Order 2008

The Plant Health (Forestry) (Amendment) Order 2008

The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (Representations and Appeals) (Wales) Regulations 2008

The Rules of the Air (Amendment) Regulations 2008

The Bedfordshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Regina (Kelly) v Secretary of State for Justice; Regina (Bailey) v Same; Regina (Gibson) v Governor of Wymott Prison – Times Law Reports

Posted March 18th, 2008 in law reports, legislative drafting, sentencing by sally

Regina (Kelly) v Secretary of State for Justice; Regina (Bailey) v Same; Regina (Gibson) v Governor of Wymott Prison

Court of Appeal

“In the criminal sentencing context, the court could read words into a statutory instrument to correct a drafting omission.”

The Times, 18th March 2008

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.

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted March 18th, 2008 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Kiely, R. v [2008] EWCA Crim 536 (06 March 2008)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Aribisala v St James’ Homes (Grosvenor Dock) Ltd [2008] EWHC 456 (Ch) (14 March 2008)

NBPF Pension Trustees Ltd. v Warnock-Smith & Anor [2008] EWHC 455 (Ch) (14 March 2008)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Zak v Regional Court of Bydgoszcz Poland [2008] EWHC 470 (Admin) (27 February 2008)

Director of Public Prosecutions v Cooper [2008] EWHC 507 (Admin) (03 March 2008)

Thornhill, R (on the application of) v Uxbridge Magistrates Court [2008] EWHC 508 (Admin) (03 March 2008)

White, R (on the application of) v Crown Court At Blackfriars [2008] EWHC 510 (Admin) (04 March 2008)

Wheeler, R (on the application of) v Assistant Commissioner House of the Metropolitan Police [2008] EWHC 439 (Admin) (28 February 2008)

H, R (on the application of) v Guildford Youth Court [2008] EWHC 506 (Admin) (03 March 2008)

R, R (on the application of) v Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal & Anor [2008] EWHC 473 (Admin) (04 March 2008)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Grosvenor Casinos Ltd v National Bank of Abu Dhabi [2008] EWHC 511 (Comm) (17 March 2008)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

London Underground Ltd v Metronet Rail BCV Ltd & Anor [2008] EWHC 502 (TCC) (14 March 2008)

Source: www.bailii.org

Further Consultation on Court Dress – The Bar Council

Posted March 18th, 2008 in consultations, court dress by sally

“The Bar Council is carrying out a further consultation on court dress in civil, family and ceremonial proceedings. Click here for a link through to the consultation paper. All members of the Bar and interested third parties are welcome to comment and all completed consultation papers should be sent to janbye@barcouncil.org.uk or by post to Jan Bye at 289-293 High Holborn, London WC1V 7HZ no later than 4.00pm on 19 April 2008.”

The Report and Supplementary Report on the first consultation exercise

The Bar Council, 17th March 2008

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Claimant on crutches was a football referee – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2008 in benefits, fraud, news by sally

“A man who claimed over £9,000 in benefits after saying he suffered such chronic back pain that he needed crutches admitted yesterday that he had been refereeing weekend football matches.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

We should have watched Levi Bellfield being sentenced on TV – The Times

Posted March 18th, 2008 in media, special report by sally

“The public were asked for their views on televising courts in August 2004. Since then, there has been silence.”

Full story

The Times, 18th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Opposition push for immediate Iraq inquiry faces defeat – The Independent

Posted March 18th, 2008 in Iraq, news, war by sally

“MPs will vote next week on whether there should be a full-scale inquiry into the Iraq war to ensure that lessons are learnt from the mistakes made.”

Full story

The Independent, 18th March 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Kept a secret by the Justice Ministry, until now. How the judges ran the Crown Court – The Times

Posted March 18th, 2008 in Crown Court, judiciary, news by sally

“An unprecedented report that exposes an inefficient and judge-centred culture in the Crown Court has been obtained by The Times after a three-year battle with officials determined to suppress it.”

Full story

The Times, 18th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Data protection of children: ensuring consent as children mature – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 18th, 2008 in children, data protection, news by sally

“Companies processing children’s data may need explicit consent directly from a child to continue using it once that child reaches maturity, Europe’s privacy officials have said. The child may also revoke consent given earlier by a parent or guardian.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 17th March 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

‘It’s a bit odd that I’m the first female Attorney-General’ – The Times

Posted March 18th, 2008 in attorney general, special report by sally

“Baroness Scotland of Asthal, the Attorney-General, is determined that more women will follow her up the legal ladder.”

Full story

The Times, 18th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk