‘Sarah’s Law’ trial run prompts vigilante fears – The Observer

Posted September 15th, 2008 in child abuse, freedom of information, news, pilot schemes, sexual offences by sally

“Some mothers will be able to check from tomorrow whether their partners are convicted sex offenders. Under pilot projects being introduced in response to demands for a ‘Sarah’s Law’, individuals will be given greater information about paedophiles living in their area.”

Full story

The Observer, 14th September 2008

Source: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/

Police Commander Ali Dizaei denies helping defence lawyers – The Times

Posted September 15th, 2008 in news, police, professional conduct by sally

“One of the country’s most senior police officers is being investigated for alleged misconduct amid allegations that he advised a defence team on how to undermine a criminal case brought by his employer.”

Full story

The Times, 13th September 2008

Source: www.timeosnline.co.uk

Five years for knife fight killer – BBC News

Posted September 12th, 2008 in homicide, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A teenager has been sentenced to five years youth detention for stabbing a student to death ‘instinctively’. ”

Full story

BBC News, 12th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal row over humanism in religious studies at school – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 12th, 2008 in education, examinations, judicial review, news by sally

“The exams regulator is being taken to court over its refusal to allow humanism to be taught in religious education classes.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

FSA insider dealing crackdown faces second challenge – The Times

Posted September 12th, 2008 in insider dealing, news by sally

“The Financial Services Authority’s (FSA) long-awaited crackdown on insider dealing hit another procedural hiccup yesterday when the case against Malcolm Calvert, a former partner at Cazenove, the Queen’s stockbroker, was put on hold.”

Full sotry

The Times, 11th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Company name display rules will change in October – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 12th, 2008 in company law, news, trade names by sally

“The law on companies’ display of names at their premises will change in three weeks’ time. From 1st October companies will have to display their registered name anywhere they do business, but will no longer have to put it on the outside of buildings.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th September 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Employers of non-European workers face radical change to rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 12th, 2008 in employment, immigration, news by sally

“Employers have less than a month to change completely the way they deal with workers from outside Europe in what one expert has called the biggest shake-up in 40 years in the way that migrant workers are employed.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th September 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted September 12th, 2008 in legislation by sally

The Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008 (Commencement No 1) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Her Majesty’s Courts Service court user survey – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 12th, 2008 in courts, news by sally

“The bulletin presents the findings of the second year (2007/08) results from Her Majesty’s Courts Service (HMCS) court user survey.”

Full survey

Ministry of Justice, 11th September 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Ministry of Justice proposals risk harm to the most vulnerable in society say family law barristers – The Bar Council

Posted September 12th, 2008 in barristers, family courts, legal aid, press releases by sally

“The Family Law Bar Association yesterday submitted a response to the Ministry of Justice consultation entitled Reforming the Legal Aid Family Barrister Fee Scheme concerning legal fees in family law cases.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 11th September 2008

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

‘Accidental’ stabbing man guilty – BBC News

Posted September 12th, 2008 in domestic violence, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A man who claimed his girlfriend fatally stabbed herself in the back with a kitchen knife has been jailed for life.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th September,  2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Voodoo-cursed’ woman is jailed – BBC News

Posted September 12th, 2008 in fraud, news, sentencing, tax credits, witchcraft by sally

“A woman who produced human fingers in court in a bid to explain her involvement in a £925,000 tax credit fraud has been jailed for five years.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Paedophilia blamed on teacher’s medication – The Independent

Posted September 12th, 2008 in child abuse, medicines, news, pornography by sally

“A former headmaster who amassed thousands of indecent images of children on his computer walked free from court yesterday, after a judge ruled that the drug he had been taking to treat his Parkinson’s disease was responsible for his crime.”

Full story

The Independent, 12th September 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gurkha veterans’ toughest battle – for the right to live in Britain – The Times

Posted September 12th, 2008 in armed forces, Gurkhas, immigration, news by sally

“The old soldiers whose test case at the high court could open the door for up to 10,000 comrades.”

Full story

The Times, 12th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Lawyer Jeffrey Tesler ‘bribed officials in $6bn Nigerian gas deal’ – The Times

Posted September 12th, 2008 in bribery, news, solicitors by sally

“A suburban solicitor accused of distributing £100 million of bribes to secure lucrative gas contracts is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.”

Full story

The Times, 12th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Man sentenced for strangling wife – BBC News

Posted September 11th, 2008 in domestic violence, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

“A man who killed his 30-year-old wife and dumped her body in a Staffordshire lay-by has been jailed for seven years.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Counting the cost of reforms – The Times

Posted September 11th, 2008 in legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

“Fat cats living high on the hog of taxpayers’ money – or impoverished toilers at the front line of the criminal justice system? Lawyers who do legal aid work have always had a bad press and no one shed a tear when ministers announced radical reforms to curb the soaring costs of the £2 billion legal aid scheme.

Full story

The Times, 11th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

More freelancers might be taxed as employees after High Court ruling – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 11th, 2008 in income tax, news by sally

“An IT contractor has been hit with a £99,000 tax bill after the High Court ruled that he should be taxed as an employee of the company he undertook work for.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th September 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

High Court ruling attacks ‘bits of legal boilerplate, bolted together’ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 11th, 2008 in agreements, drafting, news, patents by sally

“A court has attacked lawyers who let word processors do their thinking for them. Standard paragraphs are being bolted together to make nonsensical agreements, said a High Court ruling on Friday.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th September 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted September 11th, 2008 in legislation by sally

The Harwich Haven Harbour Revision Order 2008

The Housing (Approval of a Code of Management Practice) (Student Accommodation) (England) Order 2008

The Fal & Helford Designated Area (Fishing Restrictions) Order 2008

The Housing (Right to Manage) (England) Regulations 2008

The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Order 2008

The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 3) Regulations 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk