Straw vows to act against ‘scandalous’ ‘no win, no fee’ lawyers – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in fees, legal profession, news by sally

“A crackdown on the ‘scandalous’ behaviour of ‘no win, no fee’ lawyers, who have ramped up their fees in recent years, is to be launched by the government.”

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The Guardian, 21st September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gay judge shatters ‘pink glass ceiling’ – The Independent

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in homosexuality, judges, news by sally

“It is often said that the ‘pink glass ceiling’ which holds back the promotion of gay and lesbian people in British society is double glazed when it comes to professional mobility among the higher echelons of the judiciary.”

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The Independent, 20th September 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Asbo threat to surfers who steal swimmers’ waves – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in news by sally

“Surfers who ride waves through areas reserved for swimmers off a Cornish beach could be taken to court and issued with antisocial behaviour orders, it emerged yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 19th September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Shipyard workers must be compensated for asbestos exposure – The Times

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in asbestos, industrial injuries, special report by sally

“The Justice Committee has the opportunity to reverse a decision to deny those with pleural plaques the right to compensation”

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The Times, 21st September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

EU extradition law faces legal challenge – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in EC law, extradition, news by sally

“Civil rights groups are considering a legal challenge to new EU laws that would allow British citizens to be extradited automatically if they are convicted in their absence by foreign courts.

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Daily Telegraph, 21st September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jail rates for under-14s among Europe’s highest – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in detention, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“More children aged between 10 and 14 are being locked up in England and Wales – increasingly for more minor offences – than in any western European country, the charity Barnardo’s warns today.”

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The Guardian, 22nd September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gamekeeper who clubbed badgers to death spared jail – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in animal cruelty, game laws, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A teenage gamekeeper who clubbed to death badgers and shot buzzards then recorded the illegal killings in a coded diary has been spared jail.”

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The Guardian, 20th September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sex offenders to face lie tests – BBC News

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in lie detectors, news, sexual offences by sally

“Sex offenders in some parts of England and Wales could be made to take compulsory lie detector tests to see if they are still a danger to the public.”

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BBC News, 19th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police want law change to uphold pay decisions – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in news, police, remuneration by sally

“Police want a change in the law to ensure the Government upholds future pay decisions of independent arbiters.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

GMC revokes ban on shamed paediatrician – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in disciplinary procedures, doctors, news, professional conduct by sally

“The paediatrician who accused the husband of the late solicitor Sally Clark of murdering their two children is to be allowed to return to child protection work.”

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The Guardian, 22nd September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Give prisoners right to vote, says UN – The Guardian

Posted September 19th, 2008 in elections, news, prisons by sally

“Prisoners in British jails should be allowed to vote and the government should enact legislation to that effect, according to a United Nations report. The call was welcomed yesterday by prison reform groups.”

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The Guardian, 19th September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hammaad Munshi, schoolboy terrorist, given two-year sentence – The Times

Posted September 19th, 2008 in news, sentencing, terrorism, young offenders by sally

“Britain’s youngest convicted terrorist was sentenced to two years in jail today after a blueprint for atrocities was found hidden in the schoolboy’s bedroom.”

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The Times, 9th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Killer and rapist launch bid for state benefits – The Times

Posted September 19th, 2008 in benefits, news, prisons by sally

“A convicted murderer and a rapist have launched a High Court action that could see convicted serial killers including Beverley Allitt and Peter Sutcliffe receive thousands of pounds in benefits while still incarcerated.”

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The Times, 19th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Gambling Commission retracts advice on controversial house competitions – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 19th, 2008 in gambling, news by sally

“The UK’s Gambling Commission has retracted advice which appeared to back claims of those behind a rash of house-sale competitions that their schemes are lawful. It has performed a u-turn on advice which said that it was “clear” that one competition was legal.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th September 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

JAC ‘can change history’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 19th, 2008 in judicial appointments commission, judiciary, news by sally

“The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) ‘has the potential to alter the historical pattern of under-representation of certain groups among the judiciary’, but a broader range of people need to apply, the Employment Tribunals president said last week.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 18th September 2008

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Costs-capping power for courts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 19th, 2008 in civil procedure rules, costs, costs capping orders, news by sally

“Courts will have formal powers to make costs-capping orders under changes proposed by the civil procedure rule committee.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 18th September 2008

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Offer of amends’ could lead to fewer libel cases at trial – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 19th, 2008 in defamation, news by sally

“The settlement of a high-profile libel case between supermarket giant Tesco and the Guardian newspaper will encourage the use of ‘offers of amends’ as an alternative to trials, libel lawyers said this week.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 18th September 2008

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted September 19th, 2008 in law reports by sally

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Treasure & Son Ltd v Dawes [2008] EWHC 2181 (TCC) (15 September 2008)

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted September 19th, 2008 in legislation by sally

The Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2008

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (Commencement No.7) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Consultation: Rules for mandatory polygraph tests for sex offenders – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 19th, 2008 in lie detectors, press releases, sexual offences by sally

“The National Offender Management Service is proposing to operate a three-year pilot of mandatory polygraph tests to determine if the polygraph can help in the management of sex offenders.”

Full cons ultation

Ministry of Justice, 19th September 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk