Judicial culture still deters gay and lesbian lawyers, say researchers – The Guardian

“The judiciary is failing to reflect the UK’s gay and lesbian community, experts say, as research suggests it is seriously under-represented on the bench.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Child prison restraint rules to be disclosed – The Independent

Posted July 5th, 2010 in children, disclosure, news, prisons, restraint, young offenders by sally

“Child protection groups today welcomed the decision to disclose the contents of a secret manual governing the use of physical restraint in child prisons.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th July 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Big brother’ traffic cameras must be regulated, orders home secretary – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2010 in news, police, road traffic, speed cameras, traffic signal cameras by sally

“The home secretary, Theresa May, has ordered that a national police camera network that logs more than 10m movements of motorists every day be placed under statutory regulation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted July 3rd, 2010 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

A v East Sussex County Council & Ors [2010] EWCA Civ 743 (02 July 2010)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Silkstone & Anor v Tatnall [2010] EWHC 1627 (Ch) (02 July 2010)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

North Somerset District Council v Honda Motor Europe Ltd & Ors [2010] EWHC 1505 (QB) (02 July 2010)

Source: www.bailii.org

Coalition to stick with Labour’s Equality Act – BBC News

“The government is pressing ahead with Labour legislation which could require employers to disclose whether they pay women as much as men.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

£11m compensation awarded to 7/7 victims – BBC News

Posted July 3rd, 2010 in criminal injuries compensation, news, victims by sally

“Victims of the 7 July attacks have received £11m in compensation so far, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) said.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Contract law does not bind ‘Part 36’ offers to settle, rules Court of Appeal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 3rd, 2010 in appeals, civil procedure rules, contracts, news, part 36 offers by sally

“An offer to settle court proceedings that is made under Part 36 of the Civil Procedure Rules in England and Wales can still be accepted after it has been rejected, unless a formal withdrawal has been made, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 2nd July 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Parliament Square protesters win eviction reprieve – The Guardian

Posted July 3rd, 2010 in appeals, demonstrations, London, news, trespass by sally

“The Parliament Square peace camp remained in possession of the bleached square of grass in front of the Houses of Parliament today (2 July) after winning a stay of execution minutes before an eviction order was due to be imposed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Oxford Brookes student jailed over false rape claim – BBC News

Posted July 3rd, 2010 in news, perverting the course of justice, sentencing by sally

“An Oxford Brookes student who lied about being raped to get a deadline extended has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mother loses appeal over baby’s removal – The Independent

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in appeals, child abuse, news, social services by sally

“The ‘draconian powers’ of social workers to order a child to be taken from a mother who turns out to be innocent is a cost to be paid to protect the vulnerable, appeal judges said today.”

Full story

The Independent, 2nd July 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Relocation: The Search for Common Principles – Speech by Lord Justice Thorpe

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in speeches by sally

“Relocation: The Search for Common Principles – Speech by Lord Justice Thorpe at the London Metropolitan University 30th June 2010.”

Full speech

Judiciary of England and Wales, 1st July 2010

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Court examines Labour Muslim slur election leaflet – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in communicating false information, elections, news by sally

“A court is to examine claims that a Labour Party election leaflet from former minister Phil Woolas linked an opponent to Muslim ‘extremists.’ “”

Full story

BBC News, 30th June 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges reject government appeal over stop-and-search – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in EC law, news, race discrimination, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“The Home Office says it is reviewing counter-terrorism laws after a European court decided the government could not appeal against a ruling that said random stop and searches were illegal.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drunk Exeter ‘piggy back’ sex attacker, 18, jailed – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in alcohol abuse, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

“A drunken youth who sexually assaulted two teenage girls after jumping on their backs for a piggy back ride has been jailed.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man jailed for life for Kent body-in-suitcase murder – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A man has been jailed for life for murdering a care assistant he met on the internet, emptying her bank account and dumping her body in a suitcase.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in law reports by sally

High Court (Family Division)

HM (An Adult), PM v KH & Anor [2010] EWHC 1579 (Fam) (24 June 2010)

Source: www.bailii.org

Regina v Budimir and another; Interfact Ltd Liverpool City Council – WLR Daily

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in appeals, EC law, enforcement, law reports, legislation, video recordings by sally

Regina v Budimir and another; Interfact Ltd Liverpool City Council [2010] EWCA Crim 148; [2010] EWHC 1604 (Admin); [2010] WLR (D) 166

“Where defendants had been convicted of criminal offences under a statute enacted by Parliament which was unenforceable owing to a failure by the United Kingdom Government, before its enactment, to comply with a Directive from the European Community, it was not incumbent upon the Court of Appeal to re-open their cases out of time unless their convictions had given rise to any substantial injustice.”

WLR Daily, 1st July 2010

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 (Smith) v Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) – WLR Daily

R (Smith) v Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) [2010] UKSC 29; [2010] WLR (D) 165

“British soldiers on active service abroad were not, as such, within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom within the meaning of art 1 of the Human Rights Convention and were accordingly not protected by the Convention rights scheduled to the Human Rights Act 1998. Assuming, however, that the Convention did protect servicemen abroad, a inquest that complied with the procedural obligation in art 2 was not automatically required whenever a member of the armed forces died on active service.”

WLR Daily, 1st July 2010

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.

Criminal law: new offences, amendments and provisions – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in defences, evidence, indecent photographs of children, news, suicide by sally

“Significant parts of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 took effect during the spring of this year. On 1 February section 59 was brought into force amending the Suicide Act 1961. For the old offence under section 2, there is now substituted a provision that ‘a person (D) commits an offence if (a) D does an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide or attempted suicide of another person and (b) D’s act was intended to encourage or assist suicide or an attempt at suicide’.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

The new Legal Ombudsman – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 2nd, 2010 in barristers, legal ombudsman, ombudsmen, press releases by sally

“On Wednesday 6 October 2010 the Legal Ombudsman (http://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/) will become operational. From this date all complaints from lay clients about barristers, solicitors, and some other types of legal professional should be directed to the Ombudsman’s office. The Ombudsman will deal with service complaints itself and will be able to award compensation of up to £30,000.00 against barristers. It will not investigate complaints of professional misconduct or be involved in the consideration of disciplinary issues. Neither will it consider complaints previously considered by the Bar Standards Board.”

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 1st July 2010

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk