Bar Council Chair Condemns Secret Court Plans – The Bar Council

Posted July 11th, 2012 in bills, closed material, press releases, private hearings by tracey

“As the House of Lords prepares for the Report Stage of the Justice and Security Bill, the Chairman of the Bar Council, Michael Todd QC, has condemned the Government’s planned extensions to the use of Closed Material Proceedings (CMPs), endorsing the arguments of Liberty, Reprieve and the Special Advocates who participate in these proceedings.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 9th July 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Companies planning a takeover bid will have to disclose impact on target’s pension scheme – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 11th, 2012 in consultations, news, pensions, takeovers by tracey

“Companies planning a takeover bid will have to set out the likely impact of their proposal on the target company’s pension scheme under proposed changes to the Takeover Code.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Apple’s ‘cool’ design not infringed by Samsung tablet computers, High Court rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 11th, 2012 in Community designs, intellectual property, news by tracey

“The design of three versions of Samsung’s Galaxy Tablet device do not infringe on registered design rights belonging to Apple, the UK High Court has ruled.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th July 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Changes to family immigration rules: the cost of love – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted July 11th, 2012 in families, immigration, news, sponsored immigrants by tracey

“Last night a panel discussion was held in the Houses of Parliament to discuss the recently announced rule changes on family migration to the UK from outside the EU.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 10th July 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

A Local Authority v DS – An invitation to judicially review the Legal Services Commission? – Family Law Week

Posted July 11th, 2012 in costs, evidence, expert witnesses, families, news by tracey

“Chris McWatters and Sharon Love, barristers, of Garden Court Chambers consider the implications of the President’s Guidance on seeking prior approval of the LSC to adduce expert evidence in family proceedings.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 10th July 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Leveson rebuffs newspaper industry’s plan for PCC’s successor – The Guardian

Posted July 11th, 2012 in freedom of expression, inquiries, media, news, ombudsmen by tracey

“The newspaper industry’s bid to get proposals for a successor to the Press Complaints Commission officially rubber-stamped have been rebuffed by Lord Justice Leveson.The judge told the chairman of the PCC, Lord Hunt of Wirral, that he would not be giving him a ‘green light’ for the proposed new authority as this was not within the remit of the inquiry.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Big Brother protests lead to Ofcom inquiry – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 11th, 2012 in bullying, complaints, media, news, racism by tracey

“Channel 5’s Big Brother is at the centre of an official broadcasting investigation over a string of incidents following hundreds of viewer complaints.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Action needed to protect kids in sport from sex abuse – BBC News

Posted July 11th, 2012 in child abuse, news, sexual offences, sport by tracey

“Leading UK sporting bodies are warning that they are unable to share crucial child protection information. New figures given to the BBC reveal that 124 allegations of sexual abuse in sport were made last year. There are fears that under the current system those accused can move to another sport or part of the country.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teacher Alan Brigden jailed for sexual abuse of pupils – BBC News

Posted July 11th, 2012 in child abuse, guilty pleas, news, sexual offences, teachers by tracey

“A former maths teacher who carried out a ‘campaign of sexual offending’ while working at two private schools has been jailed for five years.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

 

Solicitors, law centres need YOU (or at least your cash) – The Guardian

Posted July 11th, 2012 in legal aid, legal services, news by tracey

“If the government won’t take responsibility for access to justice, it’s time for the legal profession to step up.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

House of Lords reform halted after largest Tory rebellion of the parliament – The Guardian

Posted July 11th, 2012 in bills, constitutional reform, news, parliament, peerages & dignities by tracey

“Nick Clegg’s hopes of reforming the House of Lords, completing a journey begun a century ago by his Liberal predecessors, ran into severe trouble on Tuesday when 91 Tory MPs defied a three line whip to vote against the measure in the largest rebellion of the parliament.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Months of frantic lobbying expected as women bishops debate is temporarily stayed by Church of England – The Independent

Posted July 11th, 2012 in Church of England, clergy, ecclesiastical law, lobbying, news, women by tracey

” Supporters and opponents of women bishops are gearing up for months of frantic lobbying as a potentially historic vote which might have approved legislation today was temporarily stayed following an impassioned debate on the crucial issue.”

Full story

The Independent, 9th July 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

 

Boyfriend squirted partner with brown sauce when she refused to stop reading Fifty Shades of Grey – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 11th, 2012 in assault, news, pornography by tracey

“Raymond Hodgson, 31, was charged with common assault after being appalled to discover that his partner of five years, Emma McCormick, had been reading the racy book.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legalising assisted dying ‘doesn’t lead to more opting for death’: Lancet – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 11th, 2012 in assisted suicide, euthanasia, medical ethics, news, statistics by tracey

“Legalising assisted dying does not lead to more people opting to end their lives early, claim academics who have looked at the situation in The Netherlands.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge rejects bid to stop Olympic rooftop missiles – The Independent

Posted July 10th, 2012 in defence, news, sport, terrorism, weapons by sally

“Alarmed residents have lost their High Court battle to prevent surface-to-air missiles being stationed on the roof of a 17-storey residential tower block during the Olympics.”

Full story

The Independent, 10th July 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bar-solicitor divisions ‘music to government’s ears’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 10th, 2012 in barristers, legal profession, news, solicitors by sally

“Two leading criminal lawyers have called for solicitors and barristers to stop arguing among themselves and unite, to promote their clients’ interests and the justice system.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 10th July 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Discrimination & employment status: a new or a false dawn? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted July 10th, 2012 in employment, equality, news, self-employment by sally

“When trying to answer the question, is this claimant an employee under section 230 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (‘ERA’)?, we at least know what tests should be applied, even if applying them can be difficult in practice. What has been harder is deciding whether someone who is not an employee under the ERA is in ’employment under… a contract personally to do work’ under the Equality Act 2010 (EqA) or its predecessors. Chris Camp considers employment status in discrimination law, in light, in particular, of the recent Supreme Court decision in Jivraj v Hashwani [2011] UKSC 40.”

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 5th July 2012

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Set in Stone? – Zenith Chambers

Posted July 10th, 2012 in appeals, housing, landlord & tenant, news, notification, repossession by sally

“Conditional review decisions in introductory tenancy cases following Camden v Stafford.”

Full story (PDF)

Zenith Chambers, 5th July 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted July 10th, 2012 in parliamentary papers by sally

Reform of the Office of Children’s Commissioner: draft legislation, Cm 8390 (PDF)

HM Government response to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution 3rd Report of Session 2012-13: The Justice and Security Bill, Cm 8404 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Regina v Bewley – WLR Daily

Posted July 10th, 2012 in appeals, firearms, law reports, weapons by sally

Regina v Bewley [2012] EWCA Crim 1457; [2012] WLR (D) 197

“A weapon from which a missile could be discharged only by means of elaborate steps taken with the use of additional equipment was not a firearm within section 57(1) of the Firearms Act 1968.”

WLR Daily, 6th July 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk