CQC official Anna Jefferson cleared over ‘cover-up’ – BBC News

Posted October 4th, 2013 in health, hospitals, news, quality assurance, reports by sally

“One of the officials at England’s health regulator accused of a cover-up has been cleared of wrong-doing in an internal inquiry.”

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BBC News, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

GCHQ faces legal challenge in European court over online privacy – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2013 in human rights, intelligence services, internet, news, privacy by sally

“The UK spy agency GCHQ is facing a legal challenge in the European courts over claims that its mass online surveillance programmes have breached the privacy of tens of millions of people across the UK and Europe.”

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal blow for widow of poisoned spy Alexander Litvinenko who risks bankruptcy by continuing her battle for a public inquiry – The Independent

Posted October 4th, 2013 in costs, families, inquiries, judicial review, news, poisoning, spying by sally

“Marina Litvinenko’s fight for answers over the suspicious death of her husband, Alexander, has suffered another defeat after judges refused to protect her from facing crippling costs if she loses her legal battle for a public inquiry.”

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The Independent, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Grayling to end automatic early release for child rape and terrorism convicts – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2013 in early release, news, rape, sexual offences, terrorism, violent offenders by sally

“Prisoners convicted of raping a child or of terrorism offences will no longer qualify for automatic release after serving half their sentence, the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has announced.”

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The Guardian, 4th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hamzah Khan starved to death by mother Amanda Hutton, jury decides – The Guardian

“A mother was on Thursday found guilty of starving her four-year-old son to death and letting his body mummify unseen in a cot for two years.”

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in parliamentary papers by sally

Government Response to the Second Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Adoption Legislation of Session 2012-13: Adoption: Post-Legislative Scrutiny, Cm 8717 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Instant Justice – BBC Unreliable Evidence

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in cautions, crime, news, penalties, police, victims by sally

“The widespread use of on-the-spot fines, fixed penalties, cautions and other ‘out of court disposals’ has raised concerns that the criminal justice system is being undermined.”

Listen

BBC Unreliable Evidence, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

RD, R. v [2013] EWCA Crim 1592 (10 September 2013)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Credit Suisse AG v Arabian Aircraft & Equipment Leasing Co EC & Ors [2013] EWCA Civ 1169 (02 October 2013)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

KNN Colburn LLP v GD City Holdings Ltd [2013] EWHC 2879 (QB) (02 October 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Mousa & Ors, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Defence [2013] EWHC 2941 (Admin) (02 October 2013)

High Court (Family Division)

H (Father) v B (Mother) [2013] EWHC 2950 (Fam) (23 September 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in legislation by sally

The Armed Forces Act 2011 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Mesothelioma charities clash with Ministry of Justice over Grant ‘pledge’ – Litigation Futures

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in asbestos, charities, compensation, news, victims by sally

“The government has played down claims by charities supporting asbestos victims that minister Helen Grant agreed not to introduce changes to the compensation regime that they did not support.”

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Litigation Futures, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Driver convicted over revenge hit-and-run of group of friends – Daily Telegraph

“A 21-year-old driver caught on CCTV ploughing into a group of friends as they crossed the street has been convicted of four counts of attempted murder.”

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bingham Centre launches independent review of Administrative Court – Litigation Futures

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in Administrative Court, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

“The Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law has launched its own review of how to improve the conduct of judicial review cases in light of the government’s own proposals.”

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Litigation Futures, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Master of the Rolls to preside over Plebgate appeal – The Lawyer

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in appeals, budgets, costs, judges, news by sally

“The Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson is expected to decide whether the former chief whip, Andrew Mitchell MP, can break a costs order restricting his legal spend on a defamation claim against The Sun to £2,000.”

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The Lawyer, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Neuberger urges government caution over judicial review reform – Litigation Futures

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in diversity, judges, judicial review, judiciary, news, women by sally

“The president of the Supreme Court has urged the government to tread very carefully when considering whether to restrict the ability of people to bring judicial reviews.”

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Litigation Futures, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Scrap dealer law aims to reduce metal theft – BBC News

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in licensing, news, theft, waste by sally

“A new law targeting trade in stolen metal has come into force.”

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BBC News, 1st October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Top female judge attacks failure to appoint women to Supreme Court – The Independent

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in diversity, judges, judiciary, news, Supreme Court by sally

“Britain’s most senior female judge has expressed disappointment at the failure of her male colleagues to promote another woman to the top of the judiciary.”

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The Independent, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Challenging adoption order using human rights – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in adoption, appeals, human rights, news, placement orders by sally

“The recently released statistics from the Department for Education showing an increase of 15% in the adoption of looked after children in the last year further highlights the government’s preferred strategy for ensuring the welfare of children in care.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Justice: Closing Down Sale – everyone must go! – LegalVoice

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in criminal justice, legal aid, legal profession, news by sally

“More than 400 defence lawyers packed into Camden Town Hall last night to discuss the next steps to fight the Ministry of Justice’s Transforming Legal Aid proposals, reports Gemma Blythe. The Justice: Closing down sale meeting (organised by the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association) featured speakers including Greg Powell, past president of the LCCSA; Des Hudson, chief executive of the Law Society; Bill Waddington, chair of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association; Nigel Lithman QC of the Criminal Bar Association; and Carol Storer OBE, director of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.”

Full story

LegalVoice, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Bankers may be jailed under proposed new UK law – BBC News

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in amendments, banking, bills, crime, news by sally

“Senior bankers could face criminal charges for ‘reckless’ misconduct leading to the fall of a bank, under new UK government plans.”

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BBC News, 1st October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Solicitors and consumers split over widening ombudsman’s remit to unregulated providers – Legal Futures

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in dispute resolution, Law Society, legal ombudsman, legal profession, news by sally

“Solicitors and consumer representatives have come out on opposite sides of the Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO) proposal to extend its remit to the estimated 130,000 unregulated legal services providers operating in England and Wales.”

Full story

Legal Futures, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk