First ombudsman decisions in pension liberation cases show need for a change in the law, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 12th, 2015 in complaints, news, ombudsmen, pensions by sally

‘The Pensions Ombudsman has dismissed complaints by three pension scheme members who were prevented from transferring their savings into suspected liberation schemes, but has warned that “mere suspicion” is not enough reason for a provider to block a transfer request.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th January 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

49 year-old Rugby player’s ban doubled to 20 years for assaulting referee’ – Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted January 12th, 2015 in appeals, assault, disciplinary procedures, news, sport by sally

On 29 September 2014 the RFU Appeal Panel, chaired by Sir James Dingemans, handed down judgment in RFU v Barry Lockwood.

Full story

Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 12th January 2015

Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org

Commercial property: dilapidations liability – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 12th, 2015 in damages, dilapidations, landlord & tenant, leases, news, repairs by sally

‘As the average lease length decreases, a review of dilapidations liability by the Court of Appeal is timely. Dilapidations are the repair works which have not been undertaken by the tenant, in breach of the terms of the lease.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th January 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Neuberger and Dyson to head seven-judge panel for Coventry – Litigation Futures

Posted January 12th, 2015 in appeals, banking, child abuse, costs, fees, fraud, human rights, injunctions, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘The president of the Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger, and Lord Dyson, the Master of the Rolls, will head a seven-judge panel for the eagerly awaited Coventry costs hearing on 9 February, it has been announced.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 9th January 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Hot, hot, hot – NearlyLegal

Posted January 12th, 2015 in appeals, benefits, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, tribunals by sally

‘Here is an interesting First Tier Tribunal bedroom tax appeal decision from Bexleyheath. [Decision notice]. It is a decision made after the Fife Upper Tribunal decision, but upholds the tenant’s appeal on the basis, in part, that the room is inadequately sized to be a bedroom, as well as being just too damn hot.’

Full story

NearlyLegal, 11th January 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Disabled tenants to challenge bedroom tax in supreme court – The Guardian

‘A legal case to be heard at the supreme court will decide whether the government’s housing benefit regulations – the bedroom tax – discriminates unfairly against disabled adults. The ruling could have consequences for hundreds of thousands of people.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Milestone tax breaks’ idea for married couples who stay together longer – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 12th, 2015 in children, cohabitation, judges, marriage, news, taxation by sally

‘Former High Court family judge Sir Paul Coleridge calls for couples to be given extra tax breaks after passing landmark wedding anniversaries to encourage family stability.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th January 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Men jailed over Haringey street shootout – BBC News

Posted January 12th, 2015 in attempted murder, attempts, firearms, murder, news, police, sentencing by sally

‘An armed officer who risked his life to protect the public during a shootout in north London has been commended for his “courage and resolve”.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Fake cancer’ woman sentenced for defrauding donors – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2015 in cancer, fraud, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by sally

‘A young woman who defrauded friends and strangers out of thousands of pounds by claiming she had terminal cancer has avoided an immediate jail term.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chris Grayling spends £72,000 of taxpayers’ money to defend ‘unlawful’ prison book ban – The Independent

Posted January 12th, 2015 in budgets, fees, news, prisons, solicitors by sally

‘The Justice Secretary spent £72,000 of taxpayers’ money in an attempt to maintain his ban on inmates receiving books in prison from visitors.’

Full story

The Independent, 10th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gloucester hospital killer Ryan Matthews given whole life order – BBC News

Posted January 12th, 2015 in inquiries, mental health, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A convicted murderer who stabbed to death a worker at a mental health unit has been sentenced to a whole life order.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th December 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Call for publication of review into man who killed himself after benefits cut – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2015 in benefits, disabled persons, disclosure, inquiries, mental health, news, reports, suicide by sally

‘The sister of a partially sighted man who killed himself after his benefits were cut is calling on the UK government to publish details of its review into his case, one of 60 internal investigations of suicides linked to benefit changes it has carried out since 2012.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Peers seek to limit law on assisted dying – The Independent

Posted January 12th, 2015 in assisted suicide, bills, news, parliament, time limits by sally

‘A coalition of cross-party peers has moved to water down proposed legislation that would let the terminally ill request and receive help to end their lives.’

Full story

The Independent, 11th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

An avalanche of reform – New Law Journal

Posted January 9th, 2015 in case management, divorce, family courts, financial provision, news by sally

‘Geraldine Morris reviews the family law changes in 2014 & makes predictions for the year ahead.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 8th January 2015

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

EVENT: UCL – Constitutionalising Labour Rights

Posted January 9th, 2015 in Forthcoming events by sally

Advocates of labour rights argue that constitutional protection of the freedom of association should be interpreted to include the rights to bargain collectively and to strike. They invoke international and transnational human rights instruments, as well as the observations of the International Labour Organization’s supervisory bodies, as normative resources that can be used by constitutional courts to advance such an interpretation.

Date: 22nd January 2015, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: UCL Laws, Bentham House, WC1H 0EG

Charge: Free

More information can be found here.

High Court judge disagrees on whether creditors can access bankrupt’s pension savings where pension not in payment – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 9th, 2015 in bankruptcy, debts, news, pensions, trustees in bankruptcy by sally

‘Trustees in bankruptcy should not be able to access a bankrupt pension scheme member’s savings for the purposes of paying off debts, a High Court judge has ruled, contradicting a 2012 decision of the same court.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 8th January 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Good character citizenship criteria quietly tightened up – Free Movement

Posted January 9th, 2015 in citizenship, immigration, news, refugees by sally

‘The Home Office has quietly tightened up the criteria for granting British citizenship under the good character test. This had passed me by so I thought it useful to flag up – and many thanks to Alex Moran for point it out. A number of undesirable behaviours have been added to the list of disqualifying behaviour, including illegal entry, assisting illegal migration and evasion of immigration control. The changes seem to have been made on 11 December 2014. The previous version of the guidance can be seen here and the new version here.’

Full story

Free Movement, 8th January 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Immigrant children still being detained, figures show – The Independent

Posted January 9th, 2015 in children, detention, immigration, news, statistics by sally

‘More than 600 children, the majority under 12 years old, have been put in detention under immigration rules in the four years since the Government claimed to have ended the controversial practice.’

Full story

The Independent, 8th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Supreme Court to hear landmark licensing fees battle next week – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 9th, 2015 in licensing, local government, news, sex establishments, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court will next week hear a case with major implications for local authorities and other regulators’ ability to charge fees for licences.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 9th January 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Time for a fry-up – patent claims reinterpreted in Jarden v SEB – Technology Law Update

Posted January 9th, 2015 in appeals, food, news, patents by sally

‘In a surprise end-of-year appeal success Jarden has escaped the heat of SEB’s ‘dry fryer’ patent. The apparatus claimed by the patent allows a user to produce crispy chips without needing a pan full of hot fat.’

Full story

Technology Law Update, 8th January 2015

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk