‘Cash for crash’: 81 sentenced in fake car accidents scam – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2016 in accidents, closed circuit television, compensation, fraud, inquiries, insurance, news by tracey

‘Garage in south Wales faked accidents in its yards so that bogus insurance and compensation claims totalling £750,000 could be made.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Maoist cult leader jailed for 23 years as ‘slave’ daughter goes public – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2016 in child cruelty, false imprisonment, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences by tracey

‘The “slave” daughter of the Maoist cult leader Aravindan Balakrishnan has revealed her identity for the first time as her father was jailed for 23 years for her imprisonment and repeated sex attacks on other followers.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Men jailed for IS promotion outside Topshop in Oxford Street – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2016 in news, proscribed organisations, sentencing, terrorism by tracey

‘Two men from Luton have been jailed for promoting the so-called Islamic State outside Topshop in London’s Oxford Street.’

Full story

BBC News, 29th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Heterosexual couple lose civil partnership court challenge – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2016 in civil partnerships, equality, marriage, news by tracey

‘A heterosexual couple who want to have a civil partnership rather than get married have lost a legal challenge.’

Full story

BBC News, 29th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Appeal judges rule against legal aid in actions against police in ‘blow for civil liberties’ – Legal Voice

Posted January 29th, 2016 in appeals, false imprisonment, legal aid, news, police by tracey

‘In a ruling that has been described as “a blow for civil liberties”, appeal judges have effectively limited legally aided claims against the police to situations where claimants can show there was dishonesty.’

Full story

Legal Voice, 27th January 2016

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

SDT fines Berezovsky solicitor over fee deal for Abramovich case – Legal Futures

Posted January 29th, 2016 in disciplinary procedures, fees, fines, news, solicitors by tracey

‘A solicitor involved in the 2011 litigation between Russian oligarchs Boris Berezovsky and Roman Abramovich has been fined £50,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) for entering into what was then an unlawful contingency fee agreement, under which he would have netted tens of millions of pounds had Mr Berezovsky succeeded.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 29th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal slashes award in law firm sale dispute – Legal Futures

Posted January 29th, 2016 in appeals, contracts, damages, economic loss, law firms, misrepresentation, news by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has reduced by almost two-thirds the balance awarded to the seller of a law firm by the High Court, after ruling that – among other things – the trial judge had been wrong not to award the buyer damages for misrepresentation of the firm’s finances.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 29th January 2016

Source: wwww.legalfutures.co.uk

Reviewing the offence of misconduct in public office – Law Commission

Posted January 29th, 2016 in consultations, Law Commission, misfeasance in public office by tracey

‘What is misconduct? And who is in public office? The existing law that governs misconduct in public office does not provide clear answers to either of these questions, according to the Law Commission.

Today the Law Commission launched a consultation aimed at exploring how the current law is being used and discovering the problems caused in practice by the law’s lack of clarity.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 20th January 2016

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

Landmark law to tackle psychoactive substances passed – Home Office

Posted January 29th, 2016 in bills, drug abuse, drug offences, press releases by tracey

‘The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 receives Royal Assent.’

Full press release

Home Office, 28th January 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Sentencing Council launches new definitive guideline for sentencing robbery – Sentencing Council

Posted January 29th, 2016 in news, robbery, sentencing by tracey

‘The Sentencing Council has published a new guideline for judges and magistrates on the sentencing of robbery. The new guideline, which has been issued following a public consultation, will come into effect on 1 April 2016.’

Full guideline

Sentencing Council, 28th January 2016

Source: http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

Speech by Lord Justice Jackson: Fixed Costs – The Time Has Come – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted January 29th, 2016 in civil justice, civil procedure rules, costs, lectures by tracey

‘Lord Justice Jackson gave the IPA Annual Lecture on the 28 January 2016. “The purpose of this lecture is to argue that we should now introduce an extensive regime of fixed costs for civil litigation as proposed in chapters 15 and 16 of the Review of Civil Litigation Costs Final Report. In the light of recent developments the time is now ripe to take this substantial step…” ‘

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 29th January 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Bar regulator publishes report on diversity at the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted January 29th, 2016 in barristers, diversity, news, reports by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published its annual report for 2015 on the diversity of the profession.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 29th January 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar Council welcomes Lord Chancellor’s decision to scrap two-tier contracting – The Bar Council

‘The Bar Council has welcomed the Lord Chancellor’s announcement today that the Government is to dispense with the two-tier contracting system.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 28th January 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Part III and the Maintenance Regulation: Clash of the Titans – Family Law Week

Posted January 29th, 2016 in divorce, EC law, financial provision, judgments, jurisdiction, news by tracey

‘Charles Hale QC and Henry Clayton, both of 4 Paper Buildings, outline the debate which the Court of Appeal declined to resolve in the recent case of Ramadani v Ramadani [2015] EWCA Civ 1138.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 24th January 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Dianne Spragg jailed for stealing £79k from legal clients – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2016 in cheques, forgery, fraud, law firms, news, sentencing, theft by tracey

‘A legal secretary who stole nearly £79,000 from vulnerable clients and spent it on shopping sprees has been jailed for two and a half years.’

Full story

BBC News, 28th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Investigation into sexual abuse at Kids Company dropped due to lack of evidence – Daily Telegaph

Posted January 29th, 2016 in charities, child abuse, evidence, news, police, prosecutions by tracey

‘An investigation into reports of physical and sexual abuse linked to Kids Company has been dropped after police found no evidence to “justify a referral to the Crown Prosecution Service”.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Michael Gove has scrapped the Government’s planned legal aid cuts – The Independent

Posted January 29th, 2016 in budgets, criminal justice, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Government has scrapped major cuts to the criminal legal aid system in England and Wales, it has announced.’

Full story

The Independent, 28th January 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

C-Section manslaughter trial collapse: How transport disasters led to law NHS trust was prosecuted under – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 29th, 2016 in corporate manslaughter, hospitals, news, prosecutions, transport by tracey

‘The hospital where young mother of two Frances Cappuccini died was prosecuted under corporate manslaughter legislation introduced in the wake of a series of catastrophic disasters in the late 80s and early 90s.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court of Protection prepares to open up – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘A pilot scheme begins today which will see the public and media gain access to Court of Protection hearings across England and Wales for the first time.’

Full press release

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 29th January 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Legal highs law could hinder police, says commissioner – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2016 in bills, drug abuse, drug offences, news, police, prosecutions by tracey

‘Police could face extra expense and confusion as a result of discrepancies in the laws banning the possession of drugs that will emerge once the psychoactive substances bill comes into force, a police and crime commissioner has warned.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk