People with advanced dementia have no place in court – The Guardian

Posted January 20th, 2016 in accidents, courts, elderly, fitness to plead, mental health, news, road traffic, trials by sally

‘The Law Commission has recommended a new test of incapacity after the Greville Janner case. We must be cautious about punishing those no longer in control of their actions.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court clarifies cost effective procedure allowing pension trustees to correct mistakes – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 20th, 2016 in costs, news, pensions, trusts by sally

‘The High Court has taken the unusual step of publishing a short judgment which sets out how pension scheme trustees can use an administrative procedure to correct errors in the scheme rules in a cost effective way.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th January 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Court of Appeal : LiPs can benefit from ‘without prejudice’ rule without knowing what it means – Litigation Futures

‘Litigants in person (LiPs) can benefit from the ‘without prejudice’ rule even if they do not know what it means, the Court of Appeal has made clear.’

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Litigation Futures, 19th January 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Poppi Worthington death: toddler was sexually assaulted by father, says judge – The Guardian

‘A baby who died in suspicious circumstances had been sexually assaulted by her father just before her death, a judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Human rights groups condemn steep rise in UK arms sales to Saudis – The Guardian

Posted January 20th, 2016 in EC law, human rights, international law, news, Saudi Arabia, statistics, weapons by sally

‘More than £1bn worth of bombs, missiles and rockets were sold under government licence to Saudi Arabia over three months last summer, according to human rights groups.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Further ‘judicial direction’ given on meaning of serious harm under defamation laws, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 19th, 2016 in defamation, media, news by sally

‘Courts in England have given further guidance on when statements can be said to have caused or be likely to cause ‘serious harm’ under defamation laws, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th January 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Asset acquisitions and mergers: Eurotunnel in the Supreme Court – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted January 19th, 2016 in appeals, competition, mergers, news, Supreme Court, transport by sally

‘The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Eurotunnel II ([2015] UKHL 75) brings some much-needed clarity to what was becoming a rather opaque corner of the UK merger regime. It also contains statements of general principle which are bound to make it one of the most frequently-cited merger cases.’

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 18th January 2016

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Almost half of asylum seekers unhappy with their lawyers, report finds – Legal Futures

Posted January 19th, 2016 in asylum, complaints, immigration, law firms, legal representation, news, reports, solicitors by sally

‘Almost half of asylum seekers are not satisfied with the service provided by their lawyers, a report for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has found.’

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Legal Futures, 18th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government to change adoption law to address fall in court orders – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 19th, 2016 in adoption, care orders, children, news, social services by sally

‘The Government is to change the law to make prioritising lifelong stability for vulnerable children with a loving family a legal requirement, the Department for Education has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th January 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Terrorism Act incompatible with human rights, court rules in David Miranda case – The Guardian

‘A key clause in the Terrorism Act 2000 is incompatible with the European convention on human rights, the master of the rolls, Lord Dyson, has declared as part of a court of appeal judgment.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The scales of justice and the establishment – OUP Blog

‘Reports that luminaries of the ‘establishment,’ including Archbishop Carey, were queuing up to write letters directly to the Director of Public Prosecutions in support of Bishop Peter Ball, who was eventually convicted of numerous sex offences, is hardly a revelation. Bishops of the Church of England move in the rarefied circles of the establishment, such as the London clubs. Bishop Ball’s influential friends promoted the interests of their friend. What else are friends for? No doubt, those who wrote in Bishop Ball’s defence did so in good faith and were, hopefully, as astounded by his eventual confession as the rest of us were outraged.’

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OUP Blog, 18th January 2016

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Court of Appeal to rule on interplay between fixed costs and part 36 offers – Litigation Futures

Posted January 19th, 2016 in appeals, civil procedure rules, costs, news, part 36 offers by sally

‘The Court of Appeal is to decide on whether a party who beats a part 36 offer in a case where fixed fees apply is eligible for indemnity costs as well.’

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Litigation Futures, 18th January 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Finding proportionality in surveillance laws – OUP Blog

Posted January 19th, 2016 in bills, investigatory powers, news, proportionality by sally

‘The United Kingdom Parliament is currently in the pre-legislative scrutiny phase of a new Investigatory Powers Bill, which aims to “consolidate existing legislation and ensure the powers in the Bill are fit for the digital age.” It is fair to say this Bill is controversial with strong views being expressed by both critics and supporters of the Bill. Against this backdrop it is important to cut through the rhetoric and get to the heart of the Bill and to examine what it will do and what it will mean in terms of the legal framework for British citizens, and indeed for those overseas.’

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OUP Blog, 17th January 2016

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Yarl’s Wood: Report finds no ‘endemic culture of abuse’ – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2016 in detention, immigration, news, reports by sally

‘There are “serious staffing concerns” at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre but “not an endemic culture of abuse”, a report has found.’

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BBC News, 15th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Civil servant jailed for partially blinding pensioner in row over pay of female tennis players at Wimbledon – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 19th, 2016 in assault, news, sentencing by sally

‘Jonathan Dalton, 27, threw the single punch at Charles Bonello, 69, on a train from London Bridge on 3 July last year.’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

We must choose our words carefully when covering complex legal cases – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2016 in Court of Protection, media, medical treatment, mental health, news by sally

‘A recent case that caught the public’s attention shows how writers’ choice of words can, however unintentionally, create a misleading impression.’

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The Guardian, 18th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Thousands of trials end over no-show witnesses – watchdog – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2016 in criminal justice, domestic violence, news, reports, trials, witnesses by sally

‘More than 11,000 criminal trials in England and Wales had to be abandoned last year because witnesses pulled out or did not appear at court, a watchdog has said.’

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BBC News, 19th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Phone hacking: Fresh News of the World claims to be heard – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2016 in class actions, interception, media, news, telecommunications by sally

‘Fresh claims of phone hacking by the now defunct News of the World newspaper can be heard in court, a High Court judge has ruled.’

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BBC News, 18th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman claims ‘psychological torture’ over ‘relationship with undercover officer’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 19th, 2016 in news, police, psychiatric damage, victims, women by sally

‘In 2015 Scotland Yard made an apology to seven women who were deceived into ‘abusive, deceitful and manipulative’ relationships with undercover police officers’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Couple to begin court fight against ban on heterosexual civil partnerships – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2016 in bills, civil partnerships, human rights, marriage, news by sally

‘The legal ban on heterosexual couples entering into civil partnerships is to be challenged in the high court.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk