New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Psychoactive Substances Act 2016

Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016

Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016

Education and Adoption Act 2016

Childcare Act 2016

Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016

Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2016

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Boys brought up on tough council estate win right to sue local council over harassment that ruined their lives – Daily Telegraph

‘Two children who say they suffered “harassment and worse” whilst being brought up on a tough council estate have won the right to sue for massive compensation.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Free to light up… for a little longer – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 17th, 2016 in appeals, health, human rights, news, prisons, smoking by tracey

‘In Secretary of State for Justice v Paul Black [2016] EWCA Civ 125 the Court of Appeal ruled that the Crown was not bound by Part 1 of the Health Act 2006 to ban smoking inside public prisons.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 15th March 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Claims management regulation review: final report – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 17th, 2016 in claims management, reports by tracey

‘Carol Brady has now published the final report of her independent review of claims management regulation, commissioned by HM Treasury and the Ministry of Justice.’

Full report

Ministry of Justice, 16th March 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Daily Mail loses challenge to recoverable ATE – but success fee uncertainty heads to Supreme Court – Litigation Futures

Posted March 17th, 2016 in appeals, costs, fees, freedom of expression, insurance, media, news, Supreme Court by tracey

‘Recoverable after-the-event insurance (ATE) premiums are not incompatible with a publisher’s right to freedom of expression, the High Court has ruled – but it is asking the Supreme Court to resolve the case law tension over recoverable success fees in publications proceedings.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 15th March 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Defendants lose out as judges insist on strict interpretation of part 36 – Litigation Futures

Posted March 17th, 2016 in civil procedure rules, costs, interpretation, news, part 36 offers by tracey

‘Defendants have failed in two separate recent attempts to persuade courts to interpret the part 36 costs rules in a way that suited them.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 16th March 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Speech by Lord Justice Fulford for NPCC: National Criminal Justice Performance Conference – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 17th, 2016 in case management, courts, criminal justice, judges, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by Lord Justice Fulford for NPCC: National Criminal Justice Performance Conference.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 16th March 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Bar regulator launches consultation on the Professional Statement threshold standard and competences, seeks input from all – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 17th, 2016 in barristers, consultations, professional conduct by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today launched its consultation on the Professional Statement threshold standard and competences.’

Full consultation

Bar Standards Board, 14th March 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Jackson takes hard line on firm’s late court document – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 17th, 2016 in appeals, default judgments, delay, documents, judges, law firms, news by tracey

‘Lord Justice Jackson has upheld a £211,000 claim won by default after the defendant missed their final chance to submit a court document.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 15th March 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Family Law Week’s Budget Briefing. March 2016 – Family Law Week

Posted March 17th, 2016 in budgets, families, news, taxation by tracey

‘Matt Boggis of Creaseys Chartered Accountants and tax advisers explains the Budget changes of most relevance to family lawyers.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 16th March 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Michael Gove announces plans for ‘reform prisons’ – The Guardian

Posted March 17th, 2016 in bills, news, prisons by tracey

‘A new bill is to pave the way for “reform prisons” modelled on academy schools, with league tables and provision for failing jails to be taken over by more successful prisons, the justice secretary, Michael Gove, has told MPs.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Met Police decision to drop Tower Hamlets electoral fraud investigation branded ‘utter disgrace’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 17th, 2016 in corruption, elections, evidence, fraud, local government, London, news, police by tracey

‘Scotland Yard has dropped its investigation into electoral fraud in Tower Hamlets after finding “insufficient evidence that criminal offences had been committed”. Detectives launched the probe after Lutfur Rahman, the borough’s former mayor, was found guilty of corrupt and illegal practices by a judge following a High Court hearing.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Goddard Inquiry: Focus on CofE handling of abuse claims – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2016 in child abuse, Church of England, inquiries, news, victims by tracey

‘A public inquiry is to consider whether there was interference by the Church of England in the case of jailed former Bishop of Lewes Peter Ball.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th March 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Poppers ‘not part of legal highs ban’ – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2016 in drug abuse, drug offences, homosexuality, legislation, news by tracey

‘Government drugs advisers have said “poppers” – used by many gay men to enhance sexual experience – will not be covered by a ban on “legal highs”. The Psychoactive Substances Act, which comes into force in the UK next month, makes it illegal to supply drugs which have a direct effect on mental processes, unless the drug is exempted. Ministers had indicated that poppers would be included in the ban. But advisers say poppers have only a “peripheral” effect on the brain.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th March 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Peers defeat trade union funding reforms – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2016 in bills, news, parliament, political parties, trade unions by tracey

‘The government has been heavily defeated in the House of Lords over trade union reforms Labour fears will cost it millions of pounds in funding. Ministers want to require Labour-affiliated union members to “opt in” to paying a levy to the party. But peers voted by 320 to 172 to apply the changes to new members only and with a 12-month transition period.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th March 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court ruling on teenager who refused to live with her family ‘because they were not strict enough Muslims’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 17th, 2016 in children, families, homelessness, Islam, local government, news, young persons by tracey

‘A teenager who did not want to live with her family because “they were not strict enough Muslims” after being returned from the Syrian border, should have been provided with accommodation and support by the local authority, the High Court has said.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Shami Chakrabarti on 14 years of fighting the power: ‘The leviathan is far from defeated’ – The Guardian

Posted March 17th, 2016 in barristers, charities, human rights, news by tracey

‘After years of speaking out on human rights, the Liberty director is stepping down. She describes why repeated attacks on freedom from governments of left and right – and the bullying tactics of their wannabe Malcolm Tuckers – haven’t dented her optimism.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Plans to ban e-cigarettes in public places defeated – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 17th, 2016 in bills, children, news, smoking, Wales by tracey

‘Plans to ban e-cigarettes for the first time in the UK in public places where children are present have been defeated.
The landmark vote by the Welsh Assembly aimed to restrict the use of nicotine inhaling devices in public places such as schools, restaurants and on public transport.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Cerys Edwards death: CPS could press criminal charges against driver – The Guardian

Posted March 17th, 2016 in children, dangerous driving, news, personal injuries, prosecutions, sentencing by tracey

‘Prosecutor reviewing whether motorist should face new charges after girl dies nine years after crash left her paralysed.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man given vasectomy by mistake after complaining about waiting times – Daily Telegraph

‘A hospital doctor who gave a man a vasectomy by mistake after he complaint about waiting for another procedure has admitted misconduct charges.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk