Appeal judges refuse to order assessment of costs agreed by administrators – Litigation Futures

Posted May 26th, 2016 in administrators, appeals, costs, fees, insolvency, law firms, news by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has refused a request by the liquidators of a company for a detailed assessment of costs agreed by the firm’s administrators.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 25th May 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

LSB responds to the Judicial Executive Board’s McKenzie Friends consultation – Legal Services Board

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has submitted its response to the Judicial Executive Board (JEB) consultation on the approach courts should take to McKenzie Friends.’

Full press release

Legal Services Board, 26th May 2016

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Independent review into Sharia Law launched – Home Office

Posted May 26th, 2016 in divorce, forced marriages, islamic law, press releases, women by tracey

‘An independent review into the application of Sharia Law in England and Wales has been launched by Home Secretary Theresa May today.’

Full press release

Home Office, 26th May 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Response to Ministry of Justice consultation: Proposals to reform fees for grants of probate – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted May 26th, 2016 in consultations, fees, judiciary, news, probation by tracey

‘Response to MoJ Consultation by Sir James Munby: Proposals to Reform Fees for Grants of Probate.’

Full text

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 24th May 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted May 26th, 2016 in legislation by tracey

The Housing and Planning Act 2016 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2016

The Lloyd’s Underwriters (Roll-over Relief on Disposal of Assets of Ancillary Trust Fund) (Tax) Regulations 2016

The Immigration Act 2016 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2016

The Energy Act 2016 (Commencement No. 1 and Savings Provisions) Regulations 2016

The Bathing Water (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2016

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Victory for Theresa May after drug dealer convicted of attempted murder loses human rights bid to avoid deportation – Daily Telegraph

‘A foreign drug dealer convicted of attempted murder is not entitled to avoid deportation under human rights laws because he has British children, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK fraud costing ‘£193bn a year’, new study suggests – BBC News

Posted May 26th, 2016 in fraud, identity fraud, news, reports, statistics, tax evasion by tracey

‘The annual cost of fraud in the UK has been estimated at £193bn – equal to nearly £3,000 per head of population – according to a new report.’

Full story

BBC News, 25th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Dangerous’ police recording system putting children at risk, MPs say – The Guardian

‘At least 10,000 children who go missing could be at “terrible risk” because a “dangerous” police recording system means they fall off the radar, an all-party group of MPs has said. Ann Coffey, the Labour chair of the all-party inquiry, said that a new “absent” category introduced in the police recording system was dangerous and should be scrapped.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Staff ‘told not to take action against probation breaches’ – BBC News

Posted May 26th, 2016 in enforcement, news, probation, rehabilitation, reports by tracey

‘Probation officers are being told not to take action against offenders who breach sentence terms, because their companies risk being fined, a watchdog in England and Wales has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal highs ban unenforceable, claim pharmacologists, forensics experts and lawyers – The Independent

Posted May 26th, 2016 in drug abuse, drug offences, enforcement, news, prosecutions by tracey

‘A blanket ban on legal highs has come into force amid warnings it is “unworkable” and drug dealers will be able to escape prosecution.’

Full story

The Independent, 26th May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Elderly couple who cut wealthy neighbour’s grass verge for 12 years given land in ‘squatters’ rights’ ruling as opponent faces £250,000 legal bill – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 26th, 2016 in adverse possession, appeals, costs, elderly, land registration, news by tracey

‘A couple who cut a grass verge outside their wealthy neighbour’s home for 12 years have been given the land by a judge in a “squatters’ rights” ruling following a lengthy court battle.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The women forced to give birth in front of male prison guards – The Independent

Posted May 26th, 2016 in birth, news, pregnancy, prison officers, prisons, privacy, reports, women by tracey

‘The Government is coming under pressure to justify why it imprisons pregnant women and their babies, after a report suggested that the practice can cause significant harm to infants and mothers without benefiting public safety.’

Full story

The Independent, 26th May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Watchdog to ban penalties for savers accessing pensions – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 26th, 2016 in fees, financial regulation, news, penalties, pensions by tracey

Penal charges applying to people who want to access their retirement savings are to be banned by the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted May 25th, 2016 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Source: www.bailii.org

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted May 25th, 2016 in law reports by sally

High Court (Administrative Court)

High Court (Chancery Division)

High Court (Commercial Court)

High Court (Family Division)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Source: www.bailii.org

New judgment ‘kills’ unbundled legal services – Law Society’s Gazette

‘An appeal court ruling last week appears to have delivered a serious blow to solicitors seeking to offer ‘unbundled’ services without being held liable for matters beyond those in their client retainer.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th May 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Online Court will include “limited” legal costs to aid unbundled advice, says Briggs – Legal Futures

Posted May 25th, 2016 in budgets, civil justice, costs, courts, internet, legal aid, news by sally

‘The new Online Court will not ban lawyers and there will be “a very limited element of fixed costs” so litigants can get initial legal advice – but not the full “over-expensive” service, Lord Justice Briggs said yesterday.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 24th May 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ombudsman warns on financial appointee role after council told to repay £12k – Local Government Lawyer

‘A local authority has agreed to repay nearly £12,000 to a disabled woman for whom it was acting as financial appointee, following an investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 24th May 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Censorship or justified Concern? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Mrs Justice Whipple dismissed one claim for judicial review, and refused permission to bring a further claim, in respect of decisions made by Southampton University regarding a proposed conference on the legality of the existence of Israel under international law. She held that the University had lawfully withdrawn its permission to hold the conference in April 2015, and refused permission to challenge the University’s subsequent decision to require the conference organisers to meet the conference’s security costs as a condition of allowing the conference to take place at a later date. The conference organisers had claimed that both decisions represented an unlawful interference with their Article 10 right to free expression and Article 11 right to free assembly.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 24th May 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Contracts with ‘no oral variation’ clauses can “in principle” be varied orally, says Court of Appeal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 25th, 2016 in appeals, contracts, news by sally

‘Clauses in commercial contracts preventing variation other than in writing are “in principle” unenforceable, given that parties to such contracts generally have the freedom to agree to vary whatever terms they choose, according to three senior judges.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 24th May 2016

Source: www.out-law.com