Revealed: Chilcot inquiry was set up ‘to avoid blame’ – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in armed forces, inquiries, Iraq, news by sally

‘The Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war was designed to “avoid blame” and reduce the risk that individuals and the government could face legal proceedings, newly released documents reveal.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Luke McDonagh: What Future for the Rule of Law and Human Rights in the New Populist Environment? – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted November 21st, 2016 in human rights, judiciary, news, parliament, rule of law by sally

‘As has been stated by several commentators, in the aftermath of Miller v Secretary of State for Exiting the EU the attacks made on the judges in the media severely threaten the independence of the judiciary, and come close to outright intimidation. Chief among these critics is, of course, Nigel Farage, leading light of the UK Independence Party. The particular focus of his populist critique of the judiciary is worth taking seriously, as it indicates the challenges the rule of law may be facing in the years to come, as we adjust to the new post-Brexit, post-Trump, populist environment.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 18th November 2016

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

High Court clarifies the position as regards claiming damages based on an extrapolated sample – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 21st, 2016 in contracting out, contracts, damages, news, roads, statistics by sally

‘A recent High Court decision will provide helpful guidance to parties that elect to use statistical sampling and extrapolation as a means to demonstrate entitlement to substantial damages.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 21st November 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Victorian abortion law ‘breaches human rights’ – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in abortion, human rights, news, statute law revision by sally

‘A campaign to push for abortion to be removed from the justice statutes and decriminalised is to be launched this month by the country’s newest political party.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Arranged marriages happier, claims former High Court family judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 21st, 2016 in judges, marriage, news, statistics by sally

‘Arranged marriage could be happier than marrying for love because it removes the pressure to find the “perfect” partner before settling down, a former top High Court family judge has claimed.’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th November 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Extreme surveillance’ becomes UK law with barely a whimper – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in bills, investigatory powers, news, privacy by sally

‘A bill giving the UK intelligence agencies and police the most sweeping surveillance powers in the western world has passed into law with barely a whimper, meeting only token resistance over the past 12 months from inside parliament and barely any from outside.’

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The Guardian, 19th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

SFO asks for private hearing in unfair dismissal claim by ex-Barclays banker – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in banking, employment, fraud, news, private hearings, unfair dismissal by sally

‘The Serious Fraud Office will on Monday ask a London employment tribunal to hear an unfair dismissal claim by a former senior banker at Barclays in private.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court of Appeal upholds injunction stopping Dechert from acting for two parties to case – Litigation Futures

‘The Court of Appeal has upheld an injunction that international law firm Dechert has to cease acting for the principal creditor of a Russian businessman because it is also acting for his trustees in bankruptcy and has access to thousands of documents that are covered by legal professional privilege.’

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Litigation Futures, 21st November 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk

Man jailed for 10 months finds himself still in prison 11 years later – The Independent

Posted November 21st, 2016 in mental health, news, parole, sentencing by sally

‘The Imprisonment for Public Protection scheme was scrapped in 2012 after it emerged it was being used more widely than intended.’

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The Independent, 19th November 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court battle looms over priests’ right to pick pupils for Catholic schools – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in clergy, news, school admissions by sally

‘The Catholic church is taking the government’s schools admissions watchdog to the high court to protect the rights of priests to determine whether pupils are eligible for a place on the basis of their faith.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Breathing space for PI lawyers? Reforms unlikely to have impact until 2018 – Legal Futures

Posted November 21st, 2016 in civil procedure rules, news, personal injuries, small claims by sally

‘The government has indicated that its plans for personal injury reform will not become law for well over a year.’

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Legal Futures, 21st November 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New-build ground rent scandal could spark legal battles – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in conveyancing, negligence, news, rent, solicitors by sally

‘With thousands of homebuyers caught out by rapidly rising rents, the solicitors they used may face claims of professional negligence.’

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The Guardian, 19th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Porn sites that refuse to check ages will be forcibly blocked by regulator – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 21st, 2016 in children, internet, news, pornography by sally

‘Pornography websites that refuse to check ages before allowing people to watch explicit videos will be forcibly blocked, it has been announced.’

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Daily Telegraph, 19th November 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Racist incidents ‘being covered up in schools’ to protect Ofsted ratings, report warns – The Independent

Posted November 21st, 2016 in news, racism, reports, school children by sally

‘Racial discrimination is being covered up by schools in order to protect Ofsted ratings, the British Youth Council has warned, with incidents of racist and religious taunting being readily dismissed as “banter”.’

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The Independent, 19th November 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Equality watchdog’s human rights fight ‘under threat’ after cuts – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in budgets, equality, hate crime, news by sally

‘”Devastating” cuts to staff and budgets have undermined the ability of Britain’s equality watchdog to fight a rising tide of discrimination and hate crime, according to unions.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Corporeal freedom after death? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 21st, 2016 in children, consent, divorce, human rights, human tissue, news by sally

‘A great deal has been written about this case but few of the headlines reflect the humanity and sensitivity of the decision, which may not be ground breaking nor precedent setting, but reflects how the law should respond to individual wishes if those play out in a way that cannot harm anyone else. Post-mortem cryonics may have a certain morbid ring, but it is a matter of individual choice, provided the resources are there to pay for it. As the judge observed, it was:

“no surprise that this application is the only one of its kind to have come before the courts in this country, and probably anywhere else. It is an example of the new questions that science poses to the law, perhaps most of all to family law.”‘

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th November 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Two jailed for Ali Qasemi pizza delivery killing – BBC News

Posted November 21st, 2016 in homicide, news, robbery, sentencing by sally

‘Two men who killed a takeaway delivery driver in a “snatch-and-grab” robbery for three pizzas have been jailed.’

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BBC News, 18th November 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legalisation of cannabis ‘only solution to crime and addiction problems’ – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2016 in drug abuse, drug offences, news by sally

‘Report by Adam Smith Institute says UK’s drug strategy ‘has failed in its core aims’ and urges government to legalise cannabis.’

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The Guardian, 21st November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pilot online convictions with TV licence evasion, says Law Society – Legal Futures

Posted November 21st, 2016 in electronic filing, guilty pleas, licensing, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘The government should pilot its plans to digitise low-level summary convictions with TV licence evasion, rather than train and tram fare evasion, the Law Society has said.’

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Legal Futures, 21st November 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Torture evidence ignored by Home Office, says charity – BBC News

Posted November 21st, 2016 in asylum, evidence, news, torture by sally

‘The Home Office is “disregarding and mistreating” medical evidence of torture in UK asylum claims, a report by a charity suggests.’

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BBC News, 21st November 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk