EVENT: Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law – Oversight of the Rule of Law in the European Union: Opportunities and Challenges

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘This event will provide the opportunity to hear leading experts consider the challenges and opportunities for rule of law oversight in the EU and the role of various EU institutions, including an analysis of the Commission’s new Rule of Law Framework and the Council’s new Rule of Law Dialogue. In addition, country experts will assess the situation in selected member states, with a particular focus on developments in Hungary and Poland. Speakers will also consider what lies ahead, amid recent calls for a new binding EU mechanism to monitor the state of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights in the member states.’

Date: 16th January 2017, 4.00-7.00pm

Location: British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5JP

Charge: See website for details

More information can be found here.

EVENT: LSE – Documenting Genocide: survey evidence on ISIS violence against Yazidis

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘The United Nations Human Rights Council has recently declared that ISIS violence against the Yazidi religious minority constitutes a case of “ongoing genocide”. Dr Valeria Cetorelli will present the first survey evidence on the number and demographic profile of Yazidis killed and enslaved by ISIS.’

Date: 11th January 2017, 6.30-8.00pm

Location: Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

EVENT: University of Greenwich – Rule of Law Talk III – The Rt Hon the Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC: A Politician’s Perspective on the Rule of Law

Posted December 15th, 2016 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Patricia Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, PC, QC is a British barrister who served as the Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland. At the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, she was elected Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations and took office on 1 April 2016 as the first woman to hold the post. She is the current Chancellor of the University of Greenwich.’

Date: 24th January 2017,

Location: Lecture Theatre Queen Anne 080, University of Greenwich, Park Row, London SE10 9LS

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 15th, 2016 in legislation by tracey

The Donations to Charity (Gift Aid Declarations) Regulations 2016

The Companies Act 2006 (Distributions of Insurance Companies) Regulations 2016

The Venture Capital Trust (Amendment) Regulations 2016

The Civil Proceedings Fees (Amendment) Order 2016

The Climate Change Agreements (Administration) (Amendment and Related Provision) Regulations 2016

The Proscribed Organisations (Name Change) Order 2016

The Air Quality Standards (Amendment) Regulations 2016

The Raw Tobacco (Approval Scheme) Regulations 2016

The Value Added Tax (Small Non-Commercial Consignments) Relief (Amendment) Order 2016

The Motor Vehicles (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 2016

The Nitrate Pollution Prevention (Amendment) Regulations 2016

The NHS Foundation Trusts (Trust Funds: Appointment of Trustees) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2016

The Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016

The Police (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2016

The Energy Act 2016 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2016

The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2016

The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Local Housing Allowance Amendments) Order 2016

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (Asset-Freezing) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (Commencement No. 15) Order 2016

The Bank Levy (Double Taxation Relief) (Single Resolution Fund Levy) Regulations 2016

The Trial of the Pyx (Amendment) Order 2016

The Antarctic Act 1994 (Jersey) (Amendment) Order 2016

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Bar chief urges Jackson to mitigate impact of fixed costs push on “value for money” junior Bar – Litigation Futures

Posted December 15th, 2016 in barristers, costs, news, speeches by tracey

‘The incoming chairman of the Bar has called on Lord Justice Jackson to protect the junior Bar from the impact of his review of fixed recoverable costs.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 15th December 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

CMA final report: demand for better price and service transparency from law firms, and review of legal regulation – Legal Futures

Posted December 15th, 2016 in competition, law firms, legal services, press releases, reports by tracey

‘Regulators need to deliver a “step change in standards of transparency” so that lawyers’ clients can both understand the price and service they will receive, and compare providers, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said today.’

Full story

Full CMA press release

Legal Futures, 15th December 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Crown Prosecution Service and NPCC launch new Honour-Based Violence/Abuse and Forced Marriage Protocol – Crown Prosecution Service

‘The CPS and police have published the first ever joint honour-based violence/abuse and forced marriage protocol today [14 December 2016], outlining their commitment to the successful investigation and prosecution of these crimes. The protocol recognises the importance of strong partnership working between these two agencies.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 14th December 2016

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Deprivation of liberty under scrutiny at Court of Appeal – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Two years after a Supreme Court landmark ruling led to a surge in applications by local authorities for deprivations of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act, the Court of Appeal is to rule on whether a patient in intensive care can be considered to be in state detention.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 14th December 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Met Police chief admits officers were ‘confused’ during Operation Midland – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 15th, 2016 in compensation, London, news, police, sexual offences, victims by tracey

‘Complainants in sex abuse cases should no longer be automatically believed by police, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe has said, as he admitted the policy had led to confusion during the Operation Midland investigation.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th December 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prisoner jailed for 45 years over letters threatening to kill people – The Guardian

Posted December 15th, 2016 in harassment, mental health, news, prisons, sentencing, threatening behaviour by tracey

‘A prison inmate who wrote a series of letters from his cell threatening to kill 10 people, including prison staff and police officers, and then have sex with their corpses has been jailed for 45 years.’

Full story

the Guardian, 14th December 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New police officers face degree requirement – The Guardian

Posted December 15th, 2016 in education, news, police, universities by tracey

‘All new police officers in England and Wales will need a degree-level qualification, under plans to get policing fit for the demands of the 21st century. Recruits will have the option of taking up a training post with one of the 43 forces and studying for a degree part-time while working.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th December 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Former Army captain Rachel Webster to sue the Government over Ihat raid – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 15th, 2016 in armed forces, damages, Iraq, news, war, wrongful arrest by tracey

‘A decorated war veteran has made an emotional demand for the government to shut down its “witch hunt” into historic allegations of abuse in Iraq. Rachel Webster, a former captain, announced she was suing the Ministry of Defence over her wrongful arrest by investigators in January 2014.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th December 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jailed Marine A’s senior officers ‘missed warning signs’ – BBC News

Posted December 15th, 2016 in appeals, armed forces, courts martial, mental health, murder, news, reports by tracey

‘Senior officers missed signs that the unit of a now-jailed marine was suffering from exhaustion, a Royal Navy review has found.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th December 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Privatisation of probation service has left public at greater risk – report – The Guardian

Posted December 15th, 2016 in contracting out, criminal justice, news, probation, reports by tracey

‘The public have been left more at risk by the privatisation of the probation service with some offenders not seen for weeks or months and others lost in the system altogether, according to an official watchdog.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th December 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Child abuse inquiry counsel Ben Emmerson cleared – BBC News

Posted December 15th, 2016 in child abuse, harassment, inquiries, news, queen's counsel, sexual offences by tracey

‘The former senior counsel to the independent inquiry into historical child sexual abuse in England and Wales has been cleared of allegations of sexual assault and harassment.’

Full story

BBC news, 14th December 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Review urges higher fees and mandatory training to combat “poor-quality” advice in Youth Courts – Legal Futures

Posted December 14th, 2016 in fees, legal aid, legal education, legal representation, news, youth courts by sally

‘The status and quality of legal representation for children before the Youth Court need to be raised first by an increase in legal aid rates and then by mandatory training for all solicitors and barristers appearing for them, a government-commissioned review has recommended.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 14th December 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The right to disagree – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted December 14th, 2016 in freedom of expression, judiciary, news by sally

‘John F Kennedy said: “Liberty without learning is always in peril and learning without liberty is always in vain.” I don’t agree entirely. Learning is always valuable, but I do agree that liberty is at risk, or in peril, without learning. As individuals, citizens and as lawyers, we have a responsibility to ensure that there is an awareness of, and appreciation for, the justice system in the UK. It is not easy to value something that is not understood.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th December 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Judges criticise Court of Protection over jailing of woman for contempt – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 14th, 2016 in contempt of court, Court of Protection, imprisonment, news by sally

‘Appeal judges have criticised the Court of Protection over a case in which a woman was jailed for contempt.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 14th December 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Sharia courts have no place in UK family law. Listen to women who know – The Guardian

Posted December 14th, 2016 in families, family courts, islamic law, news, women by sally

‘There must be no religious arbitration in family matters. It leaves minority women vulnerable to control by fundamentalists.’

Full story

The Guardian, 14th December 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Data use rules set to be loosened under new EU e-Privacy laws, report says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 14th, 2016 in data protection, EC law, news, telecommunications by sally

‘New EU laws set to be proposed in January will give telecoms companies more options over how they might use data they gather that relates to customers’ communications, according to a media report.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 13th December 2016

Source: www.out-law.com