‘Self-employed’ plumber had rights as ‘worker’, but not employee, appeal court rules – OUT-LAW.com

‘A purportedly self-employed plumber engaged through a London-based firm was a ‘worker’, entitled to paid holiday rights and the right to bring a claim for disability discrimination, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th February 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Boy, 15, jailed for Notting Hill stab murder – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2017 in London, murder, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘A 15-year-boy has been jailed for 13 years for murdering a teenager in an ambush in Notting Hill.’

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BBC News, 10th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

David Scott: Miller, Sewel, and the Human Rights Act – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted February 13th, 2017 in devolution, EC law, human rights, news, Supreme Court, treaties by sally

‘Many celebrated Miller’s outcome, imposing a Parliamentary “brake” (however brief) on the triggering of Article 50. But the Supreme Court’s unanimous agreement on the devolution issues [129–151 for the majority; agreement in the dissents at 242, 243, and 282] may have weakened opposition to the Government’s “other” crusade—against the European Court of Human Rights.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 8th February 2017

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Woman wins court case to have a pit bull dog destroyed – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2017 in dogs, euthanasia, magistrates, news by sally

‘A woman who was attacked by two dogs at a boarding kennels has won her case to have one of the animals destroyed.’

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BBC News, 12th February 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Expert Evidence, Independence and Objectivity: Exp v Barker [2017] EWCA Civ 63 – Zenith PI Blog

‘In EXP v Barker, the trial judge and Court of Appeal were faced with an unusual situation. An expert witness – although undoubtedly skilled and experienced in his field – had omitted to mention a close personal connection to the party instructing him.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 13th February 2017

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Tom Hickman: Public Law’s Disgrace – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted February 13th, 2017 in costs, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

‘What is the most important issue in public law? You might be forgiven for thinking it is the gradation of principles of substantive review, or the proper limits of judicial interventionism, or even the scope of residual prerogative powers. But you would be wrong.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 9th February 2017

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Knowing where your data is processed in the cloud not central to exercising control over it, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

‘It should not be obligatory for banks in the UK to pre-agree where their data will be processed and stored when contracting with cloud service providers.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th February 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Divorces are skewed by judges’ outdated chivalry, says female peer pushing for cap on payments – Daily Telegraph

‘Judges are labouring under antiquated notions of chivalry in awarding women maintenance payments which extend years into the future, despite the fact that many divorcees go on to earn good salaries on their own, says a leading female peer.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

More vaccine litigation- UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 13th, 2017 in compensation, news, personal injuries, vaccination by sally

‘As commentators to my previous post on immunisation have pointed out, vaccinations are not cost-free. But the benefit of eliminating pathogens through herd immunity is generally agreed to outweigh the occasional risk to individuals. Acknowledging that there are such risks, the government has run a modern compensation system since 1979 for people who are “severely disabled” as a result of vaccination (now the 2012 Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme). The initial scheme was put in place in response to side effects of the whooping cough vaccine.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 9th February 2017

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Mother who let her two boys sleep in her bed has them taken away by judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 13th, 2017 in adoption, children, family courts, news, private hearings, social services by sally

‘A mother who allowed her two children to sleep in her bed has had them taken away from her by a family court judge after social workers raised concerns.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal Ombudsman suspends publication of complaints data over accuracy concerns – Legal Futures

Posted February 13th, 2017 in case management, complaints, internet, legal ombudsman, mistake, news by sally

‘The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has pulled from its website the details of law firms and chambers that have been subject to complaints because of concerns over their accuracy, it has emerged.’

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Legal Futures, 13th February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ministers put RSPCA on ‘probation’ for two years over prosecutions policy – Daily Telegraph

‘Ministers have put the RSPCA on “probation” for the next two years over its controversial prosecutions policy.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Violent abusers to be prevented from cross-examining ex-partners in court – The Guardian

‘Domestic violence victims will no longer face the threat of being interrogated by their former partners in court under proposed legislation.’

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The Guardian, 12th February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Service charges, contracts, social housing and subsidies – Nearly Legal

Posted February 13th, 2017 in costs, landlord & tenant, leases, local government, news, service charges, tribunals by sally

‘An interesting question. To what extent, if at all, can leaseholders’ service charges be set at a level to ‘subsidise’ a shortfall as against actual maintenance costs in service charges recoverable from social tenants in flats provided under a section 106 agreement.’

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Nearly Legal, 12th February 2017

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

‘Conned trying to get my children back’ – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2017 in custody, family courts, fees, Law Society, McKenzie friends, news by sally

‘Two parents fighting legal battles for custody of their children paid thousands of pounds to a company providing “McKenzie friends” – people with no legal training who assist in court. But they were badly let down.’

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BBC News, 13th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

NHS hasn’t improved enough since Mid Staffs, says inquiry lawyer – The Guardian

Posted February 13th, 2017 in health, news, statistics by sally

‘Current conditions in the NHS ”sound familiar” to those that existed during the Mid Staffordshire scandal, according to the lawyer who chaired the inquiry into the hospital trust.’

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The Guardian, 12th February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Divorced parents who pit children against former partners ‘guilty of abuse’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 13th, 2017 in child abuse, children, divorce, family courts, news by sally

‘Divorced parents who “brainwash” their children against ex-partners are guilty of “abuse”, the head of the agency that looks after youngsters’ interests in family courts has said.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prisons need ‘profound culture change’, charities say – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2017 in charities, mental health, news, prisons, reports, statistics, suicide by sally

‘Prisons in England and Wales need a “profound culture change” which focuses on inmate safety, a new report says.’

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BBC News, 13th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Thieves steal £2m of rare books by abseiling into warehouse – The Guardian

Posted February 13th, 2017 in London, news, theft by sally

‘Antiquarian books worth more than £2m have been stolen by a gang who avoided a security system by abseiling into a west London warehouse.’

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The Guardian, 12th February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk