A united approach – Counsel

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in barristers, children, cross-examination, news, witnesses, young persons by sally

‘HHJ Simon Drew QC and Lynda Gibbs explain why the pan-profession s 28 and ‘advocacy and the vulnerable’ training – being delivered to over 14,000 criminal advocates over the next two years – heralds a sea change.’

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Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Regulators should recognise that drivers cannot be expected to stay in-the-loop in highly autonomous vehicles – Technology Law Update

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in computer programs, consultations, insurance, news, road safety, road traffic by sally

‘The UK Government’s response to last year’s consultation on driverless cars concluded that the current approach of rolling regulatory reform was the right one, giving the flexibility to adapt to technological change and enabling innovation in a step-by-step way. The focus should be on technologies that are near to market, working to facilitate their safe introduction to UK roads.’

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Technology Law Update, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Banns of marriage – their development and future – Law & Religion UK

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in Church of England, disclosure, marriage, news, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales by sally

‘The legal requirement to read banns for couples intending to marry in church services was considered by members of the Church of England General Synod on 14 February 2017. Though Synod rejected moves that sought to end this “ecclesiastical preliminary” to marriage, important arguments were cited both for their retention and for their removal. In this post, we summarize the development and current usage in England and Wales, Scotland and the two jurisdictions in Ireland, and examine possible future directions.’

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Law & Religion UK, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

A Final Costs Order is Just That – Zenith PI Blog

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in civil procedure rules, costs, news by sally

‘CPR r.3.1(7) gives the court a general power to vary or revoke an order, but does this extend to a final order?’

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Zenith PI Blog, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Environmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in brexit, climate change, EC law, enforcement, environmental protection, news, reports by sally

‘In this latest Environmental News Update, Christopher Badger comments on a record payment for an enforcement undertaking agreed by the Environment Agency, the House of Lords Brexit report, and the UK’s role in the EU-ETS scheme.’

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Six Pump Court, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.6pumpcourt.co.uk

Who gets Silk 2016-17? – Counsel

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in diversity, equality, legal profession, news, queen's counsel by sally

‘David Wurtzel reveals the story behind the statistics in this year’s Silk list and Abigail Bright imparts sage career advice from an expert panel of women QCs.’

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Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

COURT OF APPEAL TAKE UNUSUAL Decision to Reverse Trial Judge’s Finding on Liability in Cerebral Palsy Case – Zenith PI Blog

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in appeals, birth, disabled persons, expert witnesses, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal found that the trial judge, Judge Inglis, should have directed himself according to the Supreme Court’s decision in Montgomery v Lanarkshire Health Board [2015] UKSC 11. However the Court of Appeal didn’t stop there. They went on to find that, had the relevant medical practitioner in this case, followed Montgomery and given the In Claimant’s mother the relevant information; she would have elected to have her baby induced on 27th December which would have avoided the brain injury and consequent disabilities that he now suffers from.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 21st February 2017

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Where in Europe a man and woman can get a civil partnership – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in civil partnerships, foreign jurisdictions, news by sally

‘People in the UK have been wondering where in Europe opposite-sex couples can choose civil partnership over marriage after a British heterosexual couple lost their legal fight to choose civil union.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

David Davies jailed for live-streaming Cardiff court case – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in contempt of court, courts, internet, news, telecommunications by sally

‘A man who filmed and live-streamed a court case in Cardiff has been jailed for 28 days.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.bb.co.uk

Man who killed banker with one punch cleared of murder – The Guardian

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in assault, homicide, murder, news by sally

‘A man who killed a banker with a single punch has been cleared of murder.’

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The Guardian, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

London borough demands greater powers over “lawless” shisha cafes – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in drug abuse, licensed premises, local government, news, noise, smoking by sally

‘Local authorities must be given more powers to shut down unregulated shisha cafes as loopholes in Government legislation allow venues to reopen “virtually overnight”, Brent Council has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Family of British IS bomber deny £1m compensation payout – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in compensation, news, terrorism by sally

‘The family of a British IS fighter who carried out a suicide attack in Iraq deny he received £1m in compensation after being freed from Guantanamo Bay.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Short Cuts – Stephen Sedley – London Review of Books

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in constitutional history, EC law, news, parliament, royal prerogative, treaties by sally

‘When the government decided to appeal to the Supreme Court against the High Court’s ruling that ministers could not lawfully use the royal prerogative to leave the EU, many lawyers, myself included, thought it a hopeless enterprise. A court of three judges – the Chief Justice, the Master of the Rolls and Lord Justice Sales (who had been standing counsel to the government when at the bar) – had held on cogently reasoned grounds that the prior authority of an Act of Parliament was required. Nevertheless the Supreme Court sat in full, all 11 members, to hear what even the sober Constitution Unit was calling the case of the century. Well, the appeal failed, and by a decisive margin of eight votes to three. But the margin conceals what was jurisprudentially a closer-run thing than the numbers suggest.’

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London Review of Books, 2nd March 2017

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

Judge in ‘crash for cash case’ dismisses jury and takes case on himself after jurors were offered bribes outside the courtroom – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in bribery, conspiracy, fraud, homicide, judges, juries, news, trials by sally

‘A judge used a rare legal power to dismiss a jury and take the case on himself after jurors said they were offered bribes outside the courtroom.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Courts bill: ‘viewing booths’ to preserve open justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in bills, consultations, courts, criminal justice, criminal procedure, internet, news by sally

‘Interested members of the public will be able to view ‘virtual’ court hearings from purpose-built booths in court buildings, the Prisons and Courts Bill states. The proposal is an attempt to counter threats to open justice by a courts system increasingly operating digitally. Court listings and case results will also be published online, a factsheet published by the Ministry of Justice says.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Helen Bailey murder verdict: Fiance guilty of killing children’s author – The Independent

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in domestic violence, drug abuse, murder, news, perverting the course of justice by sally

‘The partner of bestselling children’s author Helen Bailey has been convicted of drugging and killing her in a long-planned plot to get hold of her £3.3 million estate.’

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The Independent, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Whistleblowers endangered in digital age, says lawyers’ report – The Guardian

‘Whistleblowers need better legal protection because they are far easier to identify in the digital era and successive laws have undermined their status, according to a report by media lawyers.’

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The Guardian, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government presses ahead with whiplash reforms – but gives ground on other PI claims – Legal Futures

‘The small claims limit will rise to £5,000 for whiplash cases, but only £2,000 for other personal injury (PI) claims, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced today in a bid “to crack down on the compensation culture epidemic” – less than seven weeks after its consultation closed.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Prisons shakeup to give governors more control over rehabilitation – The Guardian

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in bills, courts, internet, news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘Prison governors are to be held to account for getting offenders off drugs, into jobs and learning English and maths under new powers to be detailed in the justice secretary’s flagship legislation to tackle the prison crisis.’

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The Guardian, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

First case dropped since forensic science blunders as CPS says it cannot proceed against drug driver following intervention from ‘Mr Loophole’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in Crown Prosecution Service, drug offences, evidence, forensic science, news by sally

‘The first case linked to allegations of a forensic science blunder has been dropped after the CPS said it cannot proceed against a drug driver.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk