‘Respected’ doctor caught selling drugs using dark web under Star Wars pseudonym – The Independent

Posted December 19th, 2023 in drug offences, extradition, guilty pleas, internet, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A doctor who bought illegal drugs to sell to customers on the dark web using the Star Wars pseudonym “Imperial Storm Trooper” has been jailed for five years.’

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The Independent, 17th December 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Boy kept in solitary confinement wins £31,500 payout – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2023 in compensation, detention, human rights, mental health, news, young offenders by tracey

‘The UK government has agreed to pay £31,500 compensation after accepting that a 15-year-old boy with serious mental health problems was subjected to “inhuman or degrading treatment” by being kept in solitary confinement for almost two months.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Teachers in England won’t have to inform parents if pupils ask about gender – The Independent

Posted December 19th, 2023 in equality, news, notification, school children, teachers, transgender persons by tracey

‘Teachers in England will not be made to inform parents if pupils come to them with questions about gender identity under new government guidance due to be published this week.’

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The Independent, 18th December 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ministry of Justice plan to destroy historical wills is ‘insane’, say experts – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2023 in archives, consultations, Ministry of Justice, news, wills by tracey

‘“Sheer vandalism” and “insane”. This is how leading historians on Monday described government plans to destroy millions of historical wills to save on storage costs. The Ministry of Justice is consulting on digitising and then throwing away about 100m paper originals of the last wills and testaments of British people dating back more than 150 years in an effort to save £4.5m a year.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Betsi Cadwaladr fined £200k for mental health failings – BBC News

Posted December 19th, 2023 in fines, health & safety, hospitals, mental health, news, suicide by tracey

‘A health board has been fined £200,000 after a woman killed herself on one of its mental health wards.’

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BBC News, 18th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Public Law Newsletter: Nov 23 – Spire Barristers

Posted December 18th, 2023 in chambers articles, Court of Protection, news by sally

‘Public Law Newsletter November 2023; covering news from around the web, practice updates and case updates within Court of Protection and Public Law matters.’

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Spire Barristers, 28th November 2023

Source: www.spirebarristers.co.uk

Hippersley – an important point – Tanfield Chambers

‘Robert Bowker and Pauline Lam (Russell Cooke) examine the Upper Tribunal’s decision in Adriatic Land 5 Limited v The Long Leaseholders at Hippersley Point [2023] UKUT 271 (LC).’

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Tanfield Chambers, 16th November 2023

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Civil Justice Council working group consult on procedure for determining mental capacity in civil proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Civil Justice Council (CJC) working group has launched a consultation on the procedure for determining mental capacity in civil proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th December 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court: Mirror’s legal department knew about hacking for years – Legal Futures

Posted December 18th, 2023 in interception, media, news, privacy, royal family, telecommunications by sally

‘The legal department at Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) was aware of phone hacking far earlier than it admitted, the High Court found last week in the claim brought by Prince Harry.’

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Legal Futures, 18th December 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Legal action planned over UK’s ‘cruel’ income threshold visa rules – The Guardian

‘Multinational families threatened with division or exile by tough new income thresholds for living together in the UK are planning legal action to overturn the “cruel and inhumane” policy.’

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The Guardian, 17th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Blackpool nurse and colleague jailed over drugging patients – BBC News

‘An “evil” nurse who drugged patients on a stroke unit for an “easy shift” and a healthcare worker who conspired with her have been jailed.’

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BBC News, 15th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

How UK law on adjudication looks heading into 2024 – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 15th, 2023 in appeals, construction industry, contracts, dispute resolution, news by tracey

‘Construction companies that encounter disputes in 2024 can learn lessons from case law established in 2023 concerning the operation of so-called serial adjudications and when an adjudicator’s decision might breach principles of natural justice.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 14th December 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Lord Briggs, Keynote speech – IBA Asset Recovery Conference – Supreme Court

Posted December 15th, 2023 in assets recovery, judges, news, speeches by tracey

‘Keynote speech by the Right Hon Lord Briggs of Westbourne, 8 December 2023.’

Full speech

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Supreme Court, 14th December 2023

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Harry wins 15 claims in phone-hacking case against Mirror publisher – BBC News

Posted December 15th, 2023 in compensation, damages, interception, media, news, privacy, royal family, telecommunications by tracey

‘Prince Harry has won 15 claims in his case accusing Mirror Group Newspapers of unlawfully gathering information for stories published about him.’

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BBC News, 15th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Strikes: what will minimum service levels look like in the education sector? – Local Goverment Lawyer

‘The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 came into force on 20 July 2023 and gives the government powers to make regulations to set minimum service levels in specified sectors during strikes. This includes education. Joanne Moseley looks at the implications for the sector.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th December 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Equality Act to get EU upgrade – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 triggered concerns about the future of domestic employment law, which originated in the EU. New draft regulations, The Equality Act 2010 (Amendment) Regulations 2023 which are planned to come into force on 1 January 2024 provide welcomed clarity on the issue in respect of the Equality Act 2010, writes David Leach.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th December 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government offers hope of full PACCAR solution in the future – Legal Futures

‘The government has acknowledged concerns that its legislative proposal to address the Supreme Court’s PACCAR ruling does not go far enough – but further change is not imminent.’

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Legal Futures, 15th December 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Deferring point of call for barristers “could improve social mobility” – Legal Futures

Posted December 15th, 2023 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, pupillage by tracey

‘Delaying the point at which barristers are called to the Bar until after obtaining pupillage could improve social mobility if it cuts the number of overseas students and “less able domestic students” in the system, the chair of the Bar Council has said.’

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Legal Futures, 15th December 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New strategy to tackle organised crime – Home Office

‘A new strategy aimed at tackling the growing threat of serious and organised crime has been announced by the Home Secretary as the government steps up action to clamp down on criminal gangs operating in and against the UK.’

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Home Office, 13th December 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Judicial Guidance – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted December 15th, 2023 in artificial intelligence, codes of practice, consultations, judges, judiciary, news by tracey

‘The use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) throughout society continues to increase, and so does its relevance to the court and tribunal system. All judicial office holders must be alive to the potential risks. Of particular importance, as the guidance document emphasises, is the need to be aware that the public versions of these tools are open in nature and therefore that no private or confidential information should be entered into them.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 12th December 2023

Source: www.judiciary.uk