Criminal records scheme incompatible with Convention rights – Supreme Court judgment – Panopticon

‘As readers of this blog will know, the application of the Government’s criminal records scheme has been subject to extensive litigation of late (see further not least my post on an appeal involving a teacher and my post on an appeal involving a taxi-driver). Perhaps most importantly, in the case of T & Anor v Secretary of State for the Home Department, questions have been raised about whether the scheme as a whole is compatible with Convention rights and, in particular, the Article 8 right to privacy. Last year, the Court of Appeal concluded that the scheme was incompatible. In a judgment given yesterday, the majority of the Supreme Court has agreed with that conclusion (Lord Wilson dissenting).’

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Panopticon, 19th June 2014

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

In re ZZ (Children) – WLR Daily

Posted June 19th, 2014 in appeals, care orders, children, family courts, law reports by sally

In re ZZ (Children) [2014] EWFC 9; [2014] WLR (D) 256

‘The court’s approach to a review fact-finding hearing applied whether the issue arose before the same judge or a different judge, whether in the same or different proceedings, and whether in relation to the same or different children; different approaches were not called for in different forensic contexts although the application of the general approach in any particular case would reflect the circumstances of that case.’

WLR Daily, 12th June 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Haile v Waltham Forest London Borough Council – WLR Daily

Posted June 19th, 2014 in appeals, homelessness, housing, law reports, local government by sally

Haile v Waltham Forest London Borough Council [2014] EWCA Civ 792; [2014] WLR (D) 257

‘The question of whether a person applying to a local authority for housing accommodation was intentionally homeless within the meaning of section 193 of the Housing Act 1996, with the result that the local authority was under no duty to provide such accommodation to her under that section, was to be determined by reference to whether the person’s homelessness was intentional on the date on which she became homeless and not on the date of the local authority’s decision.’

WLR Daily, 13th June 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Huzar v Jet2.com Ltd – WLR Daily

Posted June 19th, 2014 in aircraft, appeals, compensation, delay, EC law, law reports by sally

Huzar v Jet2.com Ltd [2014] EWCA Civ 791; [2014] WLR (D) 239

‘A technical problem in an aircraft which could properly be described as the result of usual wear and tear did not constitute “extraordinary circumstances” within the meaning of article 5(3) of Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 such as to exempt the carrier from the obligation to compensate passengers for delay, notwithstanding that the problem neither had been discovered nor was discoverable by a reasonable regime of maintenance and inspection.

WLR Daily, 11th June 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Charles Taylor, Liberian president who ‘ate the hearts of his enemies’, sues the UK government for denying him right to family life – The Independent

Posted June 19th, 2014 in appeals, crimes against humanity, human rights, news, United Nations by sally

‘An African warlord serving 50 years in prison for crimes against humanity is suing Britain for denying him the right to a family life.’

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The Independent, 19th June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Open justice and freedom of information – Browning in the Court of Appeal – Panopticon

‘The issue of just how open our justice system should be is an issue which is or should be of fundamental concern to all practising lawyers. If, as Jeremy Bentham once stated ‘publicity is the very soul of justice’ (cited by Lord Shaw in the leading case of Scott v Scott [1913] AC 477), then an open justice system is the corporeal expression of that soul. However, we now live in times where open justice is increasingly under threat. Indeed, as last week’s headlines reminded us all, matters have now got to a stage where some judges at least have been prepared to allow, not merely the deployment of a limited closed procedure to deal with certain aspects of a case, but a completely secret trial. It no doubt came as a relief to many that the Court of Appeal was not prepared to sanction such a comprehensive departure from the open justice principle: Guardian News v AB CD. However, the mere fact that the judiciary was prepared to contemplate such a procedure shows how far we have come since the days of Scott v Scott.’

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Panopticon, 18th June 2014

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Supreme Court rejects Kevin Nunn’s evidence release plea – BBC News

Posted June 18th, 2014 in appeals, disclosure, evidence, forensic science, murder, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘A man serving life in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend has lost his fight to have forensic exhibits retested.’

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BBC News, 18th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

R (Appellant) v Ahmad and another (Respndents); R (Respondent) v Fields and others (Appellants) – Supreme Court

R (Appellant) v Ahmad and another (Respndents); R (Respondent) v Fields and others (Appellants) [2014] UKSC 36 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 18th June 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

R (on the application of Nunn) (Appellant) v Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary and another (Respondents) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of Nunn) (Appellant) v Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary and another (Respondents) [2014] UKSC 37 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 18th June 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

R (on the application of T and another) (Respondents) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and another (Appellants) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of T and another) (Respondents) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and another (Appellants) [2014] UKSC 35 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 18th June 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Do Not Resuscitate notices: Patients’ rights under Article 8 – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Court of Appeal has declared that the failure of a hospital to consult a patient in their decision to insert a Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Notice in her notes was unlawful and in breach of her right to have her physical integrity and autonomy protected under Article 8.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 17th June 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Kevin Nunn: Judges to rule over fresh forensic tests eight years after murder conviction – The Independent

Posted June 18th, 2014 in appeals, disclosure, evidence, forensic science, murder, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘A salesman serving life in prison for murdering his former girlfriend will today find out the result of his Supreme Court fight to have key forensic exhibits retested.’

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The Independent, 18th June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Criminal records: Supreme Court to rule whether job applicants have to come clean over convictions – The Independent

‘The Supreme Court is today due to rule whether job applicants should be forced to disclose all convictions to certain potential employers.’

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The Independent, 18th June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hitmen who killed boy by mistake lose appeal against 40-year jail terms – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2014 in appeals, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘Two hitmen who stabbed an innocent schoolboy to death by mistake in a “callous and cruel” attack have lost appeals against their 40-year minimum jail terms.’

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The Guardian, 17th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The secret trial controversy – how open will this newly opened justice be? – Legal Week

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Legal Week, 16th June 2014

Source: www.legalweek.com

Legal duty over resuscitation orders – BBC News

Posted June 17th, 2014 in appeals, consultations, duty of care, hospital orders, hospitals, news by sally

‘Doctors have a legal duty to consult with and inform patients if they want to place a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order on medical notes, says the Court of Appeal in England.’

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BBC News, 17th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Secret trials – a little transparency, a lot to worry about – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Court of Appeal has published its decision in Guardian News Media v AB and CD. It is not a judgment, the Court says. Judgments – plural – will be given “in due course.” Still, the 24 paragraph decision contains the order and explanation of the order, and gives an indication of some of the reasons that will follow.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th June 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

What’s the Din?* – NearlyLegal

Posted June 16th, 2014 in appeals, homelessness, housing, interpretation, local government, news by sally

‘In Haile v Waltham Forest LBC [2014] EWCA Civ 792, the question for the Court of Appeal was the relevant date for determining whether an applicant is intentionally homeless. On the facts, this was a significant question: Ms Haile had left her room in a hostel on 25th October 2011 to go to stay with a friend. Only one person was entitled to occupy the room. She said that she left the room because of unpleasant smells in the hostel. At the time she left the room, she was pregnant and she gave birth to the beautifully named Delina on 15th February 2012. Now, clearly, as of Delina’s birth, the room would not have been reasonable for Ms Haile to continue to occupy because more than one person would be occupying it in breach of the tenancy agreement. However, the council found her intentionally homeless because they did not accept that, as of 25th October 2011, the smells into the room made it not reasonable to continue to occupy.’

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NearlyLegal, 16th June 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Former landlords and s.20B LTA 1985 – NearlyLegal

Posted June 16th, 2014 in appeals, landlord & tenant, leases, news, service charges, water companies by sally

‘In Ground Rents (Regisport) Ltd v Dowlen [2014] UKUT 144 (LC), the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) had to – once again – grapple with s.20B, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. The facts are quite straightforward. Imagine, if you will, that there is a modern development of three blocks of flats. It was developed by Countryside Properties (UK) Ltd, who were also the original landlords under all the long leases. Once the leases had been created, the freehold was transferred to the appellant.’

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NearlyLegal, 13th June 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Family court case spanning 13 years is ‘longest case’ in history, judge says – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 16th, 2014 in appeals, children, contact orders, family courts, news by sally

‘A family court case which has taken almost 13 years is believed by a judge to be the longest running in history.’

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Daily Telegraph, 13th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk