Alison Young: R (Evans) v Attorney General [2015] UKSC 21 – the Anisminic of the 21st Century? – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘On Thursday 26th March the Supreme Court concluded, to the delight of The Guardian and the dismay of the Prime Minister, that communications between Prince Charles and government Ministers – the so-called ‘black spider memos’ – should be released. This has been a long saga, involving issues of freedom of information, discussion of constitutional conventions surrounding the behaviour of a Monarch in training, which now also includes the principle of legality and the nature of the relationship between parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law. Such a cornucopia of delights for constitutional lawyers guarantees that the case has earned its place in the ‘Constitutional law Case list Hall of Fame’, with the promise of further delight as the memos, once released and savoured, cast an insight into the relationship between the Crown and the Government.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 31st March 2015

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

The Tale of the Black Spider: The Supreme Court speaks – UK Human Rights Blog

‘And so, the long legal saga of the Black Spider Letters finally comes to a close.

I last blogged about this case back in October 2012. At that time, the Attorney General had ignited controversy by invoking a little-known power under section 53 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 27th March 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Supreme court clears way for release of secret Prince Charles letters – The Guardian

Posted March 26th, 2015 in appeals, attorney general, disclosure, documents, news, royal family, Supreme Court, veto by sally

‘The UK supreme court has cleared the way for the publication of secret letters written by Prince Charles to British government ministers, declaring that an attempt by the state to keep them concealed was unlawful.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Attorney General defends government’s record on rule of law, including JR reform – Litigation Futures

Posted February 26th, 2015 in attorney general, judicial review, news, rule of law, speeches by sally

The government has “stood up for the rule of law” and should be proud of its record, the Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC, has argued, in a strongly-worded speech on the last day of the Global Law Summit.

Full story

Litigation Futures, 26th February 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Attorney general unable to review teacher-pupil sex sentence – The Guardian

‘A judge who gave a teacher a suspended sentence after suggesting he had been “groomed” by a pupil he was convicted of having sex with is to face an official investigation. Stuart Kerner, 44, was found guilty last month of two counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. But on Wednesday, he was given a suspended 18-month sentence by Joanna Greenberg QC, who said it was clear that his 16-year-old victim was obsessed with him.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sex teacher Stuart Kerner’s ‘unduly lenient’ sentence may be reviewed – BBC News

‘The Attorney General is to consider whether a suspended sentence handed to a religious studies teacher who had a sex with a pupil should be reviewed.’

Full story

BBC News, 14th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ched Evans: Attorney general’s office probe into website – BBC News

Posted January 7th, 2015 in attorney general, contempt of court, employment, internet, news, rape, sentencing, sport, victims by tracey

‘The attorney general’s office is considering whether a website supporting convicted rapist Ched Evans breached contempt of court laws.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: codes of practice consultation – Attorney General’s Office

‘A consultation on a revised code of practice that governs the use of investigatory powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.’

Full press release

Attorney General’s Office, 12th December 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Dominic Grieve QC MP – Why It Matters that Conservatives Should Support the European Convention on Human Rights – UCL Constitution Unit

Posted December 11th, 2014 in attorney general, constitutional reform, human rights, news, speeches, treaties by sally

‘A British withdrawal from the European Convention of Human Rights would be “devastating for Britain and human rights throughout Europe, says Dominic Grieve, sacked as Attorney General by David Cameron in July.’

Video

UCL Constitution Unit, 10th December 2014

Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit

Attorney general’s rejection of ruling on Charles letters was unlawful, court told – The Guardian

Posted November 25th, 2014 in attorney general, disclosure, documents, news, royal family, Supreme Court, trials, veto by sally

‘The government’s most senior legal adviser acted unlawfully when he overrode a court and blocked the publication of secret letters written by Prince Charles, the supreme court has been told.’

Full story

The Guardian, 25th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

White collar crime reform considered – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The attorney general has revealed that the government is considering changing the evidential basis for prosecuting white collar crime.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 20th October 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Dave Lee Travis indecent assault sentence to be reviewed – The Guardian

‘The attorney general’s office is to review the three-month suspended sentence given to the former BBC Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis for indecent assault.’

Full story

The Guardian, 29th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

No appeal over Rolf Harris sex offences sentence – BBC News

‘Rolf Harris’s sex offences sentence will not be referred to the Court of Appeal, despite 150 complaints over its “leniency”, the attorney general’s office has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 30th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ann Sherlock: Supreme Court ruling on Welsh legislation – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘On 9 July 2014, the Supreme Court delivered its unanimous ruling that the Agricultural Sector (Wales) Bill was within the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 30th July 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Lady Butler-Sloss stands down from child-abuse inquiry – The Guardian

‘Lady Butler-Sloss, the retired high court judge, has resigned as chair of the panel that is due to examine the extent to which public institutions failed to investigate allegations of child abuse.

Full story

The Guardian, 14th July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rolf Harris jail sentence to be reviewed by attorney general – The Guardian

‘Rolf Harris’s prison sentence has been referred to the attorney general for being unduly lenient, it has emerged.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th July 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Attorney General’s concern over ‘unworkable’ cases – Daily Telegraph

‘Attorney General Dominic Grieve to review Crown Prosecution Service’s procedure following Nigel Evans’ failed prosecution.;

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Attorney general resists call to protect witnesses from court cross-examination – The Guardian

Posted April 8th, 2014 in attorney general, children, cross-examination, judiciary, news, trials, witnesses by sally

‘Dominic Grieve QC, the attorney general, has resisted calls for young and vulnerable witnesses to be cross-examined by a judge rather than several barristers to avoid aggressive courtroom questioning .’

Full story

The Guardian, 7th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prince Charles, the Guardian and the Unreasonable Veto – Panopticon

‘As promised last week, this post contains a slightly fuller account of the Court of Appeal’s judgment in R (Evans) v HM Attorney General [2014] EWCA Civ 254. The history of the case is manifold and has been covered on this blog innumerable times (see: here, here and here). In essence, the Upper Tribunal held in a very lengthy judgment that some of the correspondence written by Prince Charles to various governmental departments ought to be disclosed in the public interest. The Attorney General then issued his statement of reasons under section 53 FOIA, which has the effect of vetoing the judicial decision. On any view, the veto is a highly unusual provision. The Divisional Court dismissed the judicial review of that veto. Mr Evans, a Guardian journalist, appealed.’

Full story

Panopticon, 18th March 2014

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Regina (Evans) v Attorney General – WLR Daily

Regina (Evans) v Attorney General; [2014] EWCA Civ 254;  [2014] WLR (D)  124

‘The issue of a certificate by the Attorney General, an accountable person under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, of a certificate under section 53(2) of the Act so as to override and render ineffective a decision of an independent and impartial tribunal required more than that he merely disagreed with the tribunal’s determination. Examples of what would suffice were that there had been a material change of circumstances since the tribunal’s decision or that it was clearly flawed in fact or in law.’

WLR Daily, 12th March 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk