Finance Divorce Update – Family Law Week

“Anna Heenan, solicitor and David Salter, Joint Head of Family Law at Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the latest financial remedies and divorce news and cases.”

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Family Law Week, June 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.com

Discrimination against armed forces could become illegal – The Guardian

Posted July 2nd, 2012 in armed forces, bills, employment, news, redundancy by sally

“Discrimination against armed forces veterans could become against the law after the government agreed to cross-party talks aimed at giving new rights to protect former members of the military.”

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The Guardian, 2nd July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Libel reform campaigners demand better public interest defence – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2012 in bills, defamation, freedom of expression, news, public interest by sally

“Past defendants of libel claims, including Simon Singh and Ben Goldacre, say proposed changes would not have helped them.”

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The Guardian, 27th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government ‘misunderstood’ role of judge in secret courts bill – The Guardian

Posted June 27th, 2012 in bills, closed material, judiciary, news, private hearings by sally

“Key safeguards supposedly built into proposals for extending secret hearings in civil courts have either been ‘misunderstood or misrepresented’ by the government, a parliamentary committee has been warned.”

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The Guardian, 26th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Talking About Reform – Speech by Mr Justice Ryder

Posted June 26th, 2012 in bills, civil justice, courts, evidence, family courts, judiciary, speeches by sally

Talking About Reform (PDF)

Speech by Mr Justice Ryder

Public Child Care Law Conference, 26th June 2012

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Former prisons inspector condemns probation service reform plans – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2012 in bills, competition, consultations, news, probation by sally

“Lord Ramsbotham, a former prisons inspector, has condemned government plans to overhaul the probation service and promised to lead a rebellion of peers and politicians unless they are rewritten.”

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The Guardian, 24th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Communications Data Bill published – Home Office

“Vital powers to help catch criminals, save lives and protect children were today outlined in the Communications Data Bill.”

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Home Office, 14th June 2012

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Secret courts bill under attack as House of Lords prepares for second reading – The Guardian

“Plans for secret hearings in civil courts being put before parliament on Tuesday ‘offend the principle of open justice’, a prominent Conservative MP has warned the government.”

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The Guardian, 18th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Online privacy: Home Office to write blank cheque for ‘snoopers’ charter’ – The Guardian

“The government is to offer a blank cheque to internet and phone firms that will be required to track everyone’s email, Twitter, Facebook and other internet use under legislation to be published on Thursday.”

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The Guardian, 13th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government proposes extended settlement agreements which will be inadmissible in tribunals – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 13th, 2012 in bills, compensation, dismissal, employment tribunals, news by sally

“The extended use of settlement agreements, which will make it easier for employers to remove underperforming workers in exchange for a pay-off, has been proposed Business Secretary Vince Cable.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th June 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Internet trolls targeted in new bill to tackle defamation online – The Guardian

Posted June 12th, 2012 in bills, defamation, harassment, internet, news by sally

“Major reforms of the libel laws will see a duty placed on internet service providers to try to identify internet trolls without victims needing to resort to costly legal action.”

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The Guardian, 12th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

No-fuss sacking payouts included in employment law overhaul – The Guardian

Posted June 11th, 2012 in bills, compensation, dismissal, employment, news by sally

“Rules making it easier for companies to sack their workers by offering them immediate payouts if they agree to leave without any fuss will be unveiled this week as part of the government’s controversial overhaul of employment law.”

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The Guardian, 10th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criticisms remain as dust settles on secret trials bill – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 6th, 2012 in bills, closed material, human rights, news, private hearings by sally

“In stark contrast to the pageantry surrounding the Royal Jubilee, here is a somewhat sombre update on the Justice and Security Bill, which was published on 28 May 2012 and is currently receiving its second reading in the House of Lords. The Bill aims to introduce Close Material Procedures, that is secret hearings, into civil trials.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 5th June 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Justice and Security Bill: The Government is not for turning – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 30th, 2012 in bills, closed material, inquests, judiciary, news, private hearings by tracey

“Publishing the Justice and Security Bill this morning, the Secretary of State for Justice said ‘I  have used the last few months to listen to the concerns of … civil liberties campaigners with whom I usually agree.’ There are many people who today would sorely like to agree that Ken has listened and has taken their concerns on board. Unfortunately, the Government’s analysis remains fundamentally flawed. The Green Paper was clearly a ‘big ask’. There have undoubtedly been significant changes made from the proposals in the Green Paper. However, the secret justice proposals in the Justice and Security Bill remain fundamentally unfair, unnecessary and unjustified.”

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Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Secret courts bill U-turn fails to silence critics – The Guardian

Posted May 30th, 2012 in bills, closed material, intelligence services, news, private hearings by tracey

“Civil rights groups have condemned the justice and security bill, despite a series of government concessions over secret courts.”

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The Guardian, 29th May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New law ‘to halt scrap metal trade’ after church and memorial thefts

Posted May 28th, 2012 in bills, monuments, news, penalties, theft by sally

“A new law to stop the trade in scrap metal stolen from churches, war memorials and railways is likely to be introduced by the Coalition.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Fine dodgers to be charged for enforcement action – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 28th, 2012 in bills, courts, enforcement, fines, news by sally

“Offenders who fail to pay court fines will have to foot the bill for officials to chase them down under plans to be unveiled today.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Enterprise Bill proposes radically reduced compensation awards and binding shareholder votes on pay – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 25th, 2012 in bills, compensation, employment, news, unfair dismissal by tracey

“A draft Bill designed to reform certain aspects of employment law and encourage ‘strong, sustainable’ economic growth contains a provision which would allow the Government to radically reduce compensation awards for unfair dismissal.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th May 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Jackson – The New Bills – Thirty Nine Essex Street

Posted May 21st, 2012 in bills, budgets, costs, legal aid, news by sally

“The Final Report of the Jackson Review made a number of recommendations which he wanted to be considered, and introduced, as a package. Today I shall be looking at some of the recommendations which have received the least publicity and which do not feature in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (‘LASPO’), but will be of great interest to Costs Lawyers.”

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Thirty Nine Essex Street, May 2012

Source: www.39essex.com

A secret justice climb down? Perhaps not – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 21st, 2012 in bills, closed material, judiciary, news, private hearings, public interest by sally

“It appears that the Government has climbed down, in part, from some of its controversial secret justice proposals. According to the Telegraph, the Justice and Security Bill, which will be published this week, will include a provision whereby judges, not the Government, has the final say on whether a Closed Material Procedure (CMP) is used. Moreover, CMPs will be restricted to ‘national security cases’ rather than any case ‘in the public interest’.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 21st May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com