Postman walks free after stealing 11,000 items of post over 22 years – Daily Telegraph

‘A postman who has stolen over 11,000 items of post since 1993 says he is “so sorry” for what he did.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th November 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Guidance on appealing Upper Tribunal costs decisions to the Court of Appeal – Free Movement

Posted November 10th, 2015 in appeals, costs, judicial review, law firms, news, tribunals by sally

‘President McCloskey gives guidance on appealing Upper Tribunal costs decisions to the Court of Appeal in the case of R (on the application of Soreefan and Others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (judicial review – costs – Court of Appeal) [2015] UKUT 594 (IAC).’

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Free Movement, 10th November 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Judge gives ‘opportunistic’ litigants costs warning – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 10th, 2015 in costs, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has threatened both parties with losing all their costs after accusing them of attempting to seek an ‘opportunistic advantage’.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 4th November 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Leading judge tells expert witnesses to find ‘common ground’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 10th, 2015 in costs, expert witnesses, judges, news by sally

‘A senior member of the judiciary wants to see expert witnesses create easy-to-understand guides highlighting common ground in disputes.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th November 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Over egging it – Nearly Legal

‘This was a Court of Appeal hearing on an appeal on costs. The original case was the landlord’s claim for rent arrears of some £6,000 and interest. The landlord also claimed for physical damage to the property by the tenant amounting to some £20,000 and consequential loss of rent. The tenant agreed some £6,000 in rent arrears, but denied the property damage. The tenant counterclaimed for failure to repair the property and breach of quiet enjoyment. The tenant also challenged the landlord’s identity as landlord and the interest rate claimed.’

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Nearly Legal, 9th November 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Ex-prison officer jailed for selling George Michael stories to the Sun – The Guardian

‘A former prison officer has been jailed for 12 months for selling stories about George Michael’s time behind bars to the Sun.’

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The Guardian, 3rd November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Where now for the rule of law? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 30th, 2015 in costs, disclosure, judicial review, news, rule of law by sally

‘The reforms to judicial review proceedings in Part 4 of the Criminal Justice & Courts Act 2015 have been closely analysed in a timely report by JUSTICE, the Public Law Project and the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th October 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

IPs hit back at Jackson: ending LASPO exemption would create ‘windfall’ for third-party funders – Litigation Futures

Posted October 30th, 2015 in company directors, costs, fees, insolvency, insurance, news, third parties by sally

‘Abolishing the exemption from LASPO for insolvency cases would create a “windfall” for third-party funders, insolvency trade body R3 has argued.’

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Litigation Futures, 29th October 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Professional Negligence: Let the Client Decide what matters – 36 Bedford Row Property Blog

‘The High Court has given a reminder of the important qualification to the general principle that a lawyer, or licensed conveyancer, is not obliged to undertake investigations that are not expressly or impliedly requested by the client. The principle is subject to the qualification that: if in fact a solicitor acquires information that may be of importance to a client; then it is the duty of the solicitor to bring that information to the attention of the client. It is the client who decides whether the information is important; the lawyer should not presume to make that decision. Failing to consider information, to advise the client or even pass on such information to the client can be costly. It is safer to communicate too much rather than too little.’

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36 Bedford Row Property Blog, 27th October 2015

Source: www.36property.co.uk

Criminal courts charge denied compensation to rape victim, MPs told – The Independent

‘A rape victim did not get compensation from her attacker because of the Government’s controversial new court charge, MPs have been told.’

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The Independent, 27th October 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Statements made in open offer do not constitute admissions, High Court rules – Litigation Futures

Posted October 27th, 2015 in budgets, civil procedure rules, costs, disclosure, news by sally

‘A party cannot use part of an open offer made during litigation as an admission by their opponent, the High Court has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 27th October 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Council to consider costs pursuit after judgment issued in libraries dispute – Local Government Lawyer

‘Lincolnshire County Council has said it will consult its lawyers about the recovery of its costs after a High Court judge set out why in July she rejected a legal challenge to the authority’s plans for its libraries services.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Lawyer’s crowdsourcing site aims to help people have their day in court – The Guardian

‘With warnings coming thick and fast about the stark ramifications of the government’s sweeping cuts to legal aid, it was probably inevitable that someone would come up with a new way to plug some gaps in access to justice. Enter the legal crowdfunder, CrowdJustice, an online platform where people who might not otherwise get their case heard can raise cash to pay for legal representation and court costs.’

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The Guardian, 21st October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New find a barrister website could help public save money – The Bar Council

Posted October 21st, 2015 in barristers, costs, internet, news, solicitors by sally

‘Consumers, the public and businesses can now save money by going directly to a barrister instead of having to go through a solicitor when they need a lawyer, thanks to a new website.’

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The Bar Council, 20th October 2015

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Jackson urges government to end insolvency litigation exemption from his reforms –

‘Lord Justice Jackson has called for the recently extended exemption for insolvency cases from the impact of his reforms to come to an end, describing recoverability as “an instrument of oppression, which is liable to crush defendants who have a good defence”.’

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Litigation Futures, 20th October 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Jackson: drop ‘oppressive’ exemption to my rules – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 21st, 2015 in bankruptcy, civil justice, civil procedure rules, costs, insolvency, news by sally

‘Lord Justice Jackson has urged the government to ditch one of the final exemptions to his civil justice reforms.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 19th October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

£150m legal bill for troops just doing their duty – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 20th, 2015 in armed forces, bills, costs, human rights, judicial review, law firms, news, time limits, treaties, war by sally

‘Ministers draw up plans to pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights next time the Armed Forces are sent into combat.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th October 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Former Serbian general awarded £50,000 over Wakefield prison attack – The Guardian

‘A former Serbian general convicted of genocide for his part in the Srebrenica massacre has been awarded more than £50,000 in compensation from the Ministry of Justice after his throat was cut in a British prison.’

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the Guardian, 16th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Thresholds for strike-out – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 19th, 2015 in abuse of process, civil procedure rules, costs, fraud, law firms, news, striking out by sally

‘The Court of Appeal in Alpha Rocks Solicitors v Benjamin Oluwadare Alade [2015] EWCA Civ 685 dealt with the issue of when it was appropriate to strike out a claim on the grounds that the claimant has abused the process of the court.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 19th October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Criminal Courts Charge and the magistrates’ revolt – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Any person over the age of 18 who is convicted of a criminal offence after 15 April 2015 will find that they have to pay “relevant court costs” (or criminal courts charge) in addition to a number of other payments.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 14th October 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk