Lawyers join forces with journalists and social workers to protest against government snooping

Posted January 20th, 2015 in consultations, intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, police, privacy by sally

‘The Law Society and Bar Council have joined forces with the British Association of Social Workers and National Union of Journalists to form the ‘Professionals for Information Privacy Coalition’, and express their concern over the controls in place on how the government snoops on professionals.’

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Legal Futures, 20th January 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

On-call solicitor plan adopted with ‘cavalier disregard for fairness’ – The Guardian

Posted January 20th, 2015 in criminal justice, law firms, legal representation, news, solicitors by sally

‘A theoretical business model adopted by the justice secretary to employ on-call solicitors was selected with “cavalier disregard” for fairness and real-world experience, the high court has heard.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Harley Street doctor suspended over Botox practices – BBC News

‘A leading Harley Street cosmetic doctor has been suspended for 12 months after being found to have acted “dishonestly” and encouraging nurses to obtain Botox illegally.’

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BBC News, 19th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Breck Bednar murder: PCC links lack of action on mother’s warning to cutbacks – The Guardian

Posted January 20th, 2015 in complaints, murder, news, police, recidivists, sexual grooming by sally

‘The mother of a schoolboy murdered by a teenager he met online has criticised a police and crime commissioner for suggesting that cutbacks were to blame for the police’s failure to act on her warnings about her son’s killer.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Justice under threat’ as defendants face court alone due to legal aid cuts – The Independent

Posted January 20th, 2015 in criminal justice, legal aid, legal representation, litigants in person, news by sally

‘The principle of fair justice is being undermined by the growing number of criminal defendants forced to represent themselves in court, magistrates from across the country warn in a survey to be released today [19 January].’

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The Independent, 19th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

7/7 widow Louise Gray jailed for stealing son’s compensation – BBC News

Posted January 20th, 2015 in compensation, families, news, sentencing, theft by sally

‘The widow of a victim of the 7/7 London bombings has been jailed for stealing £43,000 from her son’s compensation.’

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BBC News, 19th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Female genital mutilation: NHS doctor becomes first person to stand trial for involvement in the unpopular practice – The Independent

Posted January 20th, 2015 in doctors, female genital mutilation, news by sally

‘Female genital mutilation: NHS doctor becomes first person to stand trial for involvement in the unpopular practice.’

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The Independent, 19th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Attempt to ban performing artist’s abuse memoir ‘threatens free speech’ – The Guardian

Posted January 20th, 2015 in appeals, freedom of expression, injunctions, news, publishing, Supreme Court by sally

‘An attempt to prevent a performing artist from publishing his memoir on the grounds that its contents would be distressing for his son to read has opened up “a new, substantial and unpredictable threat to freedom of expression”, lawyers representing free speech campaigners have told the UK supreme court.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Grime Rap ‘Gangbo’ appeal fails in High Court – Diarmuid Laffan – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 19th, 2015 in appeals, bills, gangs, human rights, injunctions, interpretation, news, police by sally

‘Chief Constable of the Greater Manchester Police v Scott Calder [2015]. The Greater Manchester Police (‘GMP’) have been unsuccessful in an attempt to obtain an Injunction to Prevent Gang-Related Violence (“IPGV” or “Gangbo”) against Scott Calder. The application was based on police intelligence and the lyrics of Mr Calder’s YouTube Grime Rap videos. On 14 January 2015, Mr Justice Blake dismissed the GMP’s appeal to the High Court, and in doing so laid out guidance on the purpose and ambit of the IPGV legislation, which is currently being substantially amended by Parliament.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 19th January 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Male circumcision can be part of “reasonable parenting”, but no form of FGM is acceptable – Family Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 19th, 2015 in children, expert witnesses, family courts, female genital mutilation, news by sally

‘B and G (Children) (No.2) [2015] EWFC 3. Contemplating the details of different forms of female genital mutilation is not for the faint hearted. But that is what the courts and the relevant experts have to do, not only to protected alleged victims but to defend the interests of those suspected of perpetuating the procedure, whether it is a question of criminal liability under the FGM Act 2003, or determining that a threshold of harm has been passed so as to initiate care proceedings if the victim is a child.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th January 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

General damages are not reduced because of age: the law set out with clarity – Zenith PI Blog

Posted January 19th, 2015 in damages, elderly, medical treatment, negligence, news, personal injuries by sally

‘There are many reasons why personal injury litigators should read the decision of Judge Curran QC (sitting as a judge of the High Court) in Miller -v- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust [2014] EWHC 3772 (QB). One of the reasons is the detailed analysis of the argument that damages for pain and suffering should automatically be reduced because of a claimant’s age. As the judgment shows age can be an aggravating factor, not a matter that leads to a reduction in the award.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 17th January 2015

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Government set to hike general civil application fees – Litigation Futures

Posted January 19th, 2015 in budgets, civil justice, consultations, costs, courts, fees, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘The government has dropped plans for “enhanced” court fees specifically for commercial cases, but is now targeting increased fees for the hundreds of thousands of general civil applications made each year.’

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Litigation Futures, 19th January 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Court of Protection Update (January 2015) – Family Law Week

‘In this update Sally Bradley and Julia Townend, barristers of 4 Paper Buildings, focus on the applicable procedure for cases in which urgent and serious medical treatment is required.’

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Family Law Week, 16th January 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Operation Elveden: Journalists cleared in Sun trial – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2015 in conspiracy, corruption, media, misfeasance in public office, news, police by sally

‘Four journalists have been cleared of plotting to pay officials while working at the Sun newspaper.’

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BBC News, 16th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Connor Barrett party murder youths jailed for life – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2015 in murder, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘Two teenagers who murdered a man at a 21st birthday party they gatecrashed have been jailed.’

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BBC News, 16th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Theresa May’s new FGM reporting rules ‘will stop families seeking help’ – The Guardian

‘Plans by the home secretary, Theresa May, to force health professionals to report cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) to the police are unlikely to lower the extent of abuse and risk dissuading families from seeking medical help, according to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.’

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The Guardian, 17th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid cuts hit divided families as contact centres close down – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2015 in budgets, children, families, legal aid, news by sally

‘Child contact centres, where children meet their separated parents who cannot agree access rights, are disappearing as legal aid cuts take effect.The National Association for Child Contact Centres (NACCC) says 40 centres have closed in the last 18 months across England and Wales – and the pace of closures is accelerating. It says that, because it can no longer obtain legal aid, the number of parents accessing the family courts to resolve their problems has halved. As a result they are not receiving advice from solicitors who are likely to refer them to the centres.’

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The Guardian, 17th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pledge to end locking up mentally ill in police cells – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2015 in detention, hospitals, mental health, news, police, quality assurance, statistics by sally

‘Authorities in England have pledged to bring an end to the practice of detaining people with mental health problems in police cells. The NHS, councils and police are now set to come up with plans for how they will achieve this, the government said.’

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BBC News, 18th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Australian litigation funder plans more mass claims against big UK firms – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2015 in bills, class actions, consumer protection, foreign jurisdictions, news by sally

‘The Australian litigation funder coordinating shareholders’ legal action against Tesco is promising to launch more mass claims against large firms in the UK.’

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The Guardian, 18th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rape victims will be warned of defence lawyer tactics under new guidelines – Daily Telegraph

‘Director of Public Prosecutions launches controversial new guidelines intended to help victims and witnesses through giving evidence in court.’

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Daily Telegraph, 19th January 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk