MPs approve probate and conveyancing rights for legal executives – Legal Futures

‘The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) has won the approval of the House of Commons to grant its members rights to conduct reserved probate and conveyancing work.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 10th September 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court: Commercial Agents Regulations could not override contractual choice of law – OUT-LAW.com

‘Mandatory rules governing the relationship between commercial agents and their principals in respect of the agent’s UK activities cannot override a valid jurisdiction and choice of law clause, the High Court has ruled.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th September 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Juvenile Offenders: A Different Approach Needed? – Part III – No. 5 Chambers

Posted September 10th, 2014 in children, criminal justice, internet, news, prisons, sentencing, young offenders, young persons by sally

‘In this series written for Criminal Law & Justice Weekly, Navpreet Virk and No5 member Richard Gibbs present the opposing arguments surrounding the manner in which the youth courts treat juveniles convicted of criminal offences and examine the countervailing arguments and policies. In the third of this four–part series, Richard Gibbs writes that the criminal justice system is predicated on finding the fairest way of dealing with juveniles.’

Full story

No. 5 Chambers, 3rd September 2014

Source: www.no5.com

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted September 10th, 2014 in news by sally

Supreme Court

Robertson v Swift [2014] UKSC 50 (09 September 2014)

Family Court Decisions (other Judges)

Chd1 & Chd1 (Children : care orders) [2014] EWFC B113 (09 September 2014)

Source: www.bailii.org

Child witness court video evidence expansion planned – BBC News

Posted September 10th, 2014 in children, Crown Court, evidence, news, sexual offences, trials, victims, video recordings, witnesses by sally

‘Changes to allow children and abuse victims in England and Wales to film their evidence before a trial begins should be brought in “as fast as possible”, a justice minister has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Monstrous child sexual predator’ John Laister jailed – BBC News

‘An ex-Sunday school teacher who raped and sexually abused young girls under his care has been jailed for 14 years.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Deceased’s Sudden Death During Stillborn Birth: Clinical Quantification? – Zenith PI Blog

Posted September 10th, 2014 in bereavement, birth, compensation, damages, medical treatment, midwives, negligence, news by sally

‘In a case reported on Lawtel yesterday, the Claimant mother and sister received £160,000 in an out of court settlement following the sudden death of the deceased (‘X’) during the delivery of her stillborn baby in December 2010. The Claimants suffered a traumatic bereavement resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder. The settlement included a dependency claim for the deceased’s son.’

Full story

Zenith PI Blog, 9th September 2014

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Guilty, the man who conned his brother out of £1.5m inheritance – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 10th, 2014 in families, forgery, fraud, insurance, news, probate, trusts by sally

‘Peter Howes forged the signature of his brother and mother, cashed in life insurance policies and siphoned off the proceeds of the sale of the £1m family home.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gloria Foster inquest: ‘Neglect contributed to death’ – BBC News

Posted September 10th, 2014 in care workers, elderly, hospitals, inquests, medical treatment, medicines, news by sally

‘Neglect contributed to the death of an elderly woman found dying at home nine days after her care agency was shut in a police raid, a coroner has concluded.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman wins permission to look at late father’s adoption files – The Guardian

Posted September 10th, 2014 in adoption, birth certificates, disclosure, documents, family courts, grandparents, news by sally

‘A woman has been granted permission to look at court files relating to her father’s adoption to discover the identity of her grandmother, in a ground-breaking judgment that sets a precedent for revealing secret family histories.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Ignorant’ crane boss David Saunders fined over death – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2014 in accidents, fines, health & safety, news by sally

‘A company has been fined £150,000 after a worker was killed when a crane wheel he was dismantling “exploded like a bomb”.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ministers to review enforcement of TV licence payment – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2014 in BBC, bills, crime, enforcement, licensing, media, news by sally

‘Ministers are to review how payment of the TV licence fee is enforced amid concerns about the number of people appearing in court for evasion.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“New normal” – what it means for the Bar – The Future of Law

Posted September 9th, 2014 in barristers, legal services, news by sally

We’ve read about it to the point of exasperation. The “new normal” for the legal services market. Basically, a shift in buying behaviours in a changing market environment, brought about by a compelling combination of external factors over a period of time, with increased competition from new market entrants thrown into the mix.

Full story

The Future of Law, 9th September 2014

Source: www.blogs.lexisnexis.co.uk

Case dropped against parents of boy who missed school – BBC News

‘Legal action has been dropped against parents who took their child out of school without permission, as the family has moved to the US.’

Full story

BBC News, 8th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Christian man jailed for attacking gay flatmate with claw hammer as he slept – The Independent

Posted September 9th, 2014 in attempted murder, attempts, homosexuality, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A Catholic man who attacked his openly gay flatmate by striking him on the head with a claw hammer as he slept has been found guilty of attempted murder.’

Full story

The Independent, 9th September 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Iraq inquiry will tell ‘whole story’ insists Heywood – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2014 in delay, documents, inquiries, Iraq, news, publishing, reports by sally

‘The Iraq Inquiry report will “not be a cover-up in any shape or form”, the UK’s top civil servant has insisted.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The different burdens of proof in “highway tripping” and “shop slipping” cases – Zenith PI Blog

Posted September 9th, 2014 in accidents, burden of proof, news, personal injuries by sally

‘There is an important difference in the burden of proof between tripping accidents on highway and slipping accidents in shops.’

Full story

Zenith PI Blog,

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Match.com conmen: two men found guilty of dating website scam – The Guardian

Posted September 9th, 2014 in conspiracy, fraud, internet, money laundering, news by sally

‘Two men have been found guilty of money laundering over a dating website scam that targeted single women looking for love online.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th September 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge condemns Crown Prosecution Service for pursuing sex case – Daily Telegraph

‘Judge Anthony Morris QC had urged prosecutors to pull the sex assault case before the trial had even begun because of lack of evidence.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Future of Legal Services Regulation – Legal Services Board

Posted September 8th, 2014 in legal services, Legal Services Board, news by sally

The Future of Legal Services Regulation (PDF)

Speech by Sir Michael Pitt, Chairman, Legal Services Board

Westminster Legal Policy Forum, 4th September 2014

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk