Latvian landlady jailed after claiming £33,000 benefits while owning six properties worth £1.1m – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in benefits, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

“A benefits cheat has been jailed after claiming more than £33,000 in state handouts despite owning a £1.1 million property portfolio.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd February 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Mental Capacity Act Code needs revising to enable more effective best interests decisions, says Mental Health Foundation – Family Law Week

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in codes of practice, mental health, news, social services by sally

“The Mental Health Foundation, in partnership with the Norah Fry Research Centre at the University of Bristol and the Centre for Applied Social Research at the University of Bradford, have published a report calling for the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) Code of Practice to be revised to enable health and social care staff to make more effective best interests decisions.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

New reforms to help reduce reoffending – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in criminal records, news, recidivists, rehabilitation, sentencing by sally

“New plans to support the rehabilitation of offenders and the reduction of reoffending were outlined today by Justice Minister Lord McNally.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 3rd February 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Douglas Binet jailed for murdering and dismembering man – BBC News

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A drug dealer has been jailed for life for murdering a father whose severed arms were found in a lake in Essex.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Why this case matters: R (KM) v Cambridgeshire County Council – The Guardian

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in budgets, community care, disabled persons, local government, news by sally

“The supreme court is about to hear another case that cuts to the heart of human dignity in care services.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid bill: government considers further concessions – The Guardian

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in bills, legal aid, news by sally

“Further concessions may be made by the government on controversial areas of the legal aid bill, the minister steering the legislation through parliament signalled on Thursday.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The legislation gap: does slow and steady really win the race? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in bills, news, parliament, statutory interpretation by sally

“An analysis by the Times (‘Legislation gap makes light work for MPs’, 27 January) has revealed that MPs have spent a mere 24% of their time in the last four months considering government legislation. During the same period in the previous year, the figure was 62%.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk/

Kenneth Clarke to ‘wipe slate clean’ for hundreds of thousands of ex-offenders – The Guardian

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in criminal records, employment, news, rehabilitation by sally

“The justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, is to ‘wipe the slate clean’ for hundreds of thousands of offenders by dramatically shortening the period during which they are obliged to tell potential employers about their criminal past.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Custody deaths review announced after BBC investigation – BBC News

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in death in custody, news, police by sally

“A watchdog has announced a review of the way it deals with deaths in police custody following a BBC investigation.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Divorced fathers to get more contact with their children – The Guardian

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in children, contact orders, divorce, news by sally

“Fathers will get improved contact with their children following divorce, amid plans to rewrite the law governing custody disputes.”

Full story

The Guardian,3rd February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Justice Secretary warning on longer jail terms – The Independent

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

“Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke risked the ire of some of his own party’s backbenchers today by claiming that sending more people to prison for longer sentences in order to cut re-offending ‘does not work’.”

Full story

The Independent, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Law centres warn on legal aid cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“Law centres will close, leaving ‘many thousands’ of the poor and marginalised without access to justice if the government’s legal aid cuts are implemented, peers have warned.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

The solar panel challenge – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in consultations, energy, judicial review, news by sally

“The government’s attempt to move forward the date for a reduction in subsidies for households with solar panel installations is concerning, both in legal terms and for the future of renewable energy. The Court of Appeal’s judgment on 25 January 2012 reassuringly blocked the government’s endeavours, but with the intention of the government to appeal to the Supreme Court, the legal battle continues.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Teenager jailed for breaching new gang injunction – BBC News

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in gangs, injunctions, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A teenager from north London has become the first in England or Wales to be jailed for breaching a new gang injunction.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law Society outlines initiatives to reinforce access to justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in legal aid, news, pro bono work by sally

“The Law Society vice-president has outlined initiatives to bolster access to justice following the government’s proposed legal aid reforms – but stressed that Chancery Lane has not given up its opposition to the cuts.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bury equal pay case: Council settles with dinner ladies – BBC News

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in equal pay, local government, news by sally

“Nearly 1,000 female workers, including dinner ladies, cleaners and carers, are to receive five years’ back pay after an equality dispute with Bury Council.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coalition overturns Lords amendments on welfare and bans further dissent – The Guardian

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in bills, news, parliament by sally

“Government uses rare parliamentary procedure to annul seven adjustments to reform and prevent further challenges from peers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Deech: barristers and solicitors should share training – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in barristers, legal education, news, solicitors by sally

“Barristers and solicitors should share most of their training, the chair of the Bar Standards Board has proposed.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Thousands wrongly labelled as criminals – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in criminal records, news, vetting by sally

“At least 20,000 people have been wrongly labelled as criminals or accused of more serious offences because of blunders by the police and the Criminal Records Bureau.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Civil litigation cost reforms to be delayed until 2013, Government confirms – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 2nd, 2012 in bills, civil justice, fees, news by sally

“Proposed changes to ‘no win, no fee’ agreements will not be introduced until April 2013 at the earliest, the Government has said. The changes will prevent losing parties having to pay certain elements of an injured party’s successful damages claim.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 1st February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com