Unreliable Evidence – BBC Radio 4

Posted January 8th, 2013 in criminal justice, criminal procedure, delay, evidence, news by sally

“Clive Anderson and top lawyers and judges reveal why the wheels of our legal system turn so slowly and discuss concerns that Government proposals to speed up proceedings in our criminal courts could lead to injustices.”

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BBC Radio 4, 2nd January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Landlord John Tatton forced girl to ‘pay’ for rent in sexual favours – BBC News

Posted January 8th, 2013 in child abuse, landlord & tenant, news, rent, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

“A landlord who forced a teenage girl to ‘pay’ for her rent with sexual favours has been jailed for four years.”

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BBC News, 7th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law Commission Consultation on Marital Property : FLBA Response – Family Law Bar Association

Posted January 8th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, Law Commission, matrimonial home, news by sally

“Download the FLBA Response to the Law Commission Consultation on Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements.”

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Family Law Bar Association, 7th January 2013

Source: www.flba.co.uk

Court custody suites criticised by prisons watchdog – BBC News

Posted January 8th, 2013 in courts, news, prisons, reports by sally

“Women and children awaiting trial are being kept too close to men in court custody suites, a watchdog has found.”

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BBC News, 8th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Doctors seek court order to carry out abortion on mentally disabled woman – Daily Telegraph

“Doctors are applying for a court order to allow them to carry out an abortion on a mentally disabled woman without her consent.”

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Daily Telegraph, 7th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Army accused of ‘wrongly punishing’ 1,400 soldiers – BBC News

“Some 1,400 soldiers who were cautioned by the police may have been unfairly penalised after an error by the Army led to them being wrongly disciplined.”

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BBC News, 7th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mother jailed for life for beating son to death for not learning Qur’an – The Guardian

“A mother who beat her seven-year-old son to death for failing to learn the Qur’an by heart and then burned his body in an attempt to hide her crime has been jailed for life.”

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The Guardian, 7th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More justice dispensed via video – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 7th, 2013 in evidence, live link evidence, news, police, witnesses by sally

“Communities across the country will be benefitting from swift and effective justice as thousands more court appearances will take place via video-link technology, Justice and Policing Minister Damian Green said today [3 January].”

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Ministry of Justice, 3rd January 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Finance and Divorce January Update – Family Law Week

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

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Family Law Week, 4th January 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Courtroom Drama – BBC Unreliable Evidence

Posted January 7th, 2013 in legal profession, legal services, news, theatre by sally

“Following the return of Rumpole to Radio 4, Clive Anderson and his guests discuss how accurately the legal world is depicted in stage and screen dramas. And they discuss the issues which arise when the distinctions between fiction and fact – between Rumpole and reality – become blurred in the public’s mind.”

Listen

BBC Unreliable Evidence, 29th December 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

How the workplace will change in 2013 – OUT-LAW.com

“What changes can workers expect from their employers in the coming year? Employment law expert Edward Goodwyn of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, looks ahead to some significant changes.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 4th January 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

‘Terrorists’ favourite bookseller’ has conviction quashed – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 7th, 2013 in appeals, incitement, news, terrorism by sally

“A man once described as the ‘terrorists’ favourite bookseller’ has had his conviction for selling books about Jihad quashed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 5th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Keep new police commissioners at arm’s length, magistrates warned – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2013 in codes of practice, judges, judiciary, magistrates, news, police by sally

“A senior judge has warned magistrates to maintain their distance from police and crime commissioners (PCCs), in the latest demonstration of unease about the recently elected new posts.”

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The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bang to human rights – The Lawyer

Posted January 7th, 2013 in human rights, judicial review, legal aid, legislation, news, reports by sally

“On the one hand the former Lord Chancellor Ken Clarke declared London’s courts to be among the best of British exports, while on the other the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) tore up the legal aid budget. Then there was the proposed crackdown on judicial reviews, while the personal injury sector has seen its business model declared dead, with no detail on an alternative forthcoming.”

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The Lawyer, 7th January 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

DIY divorces set to surge as legal aid vanishes – The Independent

Posted January 7th, 2013 in budgets, dispute resolution, divorce, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“On the eve of ‘D-Day’ – that’s Divorce Day, the first Monday back to work after the festive period, when warring couples are more likely to register for a divorce – lawyers warn that tens of thousands of people could find splitting up harder and more costly this year. And the number of those turning to ‘DIY divorce kits’ is expected to surge.”

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The Independent, 6th January 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Criminals should spend longer in jail, says Chris Grayling – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2013 in budgets, early release, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Criminals should spend longer in jail and not be automatically released after serving half their sentence, the justice secretary has said.”

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The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court of Protection approves arrangements for safeguarding Article 8 rights of detained man – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 7th, 2013 in care homes, Court of Protection, detention, human rights, mental health, news by sally

“On 11 December 2012 Mr Justice Mostyn handed down judgment in J Council v GU and others [2012] EWHC 3531 (COP) approving arrangements aimed at safeguarding the Article 8 (private and family life) rights of a 57 year old man detained under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in a private care home. At seven pages, the judgment was admirably concise.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th January 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Serial offenders escaping tough penalties at record rate – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 7th, 2013 in cautions, news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

“The worst serial offenders are being let off with cautions at a record rate as thousands avoid tough penalties every year, the Daily Telegraph can disclose.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Special report: Female genital mutilation – unreported, ignored and unpunished – The Independent

Posted January 7th, 2013 in female genital mutilation, news, prosecutions by sally

“The failure to punish anyone for carrying out female genital mutilation (FGM) in almost a decade since Labour introduced a new law designed to stamp out the practice is forcing prosecutors to seek alternative methods to tackle the problem. The Government was facing growing criticism from campaigners after an Independent on Sunday investigation into the horrifying practice known as ‘cutting’, in which the genitals of women and girls are severed by unqualified people in the belief it will preserve the girl’s virginity.”

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The Independent, 6th January 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Fair access to the legal profession – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2013 in diversity, law firms, legal education, legal profession, news by sally

“City law firms are exploring ways to remove barriers that prevent students from lower-income backgrounds pursuing a career in law.”

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The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk