Ex-councillor admits porn charges – The Independent

Posted December 7th, 2011 in indecent photographs of children, internet, local government, news by sally

“A Lib Dem MP’s former aide, who ran a campaign to prevent the closure of a local swimming pool popular with children, avoided a jail sentence today after admitting child porn offences.”

Full story

The Independent, 7th December 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Give judges discretion in murder sentencing – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2011 in judiciary, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“Mandatory life sentences erode the judiciary’s independence and fail to take account of the individual circumstances of a case.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Water cannon and plastic bullets, but don’t start panicking yet – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted December 7th, 2011 in news, police, violent disorder by sally

“On 30 November the Metropolitan Police published the second part of its interim report into the widespread rioting in August 2011. The report has found that numbers of police on the streets of London were insufficient to deal with the disorder, and those that were there did not arrive quickly enough. It acknowledges the possibility that pre-existing tension went unnoticed, and that intelligence gathering systems could not keep pace with scale and speed of the riots.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 7th December 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Posters banned for ‘trivialising’ cosmetic surgery – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2011 in advertising, complaints, cosmetic surgery, news, ombudsmen by sally

“The advertising watchdog has banned a poster campaign for cosmetic surgery that featured a woman in a skimpy top in posters designed to look like the cover of a glossy women’s magazine, after deciding it trivialised breast augmentation and would be seen by young girls.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Final Destination 5 poster banned by ASA – BBC News

Posted December 7th, 2011 in advertising, complaints, news, ombudsmen, violence by sally

“The Advertising Standards Authority has banned a poster for horror sequel Final Destination 5 for being too violent.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Withers LLP v Langbar International Ltd – WLR Daily

Posted December 7th, 2011 in client accounts, costs, debts, interest, law reports, news, solicitors by sally

Withers LLP v Langbar International Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 1419; [2011] WLR (D) 351

“In asking whether money placed in the client account of a solicitor’s client were subject to a lien in favour of the solicitor the key question was whether the money had been placed in the account for general purposes or for a particular purpose which was incompatible with a lien arising.”

WLR Daily, 5th December 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Realchemie Nederland BV v Bayer CropScience AG (Case C-406/09) – WLR Daily

Posted December 7th, 2011 in conflict of laws, EC law, intellectual property, law reports, news by sally

Realchemie Nederland BV v Bayer CropScience AG (Case C-406/09); [2011] WLR (D) 350

“Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (OJ 2001 L 12, p1) applied to the recognition and enforcement of a decision of a court or tribunal that contained an order to pay a fine in order to ensure compliance with a judgment given in a civil and commercial matter. The costs relating to an exequatur (enforcement) procedure brought in one member state, in the course of which the recognition and enforcement was sought of a judgment given in another member state in proceedings seeking to enforce an intellectual property right, fell within article 14 of Parliament and Council Directive 2004/48/EC of 29 April 2004 on the enforcement of intellectual property rights (OJ 2004 L 157, p 45).”

WLR Daily, 18th December 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Record £130,000 child data error fine for Powys council – BBC News

Posted December 7th, 2011 in data protection, fines, local government, news, social services by sally

“A council which sent details of a child protection case to the wrong person has received a record £130,000 fine for breaching the Data Protection Act.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Couple who used Indian surrogates can bring children up as their own rules judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 7th, 2011 in embryology, news, parental rights, surrogacy by sally

“An English couple who paid Indian women to have their babies can keep them and bring them up as their own ruled one of Britain’s top judges, Sir Nicholas Wall ruled today (6 December).”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pro bono cannot plug the gap left by legal aid cuts – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2011 in budgets, legal aid, news, pro bono work by sally

“Without decrying the achievements of voluntary legal work, let’s keep a sense of proportion.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Peers ‘should end Downton Abbey-style succession rules’ – BBC News

Posted December 7th, 2011 in news, parliament, peerages & dignities, succession by sally

“The House of Lords is being urged to end rules which deny most hereditary peerages to women.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Groupon breaches ASA code for 49th and 50th time in 2011 – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2011 in advertising, complaints, news, ombudsmen by sally

“Groupon is in trouble with regulators again after a promotion for breast enhancement failed to deliver the boost promised, and a discount deal on an Ocado product which never existed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judges warned against straying into politics – by top judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 7th, 2011 in courts, judiciary, local government, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“Judges are straying too far in the world of politics and should stay within their ‘proper function’, the head of the judiciary, Lord Judge, has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Charities and universities to benefit from VAT exemption for shared services – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 7th, 2011 in bills, charities, EC law, news, universities, VAT by sally

“The Government will implement EU proposals that will allow charities and universities to share services without charging each other VAT, according to proposals published in today’s Finance Bill 2012.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 6th December 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Laws on deferred prosecution agreements to be consulted on next year – OUT-LAW.com

“The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has backed plans to introduce plea bargaining in fraud cases in a bid to reduce the cost of investigations and encourage businesses to self-report. It has said that it supports the passing of new laws to make that process possible.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 6th December 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Legal advice for migrants and refugees is already patchy – The Guardian

Posted December 6th, 2011 in immigration, law centres, legal aid, legal services, news, refugees by sally

“Local authority cuts have hit some areas of London hard, and further cuts would have disastrous consequences.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ban on referral fees is looming but enforcement could prove tricky – The Guardian

Posted December 6th, 2011 in bills, enforcement, fees, insurance, news, personal injuries by sally

“There is a crucial get-out clause that means referral fees in personal injury claims may continue to be paid in disguise.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Draft tax legislation gives greater predictability and clarity – HM Treasury

“Following Budget 2011, the Government has today published responses to a number of tax policy consultations, alongside draft clauses for legislation to be included in Finance Bill 2012.”

Full story

HM Treasury, 6th December 2011

Source: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

Barristers plan escrow scheme for holding client money – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 6th, 2011 in barristers, client accounts, news, speeches by sally

“The bar is looking into a scheme to allow barristers to hold client money through proxies, the incoming head of the bar said in his inaugural speech last night.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 6th December 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Wife jailed for fatal TV row attack – The Independent

Posted December 6th, 2011 in domestic violence, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

“A dental nurse was jailed for 10 years today for killing her husband in a row over what to watch on television.”

Full story

The Independent, 6th December 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk