OFT investigates hidden airline charges – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 9th, 2011 in airlines, consumer protection, electronic commerce, news by tracey

“The Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into whether airlines are hitting customers with hidden card surcharges when they book flights online.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

 

David Kelly inquest ruling to be challenged – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2011 in inquests, judicial review, news by tracey

“A group of doctors is seeking a judicial review of the decision not to hold an inquest into the death of government scientist Dr David Kelly.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Minister announces referral fee ban – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 9th, 2011 in fees, insurance, news, personal injuries by tracey

“Referral fees for personal injury cases will be banned to help tackle rising insurance costs, as part of the Government’s commitment to curb compensation culture.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 9th September 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Injury claim referral fees to be banned – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2011 in fees, insurance, news, personal injuries by tracey

“The government is to ban referral fees in personal injury claims in an attempt to curb the ‘compensation culture’. It says the current system in which personal injury details are sold on by insurance companies to lawyers has led to rising insurance costs.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Why wearing a helmet could affect your legal status – The Guardian

Posted September 9th, 2011 in bicycles, news, personal injuries by tracey

“The decision not to wear a helmet can have legal consequences for cyclists who suffer head injuries and sue for compensation.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

 

Ministers ‘could get powers to overrule European Court of Human Rights’ – The Guardian

Posted September 9th, 2011 in human rights, ministers' powers and duties, news by tracey

“The European Court of Human Rights could have its powers downgraded by handing ministers across the continent the right to strike down rulings under plans being examined by the British government. A commission set up by the government to examine reforms to the Strasbourg-based ECHR has floated the idea of handing ministers and parliamentarians on the Council of Europe the right to override rulings of the court.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Insurance companies face car insurance probe – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 9th, 2011 in competition, insurance, news by tracey

“The OFT has issued what it describes as a ‘call for evidence’ a preliminary step which could lead to a full scale inquiry. It is understood that the watchdog is concerned whether there is genuine competition between the major insurers in the market.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Planning reforms: fee threat to village greens – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 9th, 2011 in commons, news, planning by tracey

“Communities would have to pay up to £1,000 to apply to save their green spaces from the developers’ bulldozers under plans to speed up the planning process, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rapist Jonathan Haynes jailed for at least 11 years – BBC News

Posted September 8th, 2011 in kidnapping, news, rape, sentencing by sally

An ex-soldier has been jailed indefinitely for raping three teenagers and trying to abduct two schoolgirls.

Full story

BBC News, 8th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Soldiers ‘must face prosecution’ – The Independent

“The British soldiers responsible for the death of Baha Mousa must face prosecution in the light of the damning public inquiry findings, lawyers for his family said.”

Full story

The Independent, 8th September 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Labour’s legal aid bill amendments fail – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 8th, 2011 in bills, legal aid, news by sally

“Opposition amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill have been rejected by a committee of MPs.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 8th September 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

“Corporate failure by MoD” finds Baha Mousa inquiry – UK Human Rights Blog

“The 1,400 page final report on the inquiry into the death of Baha Mousa has been published today after three years of hearings. The chairman of the inquiry, retired Court of Appeal judge Sir William Gage, has condemned members of the 1st Battalion The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment for their ‘lack of moral courage’ to report abuse and the use of banned interrogation after Mousa died of 93 injuries in British army custody in Basra in 2003.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 8th September 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Related link: The Report of the Baha Mousa Inquiry

Damning findings of Baha Mousa inquiry – The Independent

Posted September 8th, 2011 in armed forces, death in custody, inquiries, Iraq, news, reports, torture by sally

“An innocent Iraqi civilian died in British Army custody after suffering ‘an appalling episode of serious gratuitous violence’, a public inquiry concluded today.”

Full story

The Independent, 8th September 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Schoolchildren lose police ‘kettling’ case – BBC News

Posted September 8th, 2011 in children, demonstrations, human rights, news, police by sally

“The Metropolitan Police acted lawfully when they ‘kettled’ three teenagers during the tuition fee protests in London, the High Court has ruled.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stress and the City – the charity on call for struggling legal professionals – Legal Week

Posted September 8th, 2011 in charities, legal profession, mental health, news by sally

“In an increasingly competitive legal sector it is understandable that many lawyers are unwilling to admit to human weakness, but those counselling struggling legal professionals believe that the number failing to cope has risen notably in recent years.”

Full story

Legal Week, 8th September 2011

Source: www.legalweek.com

Statistics on court performances won’t tell the full story – The Guardian

Posted September 8th, 2011 in courts, news, statistics by sally

“The government’s decision to allow judgments to be broadcast from the courts of England and Wales has rather overshadowed the second part of Ken Clarke’s announcement.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lord Justice Jackson calls for Govt rethink on legal aid cuts – Legal Week

Posted September 8th, 2011 in bills, costs, Law Society, legal aid, news by sally

“Lord Justice Jackson – the author of the current shake-up of civil litigation costs – has criticised controversial Government cuts to legal aid, warning the reforms are ‘contrary to [my] recommendations’.”

Full story

Legal Week, 7th September 2011

Source: www.legalweek.com

UK Uncut members adopt ‘Spartacus defence’ in Fortnum & Mason case – The Guardian

Posted September 8th, 2011 in demonstrations, news, prosecutions, public interest, trespass by sally

“Two dozen anti-cuts activists have asked the courts to be put back on trial for alleged aggravated trespass despite already having their charges dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Employment vetting: have we got it right yet? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted September 8th, 2011 in bills, criminal records, employment, news, vetting by sally

“In a forthcoming policy paper for Halsbury’s Law Exchange I discuss the employment vetting system, in the light of the changes made by the Protection of Freedoms Bill. Although in some respect the Bill is welcome, I argue that it does not go far enough in reforming this difficult area.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 7th September 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Crash death dad Terry Jones awarded civil court damages – BBC News

Posted September 8th, 2011 in careless driving, damages, families, news, post-traumatic stress disorder by sally

“A father whose daughter died in a road accident in Powys with three other teenagers has won his civil court action against the driver.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk