Peers vote to remove law banning insulting language – The Guardian
“The House of Lords on Wednesday night voted to remove a law that criminalises the use of insulting language in Britain.”
The Guardian, 12th December 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Category: news
Injured feelings: Jackson reforms – Law Society’s Gazette
“Controversy still rages over whether the Jackson reforms are a coherent set of proposals that will rebalance a system where claims and costs are out of control, or if they represent an assault on access to justice for people whom ‘no win, no fee’ represents the only hope of redress for a wrong inflicted on them.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 13th December 2012
Source: www.lawgazette.gov.uk
Killer who executed man as he slept with partner and son jailed for 30 years – The Guardian
“A 29-year-old man who ‘cold-bloodedly executed’ a father of four as he slept with his partner and three-year-old son has been jailed for a minimum of 30 years.”
The Guardian, 12th December 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
LSB’s regulatory assessments: Positive signs, but much further to go – Legal Services Board
“The Legal Services Board is today publishing its first assessments of the performance of
regulators in the legal services sector. These are issued alongside a consultation on the
LSB’s draft Business Plan for 2013/14. Together these documents make clear the importance,
the LSB attaches to improving regulatory performance in the coming year.”
Legal Services Board, 12th December 2012
Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk
Redacting for anonymisation: Article 8 v Article 10 in child protection context – Panopticon
“Panopticon has reported recently on the ICO’s new Code of Practice on Anonymisation: see Rachel Kamm’s post here. That Code offers guidance for ensuring data protection-compliant disclosure in difficult cases such as those involving apparently anonymous statistics, and situations where someone with inside knowledge (or a ‘motivated intruder’) could identify someone referred to anonymously in a disclosed document. The Upper Tribunal in Information Commissioner v Magherafelt District Council [2012] UKUT 263 AAC grappled with those issues earlier this year in the context of disclosing a summarised schedule of disciplinary action.”
Panopticon, 13th December 2012
Source: www.panopticonblog.com
Who’s to Blame? – BBC Unreliable Evidence
“In the first of a new series, Clive Anderson and guests discuss the legal liability of organisations for crimes or other misbehaviours committed by people who work for them.”
BBC Unreliable Evidence, 12th December 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Metropolitan police pays out over flawed rape investigation – The Guardian
“The Metropolitan police has made a landmark compensation payout over a flawed rape investigation by one of its elite Sapphire sexual assault units.”
The Guardian, 13th December 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Mentally ill man jailed for hospital arson has prison sentence quashed – The Guardian
“A severely mentally ill young man who tried to escape from a psychiatric unit by attempting to burn down a hospital door had an indefinite prison sentence quashed on Wednesday, after a two-year campaign by his mother.”
The Guardian, 12th December 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
ASA reprimands PPI text message firm – The Guardian
“Complaints about a company based in India which sent text messages about reclaiming payment protection insurance (PPI) and compensation for accidents have been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).”
The Guardian, 12th December 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Permanent injunction against anti-vivisection protestors – UK Human Rights Blog
“The High Court has granted a medical testing laboratory a final injunction against anti-vivisectioners protesting outside their premises.”
UK Human Rights Blog, 12th December 2012
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
Consultation on proposed changes to the Patents Act 1977 – Intellectual Property Office
“The Review of Intellectual Property and Growth published by Professor Hargreaves in 2011 recognised the important role the UK’s patent system plays in supporting innovation and economic growth. However, the review highlighted the need for the IP framework to be more adaptable and recognised a need for change in some aspects of the way the IP system operates. Such changes will ensure the IP system continues to encourage innovation and support those UK businesses which recognise the competitive advantage that can be gained through intellectual property (‘IP’) rights.”
Consultation (PDF)
Intellectual Property Office, December 2012
Source: www.ipo.gov.uk
British agents ‘facilitated the murder’ of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane during the Troubles – The Independent
“Prime Minister David Cameron said today he was ‘deeply sorry’ for the extent of state collusion in the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989 following the publication of an independent review.”
The Independent, 12th December 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Related link: Pat Finucane Report
The Court of Protection is subject to unprecedented scrutiny. But there’s still a long way to go – The Independent
“The Independent’s campaign to gain access to the court that deals with Britain’s most vulnerable has made great strides for open justice. Our reporter explains how.”
The Independent, 12th December 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Ombudsman report reveals the cost of complaint – The Guardian
“Public organisations are wasting resources and causing financial hardship by taking too long to put right basic mistakes, says a new report by parliamentary ombudsman Dame Julie Mellor.”
The Guardian, 12th December 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Related link: Responsive and Accountable? 2011-12
Leveson warns journalistic standards could slip if bloggers not subject to law – The Guardian
“Lord Justice Leveson has warned that unless criminal and civil law is enforced against bloggers, the quality of journalism in conventional media could deteriorate.”
The Guardian, 12th December 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Immigration detention casework – poor casework must be addressed – HM Inspectorate of Prisons
“Immigration casework needs to improve so that people aren’t detained for longer than necessary, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, and John Vine, Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, publishing the report of a thematic review of immigration detention casework.”
HM Inspectorate of Prisons, 12th December 2012
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Court of Appeal: Criminal Appeals Heard More Quickly – Judiciary of England and Wales
“The Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) heard appeals against conviction and sentence more quickly last year than in previous years according to the Court’s annual report published today (Tuesday 11 December).”
Judiciary of England and Wales, 11th December 2012
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
Whiplash crackdown – Ministry of Justice
“New measures to bring down the number and cost of whiplash claims, including speculative and fraudulent applications has been announced today [11th December].”
Ministry of Justice, 11th December 2012
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
David Cameron hints at change of heart in secret courts policy – The Guardian
“The government could be preparing to back down over whether judges or ministers should have the final say on legal evidence being heard in secret.”
The Guardian, 11th December 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
