Category: news

Secret courts condemned – a threat to liberty and justice? – Legal Week

Posted March 13th, 2012 in closed material, criminal justice, news, private hearings, terrorism by sally

“Until this week, reaction to the Government’s green paper on ‘Justice and Security’ has been muted. It has taken the form of detailed and reasoned submissions and has tended to come mainly from organisations and individuals with a legal background. Writing on the UK Human Rights Blog, barrister Adam Wagner, somewhat despairingly, referred to the ‘sound of tumbleweed greeting secret civil trials proposals’.”

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Legal Week, 13th March 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Family arbitration – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 13th, 2012 in arbitration, families, financial provision, news by sally

“On 22 February 2012 a new arbitration scheme was launched. The IFLA (Institute of Family Law Arbitrators) Scheme is the result of a collaboration between resolution, the Family Law Bar Association (FLBA), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and the Centre for Child and Family Law Reform (CCFLR) the whole issue of family law arbitration has been under consideration for about the last decade and during that time a number of family lawyers, arbitrators and judges have worked tirelessly to assist in the formulation of the scheme and its rules.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th March 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

European Court of Human Rights ‘not interfering in UK’ – BBC News

Posted March 13th, 2012 in constitutional reform, courts, human rights, news by sally

“The European Court of Human Rights is not ‘interfering’ with the justice system in the UK, its president says.”

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BBC News, 13th March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ministers promote insurance as legal aid alternative – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2012 in insurance, legal aid, legal services, news by sally

“Ministers are pushing for people to take out insurance to cover themselves in the event of catastrosphic events as a replacement for legal aid, documents obtained by the Guardian reveal.”

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The Guardian, 13th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Channel Islands challenge VAT plan – The Independent

Posted March 13th, 2012 in news, tax avoidance, VAT by sally

“The Channel Islands are urgently challenging the legality of proposals they fear could ‘devastate’ a thriving internet trade in VAT-exempt goods, including CDs and DVDs.”

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The Independent, 13th March 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Twitter joke trial – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 13th, 2012 in bomb hoaxing, internet, news by sally

“As Henry Ward Beecher once said: ‘A person without a sense of humour is like a wagon without springs – jolted by every pebble in the road.’ The law has currently been jolted by one such pebble, the case of Paul Chambers and an ill-advised tweet that is under consideration by the High Court.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th March 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

We need to redefine what ‘copy’ means – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2012 in copyright, news by sally

“In an extract from his new book, How to Fix Copyright, William Patry calls for a radical overhaul of copyright law.”

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The Guardian, 13th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Needs of female offenders better met – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 13th, 2012 in criminal justice, news, prisons, women by sally

“Justice Minister Lord McNally today visited the Hammersmith-based women’s community centre, Minerva, to see first-hand how significant investment has helped bring about changes in the way women are dealt with in the criminal justice system.”

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Ministry of Justice, 13th March 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Deal or No Deal: Channel 4 to face commission over gambling concerns – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2012 in gambling, media, news by sally

“The Gambling Commission will meet senior executives at Channel 4 in the next few days to discuss concerns that its hit teatime gameshow Deal or No Deal may constitute gambling.”

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The Guardian, 13th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Richard O’Dwyer case: TVShack creator’s US extradition approved – BBC News

Posted March 13th, 2012 in copyright, extradition, internet, news by sally

“Home Secretary Theresa May has approved the extradition to the US of a student accused of copyright infringement.”

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BBC News, 13th March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman fails to quash conviction for falsely retracting rape claim – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2012 in appeals, domestic violence, news, perverting the course of justice, post-traumatic stress disorder, rape by sally

“The court of appeal has refused to quash a criminal conviction against a mother of four young children who was jailed for falsely retracting an accusation of rape against her allegedly violent and abusive husband.”

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The Guardian, 13th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court dismisses Belize rapes action – The Independent

Posted March 13th, 2012 in duty of care, news, rape, school children by sally

“Two women who were raped as schoolgirls on ‘the trip of a lifetime’ to Belize have lost their High Court damages action.”

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The Independent, 13th March 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court quashes pub landlady conviction over football copyrights infringement – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 13th, 2012 in appeals, copyright, media, news by sally

“The pub landlady who was fined for screening FA Premier League (FAPL) football matches using a foreign satellite decoder has had her criminal conviction overturned by the High Court.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th March 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

CFA reform will not be retrospective, MoJ says – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 13th, 2012 in bills, fees, news, retrospectivity by sally

“The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) today sought to quell fears that Jackson reforms would be applied retrospectively to cases launched before April 2013.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 13th March 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Crime and Punishment: new documentary exploring criminality – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 13th, 2012 in crime, criminal justice, news, prisons by sally

“A new BBC documentary starts today, exploring criminality over the past 60 years and featuring a number of prisons in England and Wales.”

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Ministry of Justice, 12th March 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

International Children Law Update – March 2012 – Family Law Week

Posted March 13th, 2012 in appeals, children, custody, law reports, news by sally

“Jacqueline Renton of 4 Paper Buildings reviews the latest key decisions in international children law.”

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Family Law Week, 12th March 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Court of Appeal: Herefordshire Council’s use of planning report did not provide adequate reasons for grant – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 13th, 2012 in appeals, local government, news, planning by sally

“A local authority should not have used a report recommending the refusal of planning permission as justification for allowing that planning permission, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th March 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Investors launch legal action against RBS – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 13th, 2012 in banking, financial regulation, news, shareholders by sally

“A group of institutional and private shareholders has launched a multi-billion pound legal claim against the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), its former chief executive Fred Goodwin and 18 directors and non-executive directors.”

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Daily Telegraph, 12th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Future of human rights court must not be decided by shadowy late night deals – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 13th, 2012 in courts, human rights, news, treaties by sally

“It’s a busy week for the debate on human rights reform. Today at 2:15pm, the Joint Committee on Human Rights will question the UK judge and current President of the European Court of Human Rights, Sir Nicholas Bratza. Sir Nicholas returns to the UK in a hailstorm of UK reporting – accurate and inaccurate – on the perceived failings of the Strasbourg Court and its judges.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 13th March 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Barrister who forged Baroness Hale’s signature struck off by BSB – The Lawyer

Posted March 13th, 2012 in barristers, disciplinary procedures, forgery, news, professional conduct by sally

“A former Middle Temple barrister has been struck off by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) for concocting a web of ‘tortuous deceit’ over a ‘phantom’ £1m payout to his client.”

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The Lawyer, 12th March 2012

Source: www.thelawyer.com