Rapists abuse courts to harass victims – The Guardian

Posted December 5th, 2011 in harassment, news, victims by sally

“Convicted murderers, rapists and stalkers are pursuing their victims through the family and civil courts via legal actions that are often funded by the public purse, say experts who are demanding an urgent change in the law.”

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The Guardian, 3rd December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Extradition row: Give British judges final say on where cases should be tried – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 5th, 2011 in choice of forum, extradition, news by sally

“British judges should be given the power to decide where cases should be tried to avoid drawn-out extradition rows, according to legal experts.”

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Daily Telegraph, 2nd December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Julian Assange seeks to take legal fight to highest UK court – The Guardian

Posted December 5th, 2011 in appeals, extradition, news, sexual offences by sally

“WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange will make one further attempt to avert extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over alleged sex crimes, when he asks judges on Monday to refer his case to Britain’s highest court.”

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The Guardian, 5th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyers to get tablet computers in move towards paperless courts – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, electronic filing, news by sally

“Judges, jurors and barristers are set to replace their traditional bundles of papers with iPad-style devices in an attempt to create paperless courts. Prosecutors will be given tablet devices that will contain all the evidence and documentation needed to conduct court hearings.”

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The Guardian, 2nd December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lecturer spared jail after schoolgirl died taking drugs at his home – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in drug abuse, drug offences, news, sentencing by sally

“University lecturer Brian Dodgeon, who admitted possessing a hoard of Class A drugs at his house where a schoolgirl died, was spared jail today.”

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Daily Telegraph, 2nd December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Groupon to be investigated by Office of Fair Trading – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in advertising, consumer protection, internet, news by sally

“The Office of Fair Trading is to launch an investigation into Groupon after the daily deals website was found to have broken UK advertising regulations almost 50 times in less than a year.”

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The Guardian, 2nd December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Katie Price to pay Peter Andre damages for libel – BBC News

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in damages, defamation, news by sally

“Model Katie Price has agreed to pay undisclosed libel damages to her ex-husband, the singer Peter Andre, over claims that he was unfaithful to her.”

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BBC News, 2nd December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Kenneth Clarke delays £350m legal aid cuts – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in budgets, legal aid, news by sally

“Kenneth Clarke’s plans to slice £350m out of the annual legal aid budget appear to be losing momentum after the justice secretary unexpectedly announced a six-month delay to the programme.”

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The Guardian, 1st December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Priest who witnessed Iraqi detention could face prosecution – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in armed forces, clergy, Iraq, misfeasance in public office, news, torture, witnesses by sally

“The director of public prosecutions has been asked to consider bringing criminal charges against a Roman Catholic priest who was found to have witnessed the shocking condition of a group of prisoners in Iraq, which included Baha Mousa, who was tortured to death, but did nothing to raise the alarm.”

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The Guardian, 1st December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar aiming to bypass ‘superfluous’ solicitors – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in barristers, consultations, news, solicitors by sally

“Solicitors are dismissed as ‘superfluous intermediaries’ in a new bar consultation paper which recommends making it easier for the public to bypass them and instruct barristers directly.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd December 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Government outlines plans for deregulation of consent regimes – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in news, planning by sally

“The Government has announced new changes to the application procedure for consent regimes that fall outside the planning system, as suggested in a 2009 review of consents in England and Wales.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 1st December 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

NHS watchdog under fire for ‘putting patient care at risk’ – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in health, hospitals, inquiries, news by sally

“The watchdog responsible for overseeing the NHS has come under fire on multiple fronts, with counsel for the public inquiry into the Mid Staffs hospital scandal calling into question its leadership and ‘unhealthy organisational culture’ while the National Audit Office said its failures had risked ‘unsafe or poor quality (patient) care.’ ”

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The Guardian, 2nd December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Press has lost self-restraint on criminal cases, says attorney general – The Guardian

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in contempt of court, media, news by sally

“Newspapers have lost any sense of self-restraint and are ignoring their responsibilities, the attorney general has warned in a speech on the risks of contempt of court.”

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The Guardian, 2nd December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

 

‘Concerns’ over Kristiana Logina, killed by scalding shower – BBC News

“Health workers had been concerned about a mother who went on to kill her toddler by holding her under a scalding hot shower during the girl’s early life, a report has said.”

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BBC News, 1st December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

 

John Dillon jailed for rape of grandmother in 1982 – BBC News

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in double jeopardy, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A man has been jailed for life under the double jeopardy law three decades after raping his own grandmother.”

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BBC News, 1st December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Liam Hogan inquest delivers unlawful killing verdict against father – The Guardian

“A father accused of pushing his son to his death from the balcony of a Greek hotel killed the child unlawfully, a coroner has ruled. The inquest on six-year-old Liam Hogan was told that his father, John, appeared to shove the boy and his two-year-old sister, Mia, before leaping off the balcony himself.”

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The Guardian, 30th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

 

Train operators face fines for poor passenger information – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in compensation, complaints, news, railways by sally

“After a deluge of complaints from commuters who were left stuck on freezing platforms during last winter’s cold snap, the Office of Rail Regulator has taken on new powers to protect train travellers.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Freedom to report on Parliament is not set in stone, warns Attorney General – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 2nd, 2011 in freedom of expression, media, news, parliamentary privilege by sally

“Journalists could be prosecuted for reporting what is said in parliament, the Government’s top law officer warned on Thursday, putting a 170-year tradition in jeopardy.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

New source added

Posted December 1st, 2011 in news by sally

We have now added Family Law Week to our list of sources monitored. For a full list of sources click here.

Time to speak up for oral advocacy skills – The Guardian

Posted December 1st, 2011 in advocacy, legal education, news by sally

“As the law evolves, every aspect of it is routinely unpicked and analysed in exhaustive depth by academics. Yet the dominant medium through which legal arguments are expressed – oral advocacy – is rarely given formal intellectual attention, in this country at least. Yes, there are a number of British advocacy training programmes, some run in conjunction with leading academic institutions, but they focus on developing presentation skills rather than actually exploring what makes an effective advocate.”

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The Guardian, 1st December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk