No Government decision on unfair dismissal claims – The Independent

Posted September 29th, 2011 in employment, news, unfair dismissal by sally

“The Government today insisted it had made no final decision on whether to increase the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims from 12 months to two years and was still considering responses to a consultation.”

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The Independent, 28th September 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Met spending inquiry led to conviction of six officers, says IPCC – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2011 in complaints, disciplinary procedures, expenses, fraud, news, police by sally

“A four-year inquiry into £3.7m worth of ‘unreconciled’ spending on corporate credit cards by members of Scotland Yard has led to the conviction of six officers, and the disciplining of 34 others, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.”

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The Guardian, 28th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Aiden Jackson guilty of murdering David Cowley – BBC News

Posted September 29th, 2011 in anonymity, murder, news, young offenders by sally

“An 18-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering a man he arranged to meet for a sexual act.”

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BBC News, 28th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Attorney general returns to unique role over legal aid reform – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2011 in attorney general, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“The attorney general is to intervene in the controversy over cuts to family justice, according to the Times. Dominic Grieve is to tell Ken Clarke that the lord chancellor’s proposals would clog up the courts with unrepresented litigants.”

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The Guardian, 28th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Valuers Breathe Sigh of Relief – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted September 28th, 2011 in mortgages, negligence, news, valuation by sally

“Since the early 1990s it has been common place for ‘the ordinary domestic householder purchasing his own home’ to pursue the valuer contracted by the prospective mortgagee for negligent over-valuation.”

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Hardwicke Chambers, 19th September 2011

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Nowhere to run: insolvency is no protection from possession proceedings – Zenith Chambers

Posted September 28th, 2011 in debts, insolvency, landlord & tenant, news, rent by sally

“Social landlords face a constant struggle trying to persuade heavily indebted tenants that paying rent is a priority over paying off the tenants’ bigger, more threatening creditors.”

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Zenith Chambers, 13th September 2011

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Settling Employment Claims: some recent developments – 11KBW

Posted September 28th, 2011 in contract of employment, news by sally

“The settlement of ordinary commercial disputes is familiar territory for all lawyers, and settlements rarely require any particular formalities beyond sufficient clarity as to the terms of the agreement. This is equally so for purely contractual disputes in the field of employment, but there the comparison stops. It is a basic principle of statutory employment rights that the parties cannot simply contract out of the rights, and therefore particular formality is needed to effect an enforceable settlement of any employment dispute where the employee may make a claim based on statutory employment rights.”

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11KBW, 23rd September 2011

Source: www.11kbw.com

Arbitrator’s work with lawyers on separate case will not make him biased, rules High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 28th, 2011 in arbitration, conflict of interest, news by sally

“An arbitrator is not likely to be biased by the mere fact that he is working for one of the parties on an unrelated case, a judge has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th September 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Brain-damaged woman should not be allowed to die, high court rules – The Guardian

Posted September 28th, 2011 in euthanasia, families, medical ethics, medical treatment, news by sally

“A brain-damaged, minimally-conscious woman should not be allowed to die, a high court judge has ruled.”

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The Guardian, 28th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Simplifying the law of kidnapping – Law Commission

Posted September 28th, 2011 in consultations, fraud, kidnapping, news by sally

“In a consultation opening today, the Law Commission is seeking views on its provisional ideas for reform of the common law offence of kidnapping. The existing definition of kidnapping is unclear and leaves room for confusion. The Commission aims to clarify the definition of kidnapping, rectify the problems associated with the current law and ensure that all types of kidnapping can be dealt with efficiently by the courts.”

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Law Commission, 28th September 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Egan v Basildon Borough Council – WLR Daily

Posted September 28th, 2011 in enforcement notices, law reports, local government, news, planning, travellers by sally

Egan v Basildon Borough Council [2011] EWHC 2416 (QB); [2011] WLR (D) 280

“The date of construction of unlawfully erected buildings or structures could be critical when enforcement action was proposed pursuant to a notice to rectify breaches of planning control.”

WLR Daily, 26th September 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Riots appeal judges to review BBC news coverage – The Guardian

Posted September 28th, 2011 in appeals, judiciary, media, news, sentencing, violent disorder by sally

“Three appeal court judges are to view BBC television news coverage of the summer riots before they decide whether any of the sentences handed down were excessive.”

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The Guardian, 27th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Harsh sentences were suited to ‘ghastliness’ of looting, Chief Justice tells appeal – The Independent

Posted September 28th, 2011 in appeals, judiciary, news, sentencing, violent disorder by sally

“Britain’s most senior judge said the lengthy sentences meted out to rioters reflected the ‘ghastliness’ of the unrest that swept through England in August, as he heard the first batch of challenges by defendants jailed for their involvement.”

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The Independent, 28th September 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Appeal court criticises judge’s approach to riot sentencing – The Guardian

Posted September 28th, 2011 in appeals, judiciary, news, sentencing, violent disorder by sally

“A Manchester judge who made influential comments on sentencing offenders in the immediate aftermath of the August riots has been criticised by the appeal court.”

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The Guardian, 27th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Warning over kidnap legal loophole – BBC News

Posted September 28th, 2011 in consultations, fraud, kidnapping, news by sally

“A loophole means some people guilty of kidnap may not face the full force of the law, the government’s law reform experts have warned.”

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BBC News, 28th September 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

ICO publishes guide to university research disclosure – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 28th, 2011 in disclosure, electronic mail, freedom of information, news, universities by sally

“University workers must release information from personal webmail accounts on request if it is related to public business, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th September 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Max Mosley loses privacy law appeal bid – The Independent

Posted September 28th, 2011 in appeals, freedom of expression, human rights, media, news, privacy by sally

“Human rights judges have rejected an appeal by ex-Formula One boss Max Mosley against his failed bid to force a change in UK privacy laws.”

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The Independent, 27th September 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Raoul Moat death was suicide, inquest jury rules – The Guardian

Posted September 28th, 2011 in coroners, inquests, news, police, suicide, weapons by sally

“The fugitive gunman Raoul Moat took his own life after police fired an unapproved Taser at him, an inquest jury decided on Tuesday. The jury concluded that the armed officers had behaved properly during the six-hour stand-off with the 37-year-old former bouncer at Rothbury, Northumberland, in July 2010.”

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The Guardian, 27th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police right not to release anonymised sex offender statistics on teachers, Tribunal rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 27th, 2011 in anonymity, freedom of information, news, sexual offences, statistics, tribunals by sally

“Police did not have to disclose anonymised data about the number of teachers investigated and charged for sexual offences as the information could have been used to identify individuals, a Information Rights Tribunal has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th September 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Leveson inquiry to hear expert evidence – The Guardian

Posted September 27th, 2011 in expert witnesses, inquiries, interception, media, news, telecommunications by sally

“Two experts on banking and financial services law have been invited to make presentations to the Leveson inquiry as part of its bid to come up with a new model for press regulation in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.”

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The Guardian, 26th September 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk