Jack Straw: ‘To survive in politics, you’ve got to have a sixth sense’ – The Guardian

Posted March 29th, 2010 in Ministry of Justice, news, parliament by sally

“Jack Straw has spent 13 years in the cabinet without ever quite reaching the top. He talks about the art of survival, reform of the Lords and why he supported the Iraq war.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BNP barrister sparks debate on workplace ethics – The Lawyer

Posted March 29th, 2010 in barristers, news, political parties, racism by sally

“The decision by St Philips Chambers to distance itself from former barrister Roger Grierson, who is to fight a seat for the British National Party (BNP) at the general election, has instigated heated debate among Birmingham lawyers.”

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The Lawyer, 29th March 2010

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Next Step in the Bar Council’s Judicial Review on Legal Aid – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 29th, 2010 in barristers, consultations, fees, legal aid, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice has extended the deadline for responses to be submitted to their consultation ‘Legal aid: reforming advocates graduated fees’ until midday on 1 April. Those who have already responded can submit revised responses, and those who have not yet responded can do so.”

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Ministry of Justice, 29th March 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Council tenants who sub-let could face jail for new criminal offence – The Times

Posted March 29th, 2010 in news by sally

“Thousands of council tenants who make profits by illegally sub-letting their homes will face tough new measures to be announced by ministers this week.”

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The Times, 29th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

New surrogacy law eases the way for gay men to become legal parents – The Guardian

“Gay male couples will be able to use a fast-track route to become the legal parents of surrogate children from next week. On 6 April, changes to the law will permit two men to be named as parents on a child’s birth certificate for the first time in British history.”

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The Guardian, 28th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Massive rise in cost to NHS of settling compensation cases – The Independent

Posted March 29th, 2010 in compensation, fees, medical treatment, negligence, news by sally

“The cost of no-win, no-fee legal claims against the National Health Service has risen 16-fold in five years. A breakdown of clinical negligence cases settled by the NHS under ‘conditional fee arrangements’ (CFA), in which solicitors get paid only if they win a case, shows that their value – in costs and damages – has risen from £6.5m in 2004-05 to £108m last year.”

Full story

The Independent, 28th MArch 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Courts rapped for giving ‘too short’ jail terms to paedophiles who offend online – The Guardian

Posted March 29th, 2010 in internet, news, rehabilitation, reports, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

“Paedophiles convicted of downloading images of child abuse from the internet are not receiving rehabilitation treatment because the sentences they are given are too short, public protection experts warn today. A dossier collected by the probation union, Napo, reveals that typical sentences given to online paedophiles often fall far short of recommendations made by court-appointed experts who prepare pre-sentencing reports for judges.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Barristers fighting pay cuts ‘take home less per hour than a car mechanic’ – The Times

Posted March 29th, 2010 in news by sally

“Criminal case barristers delivered a broadside to Jack Straw over their pay, saying that most take home less per hour than a car mechanic.”

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The Times, 29th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Jack Straw backs Lords reform despite Mandelson opposition – The Guardian

Posted March 29th, 2010 in news, parliament by sally

“The justice secretary, Jack Straw, has insisted that, despite Lord Mandelson’s opposition, Labour is poised to announce its commitment to an elected second chamber to replace the House of Lords.”

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The Guardian, 29th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Public to have bigger say in criminal sentencing – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 29th, 2010 in attorney general, criminal justice, news, sentencing by sally

“Members of the public are to be given a much bigger say in the process which sees criminals having their sentences increased if they are ruled to be too lenient.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Heathrow third runway plan in tatters after ruling, claim opponents – The Times

Posted March 27th, 2010 in news by sally

“Environmental campaigners and local authorities opposed to Heathrow expansion popped champagne corks on the steps of the High Court yesterday to celebrate a ruling that they said left plans to build a third runway at Europe’s busiest airport ‘in tatters’.”

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The Times, 27th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Judge says plea deal tied his hands over fine for corrupt firm – The Guardian

Posted March 27th, 2010 in bribery, corruption, fines, news, plea bargaining, Serious Fraud Office by sally

“A senior judge today criticised the Serious Fraud Office for striking plea bargains which let off corrupt companies too lightly.”

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The Guardian, 26th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘If I lose £1 million, it’s worth it for libel law reform, says Simon Singh – The Times

Posted March 27th, 2010 in news by sally

“Simon Singh lifted his coffee cup off a Ministry of Justice press release. ‘I’m a particle physicist,’ he said. ‘And libel law, I can tell you, is more complicated than particle physics.'”

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The Times, 27th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Car crash victim wins highest ever compensation payout – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 27th, 2010 in compensation, news, personal injuries by sally

“A passenger left paralysed after a crash has been awarded £11million compensation – the highest personal injury payout in British history.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge’s comments throw into doubt BAE’s £30m pact over fraud inquiry – The Times

Posted March 27th, 2010 in news by sally

“A landmark settlement between the Serious Fraud Office and BAE Systems was thrown into doubt yesterday after a senior British judge said that the agency did not have legal authority to strike plea bargains with companies accused of corruption.”

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The Times, 27th March 2010

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Law student has curfew sentence reduced after arguing it ruined her pregnancy – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 27th, 2010 in electronic monitoring, news, pregnancy, sentencing by sally

“A law student who assaulted a pub landlady has had her curfew sentence reduced after arguing that it ruined her experience of pregnancy and childbirth.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ian Tomlinson family waits for answers one year on from G20 protests – The Guardian

“The widow of Ian Tomlinson, the man who died at the G20 protests, has launched an emotional attack on the director of public prosecutions, accusing him of letting her down over his failure to decide whether the officer who assaulted her husband should be charged with manslaughter.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man jailed for smuggling immigrants across Channel – The Independent

Posted March 26th, 2010 in immigration, news, sentencing, trafficking in human beings by sally

“A man who claimed he was a human rights activist was jailed for six years today after he smuggled 20 illegal immigrants across the Channel in a 50ft yacht.”

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The Independent, 26th March 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

British Summer Time

Posted March 26th, 2010 in news by sally

British Summer Time begins at 1.00 a.m. this Sunday, 28th March, and the clocks go forward one hour.  Those who subscribe to this blog by email may notice a difference in the time that updates are received.

Lord Martin defends no-win no-fee libel lawyers – BBC News

Posted March 26th, 2010 in defamation, fees, media, news by sally

“Former Commons Speaker Lord Martin has spoken up in defence of  ‘no win, no fee’  libel lawyers – whose fees the government is trying to curtail.”

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BBC News, 25th March 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk