Expert witness immunity removed – The Independent
“Expert witnesses have lost their 400-year-old immunity from being sued in the civil courts.”
The Independent, 30th March 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Category: news
The cost of clamping down on ‘no win, no fee’ legal arrangements – The Guardian
“Ken Clarke’s announcement on Tuesday that the government is to reform the costs of civil litigation has been portrayed as a crackdown on lawyers’ fees. That always makes a pleasing headline but the reality is that the justice secretary wants the public to do it for him.”
The Guardian, 30th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
MPs warn against legal aid reforms in divorce cases – The Guardian
“Making eligibility for legal aid in divorce and custody cases dependent on accusations of domestic violence will create a ‘perverse incentive’ that encourages false allegations, according to a group of MPs.”
The Guardian, 30th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Superinjunction scores legal first for nameless financier in libel action – The Guardian
“A wealthy financier involved in a family dispute has made British legal history by winning anonymity in a libel case. This latest court attempt to censor internet material has led to claims that free speech is being further eroded in Britain.”
The Guardian, 29th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Guidance notes on Bribery Act suggest common sense will rule – The Independent
“The Government’s guidance on the controversial Bribery Act is to offer an olive branch to business as its publication today kicks off the three-month countdown to the act becoming law.”
The Independent, 30th March 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Forensics cut will be ‘disastrous’ for victims of injustice – The Guardian
“Miscarriages of justice will not be corrected and public confidence in the criminal justice system will be damaged if proposed changes to the forensic science service go ahead, according to Richard Foster, chairman of the criminal cases review commission.”
The Guardian, 30th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Legal aid change may hit the vulnerable hardest say MPs – BBC News
“MPs say vulnerable groups may be disproportionately affected by a shake-up of civil legal aid in England and Wales and want it to be ‘refined’.”
BBC News, 30th March 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
UK Uncut arrests threaten future protests, lawyer warns – The Guardian
“A lawyer at a leading civil liberties firm has expressed fears for the future of direct action protest after the mass arrest of UK Uncut activists during last Saturday’s anti-cuts demonstrations in London.”
The Guardian, 30th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Naked burglar fails to get jail sentence overturned – BBC News
“A naked burglar who broke into the homes of two families has failed to persuade judges that his indefinite jail term was unfair.”
BBC News, 29th March 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Price of suing the NHS too high – The Guardian
“Suing the NHS for medical negligence may become too costly in the wake of cuts to both legal aid and lawyers’ success fees.”
The Guardian, 29th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Criminal cases review commission: the last bastion of hope – The Guardian
“Inside the independent body set up to investigate miscarriages of justice after the court of appeal has thrown them out.”
The Guardian, 30th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Employment law changes could ‘disproportionately affect women’ – Law Society’s Gazette
“Changes to employment laws announced in last week’s budget are encouraging for small employers but could disproportionately affect women, solicitors have warned.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 30th March 2011
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Kenneth Clarke unveils plans to tackle compensation culture – The Guardian
“Proposals to tackle Britain’s ‘damaging compensation culture’, control legal costs and divert cases from courtrooms into online resolution have been unveiled by the justice secretary.”
The Guardian, 29th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Independent press crucial to the administration of justice, says lord chief justice – The Guardian
“An independent press is crucial to the administration of justice, the lord chief justice of England and Wales said during a lecture in Israel on Monday night.”
The Guardian, 29th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Related link: The Judiciary and the Media (PDF)
Cyber-stalking should be a criminal offence, MPs say – BBC News
“Cyber-stalking should be made a criminal offence, says a group of MPs calling for an overhaul of the law.”
BBC News, 30th March 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
We need a more diverse supreme court – The Guardian
“Just two weeks after it was reported that women in the legal professions are still finding it difficult to break through the glass ceiling, here comes another setback. Though an official announcement has yet to be made, it seems that the next two appointments to the supreme court will be men.”
The Guardian, 29th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Beshenivsky killer Mustaf Jama loses appeal – BBC News
“A man who murdered a Bradford policewoman during a bungled robbery has lost an appeal against his conviction.”
BBC News, 28th March 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Drug runners to avoid prison under sentencing guidelines – Daily Telegraph
“Drug runners and small–scale dealers could escape prison even if caught with a 50–gram bag of cocaine or heroin or dozens of Ecstasy pills, under planned new guidance for courts.”
Daily Telegraph, 28th March 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
MoD pays £1.3m compensation to Afghans for death, injury and damage – The Guardian
“Afghan civilians compensated for deaths, injuries and property damage caused by British forces received £1.3m last year from the Ministry of Defence – but this was, on average, less than half of what they asked for.”
The Guardian, 28th March 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Politicians to blame for human rights rulings, says judge – Daily Telegraph
“Politicians should stop criticising human rights ruling as they are to blame for tying the hands of courts, the country’s most senior judge signalled yesterday.”
Daily Telegraph, 29th March 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
