Changes to domestic violence evidence requirements come into effect – Ministry of Justice

Posted January 9th, 2018 in bills, domestic violence, evidence, news, time limits by sally

‘From today (8 January 2018), victims of domestic violence will get more support in taking abusive former partners to court.’

Full Story

Ministry of Justice, 8th January 2018

Source: www.gov.uk

Family law: plus ça change? – New Law Journal

Posted January 9th, 2018 in cohabitation, divorce, financial provision, news by sally

‘Reform is a constant feature of the family justice system—Geraldine Morris questions whether the underlying issues are being addressed.’

Full Story

New Law Journal, 5th January 2018

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Michal Hain: Past is Prologue – The Role of History in the Law of Equality – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted January 9th, 2018 in appeals, civil partnerships, equality, marriage, news by sally

‘The legal institution whereby couples express their mutual commitment, which is recognised, protected and regulated by the state – marriage – touches the most intimate parts of people’s lives. Its recent transformation raised profound questions of personal morality, human dignity, and religious doctrine. As the tide of public opinion turned, Parliament repealed section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 (which had prohibited the “promot[ion] of homosexuality” and the “teaching in any maintained school the acceptability of homosexuality”) in 2003, passed the Civil Partnerships Act the following year, and enacted the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2013. The result is that same-sex couples can currently choose between entering a civil partnership or marriage, whereas different-sex couples cannot.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 9th January 2018

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Brexit Custom Laws Could ‘Slash Human Rights’ – Rights Info

‘New trade laws, which could allow ministers to water down or repeal equality laws altogether, are being debated in the House of Commons today.’

Full Story

Rights Info, 8th January 2018

Source: rightsinfo.org

Appeal judges reject Saudi prince’s bid to halt claim due to unpaid costs order – Litigation Futures

Posted January 9th, 2018 in appeals, costs, news, royal family, striking out by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has rejected an application by a son of the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia that one of his father’s former wives pay an outstanding £250,000 costs order or have her £15m claim stayed or struck out.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 9th January 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Pre-action disclosure of insurance policies – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Peel Port Shareholder Finance Company Ltd v Dornoch Ltd [2017] EWHC 876 (TCC) serves as a reminder of the court’s approach to the rules on pre-action disclosure and the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010 (the 2010 act).’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 8th January 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Independent Office for Police Conduct – UK Police Law Blog

Posted January 9th, 2018 in complaints, news, police, professional conduct by sally

‘The IOPC today replaces the Independent Police Complaints Commission Commission.’

Full Story

UK Police Law Blog, 8th January 2018

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

SDT orders solicitor who failed to overturn £2,000 fine to pay £54,000 in costs – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has ordered a solicitor who tried to overturn a fine of £2,000 from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to pay £54,000 in costs following her unsuccessful appeal.’

Full Story

Legal Futuresm 9th January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Clerical abuse of spiritual power and authority – Law & Religion UK

Posted January 9th, 2018 in Church of England, clergy, disciplinary procedures, news, tribunals by sally

‘On Monday 8th January, the Church of England reported the findings of the Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of Oxford in the matter of a complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 against The Reverend Timothy Davis, Vicar of Christ Church Abingdon, (‘TD’), in respect of the mentoring he provided to a 15/16 year old schoolboy (‘W1’) whose family were members of his congregation. The BBC reports that Church of England officials believed that this was the first occasion on which a tribunal had convicted a priest of spiritual abuse.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 9th January 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Murdered woman was left without phone by police investigators – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2018 in domestic violence, murder, news, reports, telecommunications, victims by sally

‘A woman who was murdered by her ex-lover was left without means of calling for help because police had seized her phone days earlier, a report has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 8th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Animals to be banned from English circuses – The Independent

Posted January 9th, 2018 in animals, consultations, environmental protection, news by sally

‘Wild animals will be banned from circuses in England under plans reportedly due to be announced by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.’

Full Story

The Independent, 9th January 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Couple guilty of homemade bomb terror attack plot – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2018 in attempts, explosives, news, terrorism by sally

‘A man and woman have been found guilty of plotting a “devastating” terror attack in the UK using a homemade bomb.’

Full Story

BBC News, 8th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Watching porn at work – what are the legal consequences? – The Guardian

‘In a four month period in 2017, there were 24,000 attempts to access pornographic websites in the Houses of Parliament. Westminster may be a special case, but should it be a sackable offence in regular offices?’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Consumer panel warns SRA that latest Handbook reforms are recipe for “consumer confusion” – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP) has warned that the second phase of reforms to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Handbook would “compound existing complexities” and could further confuse consumers.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar Council: New Lord Chancellor must ensure justice is properly resourced and functioning effectively – The Bar Council

Posted January 9th, 2018 in barristers, legal aid, lord chancellor, news by sally

‘Commenting on the appointment of The Rt Hon David Gauke MP as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the Chair of the Bar, Andrew Walker QC, said:

“The Bar Council warmly congratulates David Gauke on his appointment. We look forward to working with the new Lord Chancellor to ensure access to justice is available to all, to ensure that the system for securing the administration of justice is resourced properly and functioning effectively, and to achieve fair and sustainable public funding arrangements for advocacy and legal advice. These matter because they underpin the rule of law and our constitutional principles which the Lord Chancellor has a special responsibility to uphold.”‘

Full Story

The Bar Council, 9th January 2018

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

2018 and beyond: Our legal futures… – Legal Futures

Posted January 9th, 2018 in law firms, legal profession, legal services, news, solicitors by sally

‘It’s that time of year again. Thinking about what’s gone before us and planning for the future – looking at what we do, how we do it, and more importantly, who we do it for.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th January 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Beach huts: chattels, leases, estoppel – Nearly Legal

Posted January 9th, 2018 in estoppel, gifts, housing, leases, news by sally

‘Gilpin and ors v Legg [2017] EWHC 3220 (Ch) is a gift (at least to land law examiners) that is going to keep on giving. This is not just because of the claims discussed – whether beach huts were fixtures or chattels, whether a lease had been granted to the owners of the huts, whether the landowner was estopped from obtaining possession, and even certain pleadings issues (the pleadings do seem to have been a little, erm, jejeune) – but also because HHJ Matthews (who I’m ashamed to say I haven’t come across) added his tuppenies to a couple of controversies, not least making some important observations on the correctness of the Supreme Court judgment in Berrisford v Mexfield. Part of the problem in the case was that the events which underpinned the various claims happened over many years, were oral, and, in some cases, involved transfers of title (the issues of which were neatly stepped over by the judge who referred to bona fide purchasers, so we might be dealing with unregistered land, a point not made clear).’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 8th January 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Self-proclaimed Nazi found guilty of stirring antisemitism in UK – The Guardian

Posted January 9th, 2018 in inciting religious hatred, news, speeches, threatening behaviour by sally

‘A self-proclaimed Nazi who claimed Britain took the wrong side in the second world war has been convicted of stirring racial hatred against Jewish people.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Abingdon vicar guilty of ‘spiritually abusing’ boy – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2018 in Church of England, clergy, disciplinary procedures, news, tribunals by sally

‘A Church of England vicar has been convicted by a tribunal of spiritually abusing a teenage boy.’

Full Story

BBC News, 8th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rape victim who overdosed on diet pills did not receive appropriate care because A&E was overcrowded, inquest hears – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 9th, 2018 in health, inquests, mental health, news, rape, suicide, victims by sally

‘A rape victim who sent a final text about overdosing on diet pills did not receive appropriate care because A&E was overcrowded, an inquest heard.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 8th January 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk