Bereavement damages: Unmarried Chorley woman wins legal fight – BBC News
‘A woman has won her legal battle for better rights for unmarried people who lose their long-term partners.’
BBC Mews, 28th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Cafcass launches ‘ground-breaking’ pilot scheme to crack down on parental alienation – Family Law
‘The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) is running a pilot scheme to bring an end to separated parents poisoning their child against the other parent. Parents who are guilty of manipulating their child in this way may have their child taken away from them and, in the most extreme cases, they may be denied contact.’
Family Law, 27th November 2017
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
Keir Starmer: make funding for women’s refuges mandatory – The Guardian
‘Keir Starmer, the shadow cabinet member and former chief prosecutor, has called for mandatory funding for refuges amid criticism over a shake-up of funding for women’s services.’
The Guardian, 27th November 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
SDT warns that revised dishonesty test could cause delays in trying solicitors – Legal Futures
‘The recent Supreme Court ruling that changed the test of dishonesty could cause delays and more hearings at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), its chief executive has warned.’
Legal Futures, 27th November 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Re-consultation for planning applications: how to do it – Charlotte Gilmartin – UK Human Rights Blog
‘The High Court has just ruled that the public should be reconsulted on a planning application which has been amended. Failure to do so may be procedurally unfair and therefore unlawful.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 28th November 2017
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
UK justice system failing defendants with mental health issues – charity – The Guardian
‘Specialist prosecutors should review all decisions to charge suspects with mental health vulnerabilities and the defence of insanity should be amended, a law reform charity has said.’
The Guardian, 27th November 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Can you draw a line between this case and Anisminic? – UK Human Rights Blog
‘As all lawyers know, the great case about courts confronting a no-go area for them is the late 1960’s case of Anisminic.’
UK Human Rights Blog, November 2017
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Coroners could get powers to probe stillbirths, in bid to tackle Britain’s poor maternity safety record – Daily Telegraph
‘Coroners should be granted powers to investigate stillbirths, in bid to prevent the number of “heartbreaking” blunders in childbirth, Jeremy Hunt will say today.’
Daily Telegraph, 27th November 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Boy, 17, found guilty of planning Isis-inspired attack on Cardiff concert – The Guardian
‘A teenager has been found guilty of planning an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack on a pop concert a month after the Manchester Arena bombing.’
The Guardian, 27th November 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Randox forensics inquiry: Police suspend drug-test contracts – BBC News
‘Police have suspended all contracts with a drug-testing company amid allegations of data manipulation.’
BBC News, 27th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products (Amendment) Regulations 2017
The Policing and Crime Act 2017 (Commencement No. 5 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2017
The Police (Conduct, Complaints and Misconduct and Appeal Tribunal) (Amendment) Regulations 2017
The Police Barred List and Police Advisory List Regulations 2017
The Town and Country Planning (Operation Stack) Special Development (Amendment) Order 2017
The Credit Unions Act 1979 (Locality Common Bond Conditions) Order 2017
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
Court rejects call by council for pensions set-off from officer convicted of fraud – Local Government Lawyer
‘The High Court has rejected a London borough’s bid to set off the pension benefits of a former senior finance officer who defrauded the council.’
Local Government Lawyer, 24th November 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Dodgy drug test results – what should I do? – Transparency Project
‘On 21 November the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal’s Service issued advice for those concerned about potentially unreliable forensic toxicology (drug) tests in some family cases. The advice also relates to criminal trials, but this post looks at the issue for people who have been involved with a family court case and who are worried that the test results may have been dodgy.’
Transparency Project, 23rd November 2017
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
English courts committed to high-quality commercial litigation throughout the country, says expert – OUT-LAW.com
‘Comments around the launch of the Business and Property Courts (BPC) underline the judicial service’s commitment to high-quality commercial litigation regardless of where a case is filed in England and Wales, an expert has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 23rd November 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
’Irrelevant’ criminal record checks harm ex-offenders’ job hopes – The Guardian
‘The criminal records system is hampering the rehabilitation of ex-offenders, according to new figures. Nearly three quarters of the million or so convictions revealed to employers each year in criminal records checks are more than a decade old. Only around 5,000 – one in 197 – are considered relevant to a person’s job application.’
The Guardian, 25th November 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Drone users will be forced to sit safety tests as number of near misses with planes increases by 60 per cent – Daily Telegraph
‘Drone users will be forced to sit safety tests under a government clampdown after near misses with planes have increased by 60 per cent in a year.’
Daily Telegraph, 26th November 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
District wins first ever judicial review challenge to decision of planning inspector – Local Government Lawyer
‘Tendring District Council has won its first ever judicial review challenge over a decision of a planning inspector.’
Local Government Lawyer, November 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Gig economy reform – how to balance innovation and the protection of workers – Technology Law Update
‘The position of workers in the gig economy, those on zero hours contracts and agency workers has been the focus of political attention recently. While these models provide valuable flexibility to businesses, especially those using innovative technology like using an app or a website to hire someone for a particular task, they can leave individuals with insecure incomes and future prospects, and unprotected from exploitative companies. They can also leave the most responsible businesses at a disadvantage.’
Technology Law Update, 23rd November 2017
Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk
No overcrowding link to prison suicide, study suggests – BBC News
‘There is no clear link between prison suicides and overcrowding behind bars, an international study has suggested.’
BBC News, 25th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Electronic tag misuse inquiry leads to 29 people charged – BBC News
‘Two former staff at the Electronic Monitoring Service (EMS) are among 29 people charged after an inquiry into the misuse of tags fitted on offenders.’
BBC News, 27th November 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
