Judge who spared aspiring Oxford student from jail after she stabbed her partner is cleared following investigation into three complaints – Daily Telegraph

‘A judge who spared an aspiring Oxford University student from jail after she stabbed her boyfriend has been investigated over three complaints relating to the case.’

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Daily Telegraph, 29th September 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Revealed: BSB set to expand price transparency obligation beyond public access to referral Bar – Legal Futures

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will say today that new rules on publishing prices should extend to referral barristers as well as those handling public access work.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd October 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Electoral Commission urged to reconsider view on Vote Leave spending – The Guardian

Posted October 2nd, 2017 in elections, judicial review, news, referendums, third parties by sally

‘The Electoral Commission is to be challenged in court to reopen its investigation into £625,000 of spending that eventually reached a digital marketing company during the EU referendum last year.’

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The Guardian, 29th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Animal cruelty sentences to rise to five years in prison – BBC News

Posted October 2nd, 2017 in animal cruelty, devolution issues, imprisonment, news, sentencing by sally

‘People in England who commit the most serious crimes of animal cruelty could face up to five years in prison, the government has said.’

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BBC News, 30th September 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

British courts may unlock secrets of how Trump campaign profiled US voters – The Guardian

Posted October 2nd, 2017 in data protection, foreign jurisdictions, internet, news, privacy by sally

‘Legal mechanism may help academic expose how Big Data firms like Cambridge Analytica and Facebook get their information.’

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The Guardian, 1st October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Blind burglar jailed for his 192nd offence after leading police on chase from school raid into river – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 2nd, 2017 in burglary, disabled persons, imprisonment, news, police, sentencing by sally

‘A blind burglar has been jailed for his 192nd offence after leading police on a chase from school raid into a river.’

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Daily Telegraph, 1st October 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Sex abuse victims ‘failed’ by criminal payout scheme – BBC News

‘The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is to be investigated over concerns it is failing child sex abuse victims, the Victims’ Commissioner has told 5 live Investigates.’

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BBC News, 1st October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

DNA in the dock: how flawed techniques send innocent people to prison – The Guardian

Posted October 2nd, 2017 in criminal justice, DNA, evidence, forensic science, news by sally

‘Many juries believe crime-scene DNA evidence is watertight – but this is far from the case. As forensic technology gets ever more sophisticated, experts are only just realising how difficult interpreting the evidence can be.’

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The Guardian, 2nd October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

An Oxford medical student stabbed her boyfriend with a bread knife. So why did she not go to prison? – The Secret Barrister

‘Lavinia Woodward, the 24-year old Oxford student who pleaded guilty to stabbing her boyfriend with a bread knife, was sentenced yesterday at Oxford Crown Court for unlawful wounding. The case caused a splash back in May when, having entered her plea, the defendant was told by the judge that she was unlikely to receive an immediate custodial sentence, in part due to her promising medical career. Thus was born the tale of the rich, blonde, white Oxford student who was “too clever” to be sent to prison. “Too clever” appears in all headlines in quotation marks, notwithstanding that no-one in court, not least the judge, ever used these words; rather this is one of the those splendid auto-generated media myths, where one tabloid shorthand was adopted by all until everyone came to accept that these words must have been said.’

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The Secret Barrister, 26th September 2017

Source: thesecretbarrister.com

House of Lords committee to look into need for Brexit transition deal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 29th, 2017 in brexit, EC law, inquiries, international relations, news, select committees, speeches, treaties by sally

‘A House of Lords committee is to examine the legal basis for, and potential costs to the UK of, a time-limited Brexit transitional period.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th September 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Supreme Court to hear appeal against defective service ruling in law firm negligence case – Litigation Futures

‘The Supreme Court will hear an appeal in November by a litigant in person over the defective service of a negligence claim against a Midlands law firm, it has been confirmed.’

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Litigation Futures, 29th September 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Press watchdog’s future in doubt after chief’s anti-Mail tweets – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2017 in internet, judicial review, media, news, professional conduct, publishing, reports, standards by sally

‘The future of the only government-approved press watchdog, Impress, is in doubt after an internal report concluded that its chief executive had brought the organisation into disrepute and that his position would be untenable if the Daily Mail and the Sun had applied to join.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Legal Services Board told not to force lower disciplinary standard of proof “through the back door” – Legal Futures

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has been warned against trying to force the introduction of the civil standard of proof in the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) without proper consultation.’

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Legal Futures, 29th September 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lavinia Woodward: Sentencing judge investigated – BBC News

Posted September 29th, 2017 in complaints, judges, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by sally

‘A judge who spared an Oxford University student jail after she stabbed her boyfriend is being investigated.’

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BBC News, 28th September 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman’s murder in care home could have been prevented, inquiry finds – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2017 in autism, care homes, mental health, murder, news, social services by sally

‘The murder of an 18-year-old woman by a fellow resident at a care home who had previously attempted to strangle other women was both predictable and preventable, a serious case review has found.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Man jailed for spraying ammonia in taxi driver’s face in Newcastle – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2017 in grievous bodily harm, hazardous substances, imprisonment, news, sentencing, wounding by sally

‘A man who sprayed ammonia in a taxi driver’s face has been jailed for more than four years.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted September 28th, 2017 in legislation by sally

The Immigration Act 2014 (Current Accounts) (Freezing Orders: Code of Practice) Regulations 2017

The Immigration Act 2016 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2017

The Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2017

The Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2017

The Proscribed Organisations (Name Change) (No. 2) Order 2017

The Energy Act 2016 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitory Provision) Regulations 2017

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted September 28th, 2017 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

High Court (Administrative Court)

High Court (Chancery Division)

High Court (Commercial Court)

High Court (Family Division)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Source: www.bailii.org

Domestic Abuse – revised guidance issued – what does it say?- Transparency Project

Posted September 28th, 2017 in domestic violence, family courts, news, practice directions by sally

‘Children at risk of psychogical or physical abuse must not have contact with parent, judges told (sic)

This was the headline in The Times that arose from the publication by the President of the Family Division of a revised Practice Direction 12J (PD12J). PD12J is the part of the family court rules that sets out how the court should deal with allegations of domestic abuse.’

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Transparency Project, 24th September 2017

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Council agrees to review 500+ benefit applications after tribunal appeal delays – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 28th, 2017 in appeals, benefits, delay, news, social security, tribunals by sally

‘A city council has agreed to review more than 500 benefit applications after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found delays in its appeals process.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk