Consultation on changing legal gender to be launched – BBC News
‘The UK government is considering plans to make the process of changing legal gender easier.’
BBC News, 23rd July 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Ministers ‘undermined law’ over Iraq war crimes allegations – The Guardian
‘The government has been accused of undermining the rule of law by putting pressure on an independent regulator in its action against a legal firm pursuing claims of human rights abuses involving British troops in Iraq.’
The Guardian, 22nd July 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Council victorious in appeal over sex shop licensing fees – OUT-LAW.com
‘Westminster City Council can recover “reasonable” licensing fees and enforcement costs charged to various sex shops in Soho, London, even though these fees were later found to be in breach of an EU directive, the UK’s highest court has ruled.’
OUT-LAW.com, 21st July 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
Brexit: what happens to international litigation? – OUP Blog
‘At the present time, a large range of civil proceedings, especially in the commercial area, are governed by an EU measure, the Brussels I Regulation (Recast) of 2012. This applies whenever the defendant is domiciled in another EU country, whenever there is a choice-of-court agreement designating a court in the EU, and whenever an EU Member State has exclusive jurisdiction over a particular matter, for example title to land or registered intellectual-property rights. The Regulation also applies to the recognition and enforcement of judgments between different EU States.’
OUP Blog, 24th July 2017
Source: blog.oup.com
Cant Pay – Nearly Legal
‘It is rare, if we are entirely honest, for a First Tier Tribunal decision on service charges to be exciting. It is even rarer for there to be mystery and police raids, and “Immunity from Treason” notices, and debts of “Trillions of pounds”, and something called an ‘equity lawyer’. Yet here they all are, and more, in what on the face of it was a dispute over annual service charges of about £1200.’
Nearly Legal, 23rd July 2017
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
Celebrate Lady Hale – then make the senior judiciary more diverse – The Guardian
‘Brenda Hale’s appointment as president of the UK supreme court is a landmark. But the highest echelons of the legal profession still need change.’
The Guardian, 23rd July 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Dog attack powers ‘not being used’ – BBC News
‘Powers introduced to curb dog attacks are not being used by the authorities, a Freedom of Information request by the Victoria Derbyshire show suggests.’
BBC News, 24th July 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Gay men to be allowed to give blood three months after sex – The Guardian
‘Blood donation restrictions for gay men and sex workers are to be relaxed in England and Scotland under a series of equalities reforms announced by the government. Gay men will be allowed to donate blood three months after sexual intercourse instead of a year. Sex workers, who were previously banned from donating, will be subject to the same three-month rule.’
The Guardian, 23rd July 2017
Source: www.theguardian.com
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
The Child Abduction and Custody (Parties to Conventions) (Amendment) Order 2017
The Fire and Rescue Services (Appointment of Inspector) (England) (Revocation) Order 2017
The Value Added Tax (Place of Supply of Services) (Telecommunication Services) Order 2017
The Charities (Shakespeare Birthplace Trust) Order 2017
The Occupational Pension Schemes (Charges and Governance) (Amendment) Regulations 2017
The Protection of Wrecks (Designation) (England) Order 2017
The Home Loss Payments (Prescribed Amounts) (England) Regulations 2017
The Childcare (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2017
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
Lady Hale appointed next President of Supreme Court, alongside three new Justices – Supreme Court
‘Baroness Hale of Richmond will succeed Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury as President of the UK Supreme Court, it was announced today, alongside three additional appointments to the UK’s top appeal court.’
Supreme Court, 21st July 2017
Source: www.supremecourt.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Capita (Banstead 2011) Ltd & Anor v RFIB Group Ltd [2017] EWCA Civ 1032 (20 July 2017)
The Secretary of State for the Home Department v SU [2017] EWCA Civ 1069 (20 July 2017)
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
PF v R [2017] EWCA Crim 983 (20 July 2017)
Jurecka & Ors v R [2017] EWCA Crim 1007 (18 July 2017)
High Court (Administrative Court)
Annon v The Nursing And Midwifery Council [2017] EWHC 1879 (Admin) (21 July 2017)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Birdi & Anor v Price & Anor [2017] EWHC 1859 (Ch) (20 July 2017)
The Co-Operative Bank Plc v Hayes Freehold Ltd & Ors [2017] EWHC 1820 (Ch) (20 July 2017)
High Court (Commercial Court)
Source: www.bailii.org
Daniella Lock: Questions Regarding Judicial Deference in R (Campaign Against the Arms Trade) v Secretary of State for International Trade – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘Last week, the High Court rejected a claim for judicial review, brought by the NGO “Campaign Against the Arms Trade” against the Secretary of State for International Trade, regarding the exporting of arms to Saudi Arabia. The judges presiding over the case were Lord Justice Burnett and Mr Justice Haddon-Cave. It is argued here that there are several important questions to be asked about the approach to judicial deference taken in this case. They relate to the ‘behind-the-scenes’ role that deference may have played in the judges’ approach to complex factual material in this case, and the extent to which further clarity, as to the treatment of such material in future cases, may be desirable.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th July 2017
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
The clash between open justice and one’s good name – UK Human Rights Blog
‘Khuja (formerly known as PNM) v. Times Newspapers [2017] UKSC 49, Supreme Court. The outcome of this case is summed up in its title, an unsuccessful attempt to retain anonymity in press reporting. It is a stark instance of how someone involved in investigations into very serious offences cannot suppress any allegations which may have surfaced in open court, even though no prosecution was ever brought against them.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 20th July 2017
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Westminster Council wins Hemming appeal at the Supreme Court – Local Government Lawyer
‘The City of Westminster Council has won a key victory at the Supreme Court in the long-running battle over the level of fees that local authorities can charge licensed premises.’
Local Government Lawyer, 20th July 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Jackson urges solicitors to sort out accidental disclosure of privileged material between themselves – Litigation Futures
‘Litigators should sort out the inadvertent disclosure of privileged documents in a grown-up manner without taking up the time of the court, the Court of Appeal has ruled as it granted an order to delete a privileged email that had been accidentally handed over.’
Litigation Futures, 20th July 2017
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Judges “left uneasy” by professionals challenging regulators as litigants in person – Legal Futures
‘Judges are “left uneasy” by professionals presenting their own challenges to regulators as litigants in person (LIPs) and ignoring the “best points” available to them, the High Court has heard.’
Legal futures, 21st July 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Rogue builder jailed for tricking homeowners out of thousands of pounds – Crown Prosecution Service
‘A rogue builder who tricked homeowners out of hundreds of thousands of pounds has today (20th July) been jailed for fraud.’
Crown Prosecution Service, 20th July 2017
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
Wolverhampton father who planned fatal robbery will spend longer in prison – Attorney General’s Office
‘Robber to spend another 4 and a half years in prison following Attorney General referral to Court of Appeal.’
Attorney General's Office, 20th July 2017
Source: www.gov.uk
Family of Deepcut soldier can apply for fresh inquest – Attorney General’s Office
‘Attorney General gives consent for the family of Private Geoff Gray to apply to the High Court for a fresh inquest into his death.’
Attorney General's Office, 21st July 2017
Source: www.gov.uk
