Changes to fine levels for speeding – Sentencing Council
‘New sentencing guidelines for magistrates come into force on 24 April 2017 following their publication earlier this year.’
Sentencing Council, 20th April 2017
High Court ruling on meaning of ‘lack of integrity’ to cause SRA and other regulators problems – Legal Futures
‘The High Court ruling last week that said a lack of integrity on the part of a solicitor is the same as dishonesty could cause regulators real problems when prosecuting cases where they are not sure they have enough to establish dishonesty, it has been claimed.’
Legal Futures, 21st April 2017
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Prisons and Courts Bill scrapped – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Legislation that would radically change the personal injury market and overhaul the courts has been dropped in the runup to the general election.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 20th April 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Home Office scraps ‘insufficient evidence’ notification – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Suspects in criminal investigations will no longer be told by police they do not face any charges because of “insufficient evidence” the government has announced. It was responding to concerns that the phrase would cause an individual’s innocence to be questioned by the public and the media.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 21st April 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Finance and Divorce Update April 2017 – Family Law Week
‘Sue Brookes, Senior Associate with Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during March 2017.’
Family Law Week, 20th April 2017
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Children wait 100 days longer than adults for sexual abuse investigations to go to court, figures show – The Independent
‘Child sex abuse victims are waiting 100 days longer than adults for their cases to go to court, a report has found, prompting calls for more to be done to give underage victims access to the support they desperately need.’
The Independent, 20th April 2017
source: www.independent.co.uk
Seven men jailed for total of 92 years for ATM explosion raids – The Guardian
‘A gang of seven men that caused explosions at cash machines around England and Scotland has been jailed for a total of 92 years.’
The Guardian, 20th April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Probate fees: Planned increase scrapped ahead of election – BBC News
‘Controversial plans to raise the legal fees payable after death are to be scrapped ahead of the general election.
Probate fees had been due to rise from £155 or £215 to up to £20,000 for some estates in England and Wales from May.
The Ministry of Justice said there was now not enough time for the legislation – dubbed a “stealth death tax” by critics – to go through Parliament.’
BBC News, 21st April 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
London residents overlooked by Tate Modern extension suing gallery for breach of human rights – The Independent
‘Residents in a block of multi-million pound flats overlooked by a Tate Modern viewing platform are suing the gallery, arguing that their human rights are being breached by “near constant surveillance”.’
The Independent, 20th April 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Police used as ‘first resort’ for mental health care, watchdog warns – BBC News
‘Police forces in England and Wales are increasingly being used as the “first resort” for dealing with people who have mental health problems, a watchdog has warned.’
BBC News, 20th April 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Dangerous extremists to be separated from mainstream prison population – Ministry of Justice
‘Three separation centres are being created and will form part of the wider government strategy to tackle extremism in prisons.’
Ministry of Justice, 21st April 2017
Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
Extremist prisoners to be held in ‘separation centres’ inside jails – The Guardian
‘Plans to house up to 28 of the most dangerous extremist prisoners in England and Wales in three “separation centres” away from mainstream prisoners are to go ahead, the Ministry of Justice has announced.’
The Guardian, 21st April 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Couple staged their baby’s death on London bus after months of physical abuse – The Independent
‘A couple who staged the death of their premature baby on a London bus are facing a lengthy prison sentence after being found guilty at a trial at the Old Bailey.’
The Independent, 20th April 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Crawley cinema acid attack: Man jailed for eight years – BBC News
‘A man who threw sulphuric acid into the face of a shop worker outside a cinema has been jailed for eight years.’
BBC News, 19th April 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
The Collection of Fines etc. (Northern Ireland Consequential Amendments) Order 2017
The British Nationality (Maldives) Order 2017
The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017
The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Prescribed Police Stations) Regulations 2017
The Civil Courts (Amendment) Order 2017
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
Compensation following fatal stabbing: Human rights and the CICA: “Double Recovery” not allowed – Zenith PI Blog
‘The decision of the Upper Tribunal in VG -v- CICA [2017] UKUT 0049 (AAC) is important reading for anyone involved in advising in fatal claims. In essence a High Court action was rendered valueless because the damages awarded were offset by the CICA. It shows the need to think long and hard before issuing civil proceedings when there may be an easier (and cheaper) alternative of an application under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.’
Zenith PI Blog, 19th April 2017
Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com
Supreme Court dismisses media publishers’ appeals against costs awards – OUT-LAW.com
‘The UK’s highest court has dismissed the appeals of three media publishers against costs orders made against them by High Court judges in separate libel and privacy cases.’
OUT-LAW.com, 18th April 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
Being British is one thing – proving it is another – Legal Voice
‘In the wake of post-Brexit fears for the future of EU citizens in the UK, lawyers should be aware that many of these children are already British, or can become citizens by right, write Solange Valdez-Symonds and Steve Valdez-Symonds.’
Legal Voice, 19th April 2017
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
Jeff King: May’s Gambit – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘Theresa May has deftly launched a gambit to get around the core purpose of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 – and all signs are that it will succeed without delay. The purpose of that Act (for a tidy summary of resources see here) was to stop prime ministers from calling an election at a time that suited the Government’s rather than the country’s political future. The Coalition Government formed between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in 2010 gave effect to the insistence by the Liberal Democrats that legislation put an end to the Prime Minister’s power to call an election at will. The Act prescribes five year periods between elections, alterable only by (1) the passing by the House of Commons of a motion of non-confidence without subsequent withdrawal, or (2) the passing by the House of Commons of a motion calling for an early election by a majority of two-thirds. The election that follows an early election will occur in May of the fifth calendar year following the early election.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 19th April 2017
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
Judge dismisses challenge after minister rejects recommendation of inspector – Local Government Lawyer
‘A judge has dismissed all seven grounds on which a developer sought to challenge the Community Secretary’s decision to reject a planning inspector’s recommendation.’
Local Government Lawyer, 20th April 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
