Too many offenders let off probation, inspectors say – BBC News

Posted January 12th, 2016 in community service, news, probation, reports, sentencing by sally

‘The way that offenders sentenced to unpaid community work in England and Wales are managed and supervised has been criticised by inspectors.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Deepcut recruit Cheryl James ‘may have been raped before she died’ – The Guardian

Posted January 12th, 2016 in armed forces, evidence, inquests, news, rape by sally

‘A teenage army recruit who was found dead at a British barracks more than 20 years ago may have been raped or ordered by a superior to have sex, an inquest has been told.’

Full story

The Guardian, 11th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New guidance for public bodies on FOI requests for information they intend to publish in future – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 11th, 2016 in codes of practice, disclosure, freedom of information, news, public interest by sally

‘Public bodies will find it harder to justify decisions to withhold information requested under freedom of information (FOI) laws on the basis that they intend to publish the material in future where no date has been set for that publication, according to newly issued guidance.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th January 2016

Source: out-law.com

Landlords in England get ready for right to rent – Home Office

‘Landlords in England are being reminded that there is less than a month to go before “right to rent” rules go live.’

Full press release

Home Office, 8th January 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Finance and Divorce Update January 2016 – Family Law Week

‘Edward Heaton, Principal Associate and Jane Booth, Associate, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during December 2015.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 8th January 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Dating website fraudsters jailed over £1.6m scam – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2016 in conspiracy, fraud, internet, news, sentencing by sally

‘Two men who conned a woman out of £1.6m by using a fictional character to contact her on a dating website have been jailed.’

Full story

BBC News, 8th January 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nearly 300 British veterans face investigation over alleged Iraq war crimes – The Guardian

‘Nearly 300 British personnel who served in Iraq have been contacted by investigators looking into allegations of war crimes, with some of them facing interrogation on their doorsteps, officials have said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Diplomats use Vienna Convention to fight London basement digout – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 11th, 2016 in appeals, diplomats, housing, news, planning, treaties by sally

‘An argument over an extension plan next door to the French embassy in London has gone global as an unlikely alliance of diplomats has formed, citing the 1961 Vienna Convention, in a bid to kill it off.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

City watchdog denies going soft on banks after dropping inquiry – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2016 in banking, financial regulation, inquiries, news, ombudsmen, tax avoidance by sally

‘The acting chief executive of the City watchdog has denied claims it has gone soft on banks following the decision to drop its inquiry into banking culture.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Traveller Movement condemns Met Police inquiry into racism as ‘a whitewash’ – The Independent

Posted January 11th, 2016 in appeals, complaints, inquiries, internet, news, ombudsmen, police, racism, travellers by sally

‘The Metropolitan Police is examining whether its staff need to change the way they engage with members of the two ethnic minority groups, despite its official investigation into the racism claims concluding without any officers being formally disciplined or charged.’

Full story

The Independent, 9th January 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Family judge criticised for not naming council that breached father’s rights – The Guardian

‘A family court judge has come under fire after refusing to name a council that violated a man’s parental rights by taking his four-year-old daughter into care without a proper investigation.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Too many people unfit to plead face criminal trials, says Law Commission – The Independent

Posted January 11th, 2016 in criminal justice, fitness to plead, Law Commission, mental health, news, trials by sally

‘Commission will tell Government legal tests to determine whether someone is mentally fit for trial are Victorian legacies.’

Full story

The Independent, 10th January 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Deliberately understating claim value to avoid higher court fees is an ‘abuse of process’, court rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 8th, 2016 in abuse of process, fees, law firms, limitations, negligence, news by sally

‘It was an “abuse of process” for individuals to deliberately understate the value of their claims against a law firm so that they could avoid paying higher court fees up front and issue their claims within the limitation period, the High Court has ruled.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 7th January 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Appeal court: profits from sale of ship should be treated as mitigation of loss from breach of contract – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 8th, 2016 in causation, charterparties, contracts, economic loss, news, shipping law by sally

‘A High Court judge “overcomplicated matters” by attempting to develop a set of principles governing whether the innocent party to a breach of contract should have its award of damages reduced to reflect a benefit it obtained from that breach of contract, an expert has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 8th January 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Taxi driver told to pay more than £9,000 in costs after losing council appeal – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 8th, 2016 in appeals, complaints, costs, licensing, news, taxis by sally

‘A taxi driver in Kent has been ordered to pay more than £9,000 in costs after losing an appeal against a council’s decision to suspend his licence.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 6th January 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

SRA asks: Are solicitors to blame for declining criminal advocacy standards? – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to research this year whether standards of criminal advocacy are declining and whether solicitors are to blame. As part of the research, the SRA said it would ask judges whether solicitor and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advocates were “working beyond their level of competence”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court finds abuse of process in how law firm sued fellow solicitors – Legal Futures

Posted January 8th, 2016 in abuse of process, fees, law firms, limitations, negligence, news by sally

‘The High Court has found a Newcastle law firm’s conduct an abuse of process after it repeatedly failed to pay the proper court fees when it issued claims.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

DPP: Controlling and coercive behaviour can “limit victims’ basic human rights” as new domestic abuse law introduced – Crown Prosecution Service

‘Domestic abusers who subject victims to controlling or coercive behaviour could face up to five years in jail under a new law which comes into force today (29 December 2015). The new legislation will mean the CPS can for the first time prosecute specific offences of domestic abuse if there is evidence of repeated, or continuous, controlling or coercive behaviour.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 29th December 2015

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

The Race to Court under EU Brussels II: A New Approach? – Family Law Week

Posted January 8th, 2016 in conflict of laws, divorce, EC law, news, service, time limits by sally

‘Stuart Clark, a solicitor at The International Family Law Group LLP, reports on a recent Irish case which could have important implications for the priority of divorce proceedings in international cases.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 8th January 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Dementia charity warned to take action over data protection failings – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 8th, 2016 in charities, data protection, mental health, news by sally

‘The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ordered The Alzheimer’s Society to take action or risk prosecution after finding serious failings in the way volunteers handled data about people who used the charity.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk