Legal aid cuts: MoJ puts brakes on changes as solicitors revolt – The Independent

Posted November 16th, 2015 in budgets, law firms, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news, tenders by sally

‘Moves to overhaul the legal-aid system have been delayed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the face of more than 100 challenges from solicitors’ firms who claim the whole process is fundamentally flawed.’

Full story

The Independent, 15th November 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Gayle Newland sentence sets a dangerous precedent for transgender rights – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 16th, 2015 in news, rape, sentencing by sally

‘The trial of a woman who used a dildo to pose as a man exposes legal confusion about just what you can conceal from your lovers ‘

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Daily Telegraph, 13th November 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jeremy Clarkson and BBC sued for racial discrimination by Top Gear producer – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2015 in media, news, personal injuries, race discrimination by sally

‘The Top Gear producer verbally and physically attacked by Jeremy Clarkson is suing the BBC and the former presenter of the BBC2 motoring show for more than £100,000 for racial discrimination and personal injury.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Suspension for barrister who appeared in court without practising certificate – Legal Futures

Posted November 16th, 2015 in barristers, disciplinary procedures, news by sally

‘A Bar disciplinary tribunal has suspended barrister Martin Wynne Jones for three months for representing clients in court without a practising certificate.’

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Legal Futures, 13th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Judge vows to end secrecy in baby death case – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 16th, 2015 in children, homicide, inquests, misfeasance in public office, news, police by sally

‘Judge says new hearing will allow public to know about “troubling circumstances” of Poppi Worthington’s death.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th November 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

DNR order ‘violated disabled man’s human rights’ – BBC News

‘A ‘do not resuscitate’ (DNR) order put on a disabled man’s records without consulting his mother breached his human rights, the High Court has ruled.’

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BBC News, 13th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gamekeeper’s environmental Aarhus claim to shoot buzzards? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘An interesting point arose in this judicial review (for which see Rosalind English’s post here). Could the claimant get the benefit of an order that any costs he might have had to pay were capped at £5,000? The original judge, Thirlwall J, when granting permission, had refused this costs protection. Ouseley J granted it, though, because the claimant won, the order is academic (short of a successful appeal by the defendant). ‘

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UK Human Rights Blog, 14th November 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Why your in-laws want you to sign a prenuptial agreement – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2015 in families, news, prenuptial agreements by sally

‘Prenups are growing in popularity, as parents worry that their contribution to a child’s house deposit will be half-inched by a wayward partner.’

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The Guardian, 15th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government loses ‘pollutant of publicity’ FOI case – BBC News

Posted November 16th, 2015 in freedom of information, government departments, news by sally

‘The Cabinet Office has lost a tribunal case where it argued that publicly revealing how often a cabinet committee meets would harm the workings of government by introducing the “pollutant of publicity”.’

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BBC News, 16th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ex-prison officer found guilty of leaking stories to Daily Mirror – The Guardian

Posted November 13th, 2015 in media, misfeasance in public office, news, prison officers by sally

‘A former prison officer from top security HMP Belmarsh has been found guilty of leaking stories about celebrity inmates to the Daily Mirror over six years.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Nathan Matthews and Shauna Hoare jailed for Becky Watts killing – BBC News

Posted November 13th, 2015 in homicide, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘Becky Watts’ stepbrother and his girlfriend have been jailed for killing the 16-year-old during a sexually-motivated kidnap plot. Nathan Matthews, 28, was sentenced to 33 years for murder and Shauna Hoare, 21, given 17 years for manslaughter.’

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BBC News, 13th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Eviction and High Court Enforcement – Nearly Legal

Posted November 13th, 2015 in county courts, enforcement, news, repossession, transfer of proceedings by sally

‘A couple of recent cases have highlighted the issues involved in transferring County Court possession orders to the High Court for enforcement by High Court Enforcement Officers.’

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Nearly Legal, 13th November 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Qader & Ors v Esure Services Ltd (Birmingham CC – 15/10/15) – Fixed Recoverable Costs Apply In Some Multi Track Claims – Zenith PI

Posted November 13th, 2015 in accidents, costs, fraud, news, road traffic by sally

‘In this case, HHJ David Grant had to decide whether or not fixed recoverable costs applied to a claim that started out in the portal but was subsequently allocated to the multi-track.’

Full story

Zenith PI, 13th December 2015

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

When two into one won’t go – High Court allows limited separate representation of co-claimants – Litigation Futures

Posted November 13th, 2015 in costs, law firms, legal representation, news by sally

‘A mother and her children who were separately represented as claimants in a long-running case are entitled to the costs of two sets of solicitors up to a point, the High Court has ruled.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 12th November 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Ruling on interim costs payment reveals judge’s proportionality concern – Litigation Futures

Posted November 13th, 2015 in costs, law firms, negligence, news, proportionality by sally

‘A claimant law firm has been given a major shot across the bows over its costs claim in a clinical negligence case after a High Court judge heavily reduced the sum its client sought as payment on account of costs, on the grounds of both proportionality and necessity.’

Full story

Litgiation Futures, 13th November 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

CA adds extra negligence finding and £375k damages on top of High Court’s £1.6m Withers ruling – Legal Futures

Posted November 13th, 2015 in damages, drafting, law firms, limited liability partnerships, negligence, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has made an additional finding of negligence against leading London law firm Withers over its drafting of an LLP agreement and increased the £1.6m in damages awarded in the High Court by a further £375,000.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 12th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Conveyancing solicitors acting for both sides must report crucial details to lenders, appeal judges rule – Legal Futures

Posted November 13th, 2015 in conveyancing, disclosure, mortgages, news, solicitors, valuation by sally

‘Solicitors acting for both sides in property transactions are under a duty to disclose crucial details to lenders, the Court of Appeal has ruled..’

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Legal Futures, 13th November 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

A modern legal framework for protecting and managing wildlife – Law Commission

Posted November 13th, 2015 in environmental protection, news, reports, statute law revision by sally

‘In a report published on Tuesday 10 November the Law Commission recommends reforms to modernise and simplify the law regulating wildlife and create a flexible legal framework for the future.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 10th November 2015

Source: www.justice.gov.uk/lawcommission

Sir Brian Leveson: Security and Justice – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Sir Brian Leveson, President of the Queen’s Bench Division gave the 13th Annual Isaiah Berlin Lecture in London on 12 November 2015.’

Full text

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 13th November 2015

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Samuels v Birmingham City Council – WLR Daily

Posted November 13th, 2015 in benefits, homelessness, housing, law reports, remuneration by sally

Samuels v Birmingham City Council: [2015] EWCA Civ 1051; [2015] WLR (D) 435

‘For the purposes of a person’s application for housing assistance as a homeless person, where a local authority was determining whether that person’s previous accommodation was affordable for that person and therefore whether it would be, or would have been, reasonable for that person to continue to occupy that accommodation, the local authority was to take into account all forms of the person’s income, including social security benefits of all kinds, and of relevant expenses, so that a judgment was to be made on the basis of income and relevant expenses as a whole. Benefits income, including income support, child tax credits and child benefit, was not to have any special status or treatment in that exercise or to be excluded from income which could be taken into account as income which could assist with housing costs.’

WLR Daily, 27th October 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk