David Cameron rules out slavery reparation during Jamaica visit – BBC News

‘David Cameron has ruled out making reparations for Britain’s role in the historic slave trade and urged Caribbean countries to “move on”.’

Full story

BBC News, 30th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Criminal courts charge introducing plea-bargaining ‘through back door’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The government’s criminal court charge could be introducing plea-bargaining through the back door, a leading thinktank has warned.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 1st October 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Punitive court fines ‘undermine respect for the law’ – The Guardian

‘The imposition of mandatory, punitive fines in English and Welsh criminal courts has undermined respect for the law and introduced US-style plea bargaining that results in false convictions, an influential legal thinktank has warned.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

London borough secures lifting of suspension of award of CCTV contract – Local Government Lawyer

‘A London borough has successfully applied to the High Court to have lifted an automatic suspension under procurement regulations of the award of a contract for a road traffic CCTV system.’
Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 30th September 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ex-BA flight attendant sues G4S after witnessing death of Jimmy Mubenga – The Guardian

Posted October 1st, 2015 in airlines, news, post-traumatic stress disorder, unlawful killing, witnesses by sally

‘A former British Airways flight attendant is suing G4S for more than £100,000 after witnessing the death of Jimmy Mubenga, a deportee who suffocated while being restrained by security guards employed by the firm.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Revised Rehab Code introduces “streamlined” process for low-value claims – Litigation Futures

Posted October 1st, 2015 in codes of practice, insurance, news, personal injuries, rehabilitation by sally

‘The updated Rehabiliation Code is set to come into operation on 1 December and for the first time includes a separate section for lower-value claims in recognition of the need for a more streamlined process in cases worth less than £25,000.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 30th September 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Independent review shows Bar regulator’s complaints handling process is operating well – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 1st, 2015 in barristers, complaints, news, reports by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board’s complaints handling process is working well, according to a new report published today by the regulator’s Independent Observer.’

Full story

Bar Standards Board, 25th September 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Barrister who dodged rail fares into London for two years avoids prison – The Guardian

Posted October 1st, 2015 in barristers, fraud, news, railways, recidivists, sentencing, suspended sentences by sally

‘A barrister who avoided paying thousands of pounds in rail fares for more than two and a half years has been spared prison.’

Full story

The Guardian, 30th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Car smoking ban comes into force – BBC News

Posted October 1st, 2015 in children, fines, news, smoking by sally

‘A law banning smoking in vehicles carrying children has come into force in England and Wales.’

Full story

BBC News, 1st October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK consults on ‘improvements’ to environmental costs protection rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 1st, 2015 in consultations, costs, EC law, environmental protection, news by sally

‘The UK government has begun a preliminary consultation on changes to the costs protection rules in environmental cases in England and Wales. The Environmental Costs Protection Regime is designed to ensure that it is not “prohibitively expensive” for campaigners and members of the public to challenge the decisions of public bodies. Improvements to the regime are needed to address concerns raised by the European Commission over the UK’s approach to the rules, particularly the fact that they do not take into account challengers’ individual financial circumstances. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) upheld the Commission’s case in February 2014.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 30th September 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Judge rejects call to give life-saving treatment against opposition of patient – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 1st, 2015 in appeals, consent, health, medical treatment, news by sally

‘A Court of Protection judge has ruled that it would be unlawful for an NHS trust to carry out life-saving treatment against the patient’s opposition.’
Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 1st October 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

SRA asks public for help in how it should judge solicitors’ behaviour – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) yesterday launched a massive public opinion poll to help it determine the correct baseline of solicitors’ behaviour on which it should base regulatory decisions.’
Full story

Legal Futures, 1st October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

US-style class actions introduced in UK – BBC News

Posted October 1st, 2015 in class actions, compensation, competition, consumer protection, news, tribunals by sally

‘A newly introduced law allows British courts to hear US-style class actions – where one or several people sue on behalf of a much larger group.’

Full story

BBC News, 1st October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Part 3 of the 2015 Immigration Bill – enforcement – Free Movement

Posted October 1st, 2015 in bills, crime, documents, enforcement, evidence, immigration, news, stop and search by sally

‘Part 3 of the Immigration Bill gives a host of new, wide powers to immigration officers.

A person with leave to enter arrives in at the airport. Schedule 19(1) and (2) – the first section of Part 3 – gives immigration officers the power to curtail leave, rather to simply determine whether leave has been given and act accordingly. So someone arriving in the UK even with the appropriate leave will now have a lingering uncertainty as to whether they will be allowed in. This is likely to affect few migrants, but is indicative of the greater powers given to immigration officers throughout the Bill.’

Full story

Free Movement, 1st October 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Right to 30-day refund becomes law – BBC News

Posted October 1st, 2015 in consumer protection, news by sally

‘New consumer protection measures – including longer refund rights – have come into force under the Consumer Rights Act.’
Full story

BBC News, 1st October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK e-cigarette firm fights EU vaping laws in European court – The Guardian

Posted October 1st, 2015 in EC law, health, news, regulations, smoking by sally

‘A British company is taking its challenge against EU proposals on e-cigarette production, sales and marketing to the European court of justice.’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

EVENT: The Ninth Annual Hart Judicial Review Conference

Posted September 30th, 2015 in Forthcoming events by sally

‘Hart Publishing is pleased to invite you to the ninth annual Hart Judicial Review Conference. The conference promises to be of extremely high quality, with an excellent chair and panel of speakers dedicated to analysing developments in Judicial Review in 2015.’

Date: 11th December 2015, 8.45am-5.00pm

Location: The Cavendish Conference Centre, 22 Duchess Mews, London, W1G 9DT

Charge: DELEGATE FEE – £380 + £76 VAT*= £456, EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT – 15% off bookings made by 23rd October
£323 + £65 VAT*= £388

More information can be found here.

Civil court fee increases a ‘serious own goal’ – City lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 30th, 2015 in civil justice, consultations, courts, dispute resolution, fees, news by sally

‘Further civil court fee increases could force international businesses to take their legal work outside the UK, City lawyers have warned.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 29th September 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Deport first, appeal later–the effects explained – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Deport first, appeal later is part of the current strategy to cut net migration. As set out in the Immigration Bill 2015-16, the rule has been extended to all immigration appeals and judicial reviews, including where a so-called family life is involved, apart from asylum claims.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 30th September 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Jayden Parkinson: Police employee cleared of misconduct – BBC News

Posted September 30th, 2015 in murder, news, ombudsmen, police, professional conduct by sally

‘A Thames Valley Police employee has “no case to answer” for misconduct over the investigation into the disappearance of Jayden Parkinson, watchdogs said.’

Full story

BBC News, 30th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk