Heathfield man who mixed explosives in coffee grinder sentenced – BBC News
‘A man who had so many homemade fireworks he could have blown up his house has been given a suspended sentence.’
BBC News, 5th June 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Pembroke Dock child abuser, 75, jailed for life – BBC News
‘A 75-year-old Pembrokeshire man who abused three children over a 15-year period has been jailed for life.’
BBC News, 5th June 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
The Independent Guide to the UK Constitution: What everyone should know about the most explosive political issue of our time – The Independent
‘The UK’s democratic liberties are the envy of the world. They are also precarious. We have no written constitution, and the unwritten traditions on which we rely instead are increasingly being called into question. Human rights, the monarchy, Europe, the sovereignty of Parliament, the formation of governments – are there any first principles on which we can agree? On the eve of the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, Andy McSmith kicks off a week-long series on a subject of vital national importance’.’
The Independent, 7th June 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Divorcee Michelle Young to be sued over financing of bitter legal battle – Daily Telegraph
‘Saga of divorce battle takes extraordinary new twist as financial backers plan to sue her for breach of contract.’
Daily Telegraph, 7th June 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Mark Duggan’s family lead call for a public inquiry into UK policing – The Guardian
‘Mark Duggan’s family, relatives of other black men killed in custody, and one of the UK’s most senior black lawyers have called for a public inquiry into policing in Britain.’
The Guardian, 7th June 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Plastic surgeons must give patients chance to change mind, says General Medical Council – The Independent
‘Cosmetic procedure patients should be given a cooling-off period before going under the knife, according to the latest guidance by the General Medical Council (GMC).’
The Independent, 8th June 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
EVENT: IALS – “Planning legislation: merely consolidated or completely overhauled?”
‘Speaker: Charles Mynors, Barrister (Francis Taylor Building)
There are now around 60 statutes in force dealing with town planning and related matters. It might seem to be obviously attractive to undertake a massive consolidation exercise. But how far should it go? What should be included? Should the new statutes codify principles developed by the courts clarifying the meaning of the statutory text? And what about actual changes? How much should be delegated to secondary legislation? What about definitions? Could there be a new on-line version? And why is the Government so reluctant to undertake consolidation? What are the lessons to be learnt from the tax law rewrite programme? ‘
Date: 8th June 2015, 6.00-7.00pm
Location: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square
London WC1B 5DR
Charge: Free, registration required
More information can be found here.
EVENT: IALS – Compassion and Law
‘This symposium will provide a forum for presentations and discussion on the relationships between law and compassion, focusing on the conceptual and theoretical approaches to compassion, and the relationship of compassion to litigation, judging and regulation, with particular concern to learn from critical interdisciplinary and socio-legal approaches.’
Date: 1st July 2015, 9.15am-4.45pm
Location: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square
London WC1B 5DR
Charge: SLSA Full Members: £59.00; SLSA Student Members: £30.00; Non-members: £79.00.
More information can be found here.
PIPs disability benefit delay unlawful, says High Court – BBC News
‘A delay in paying welfare benefits to two disabled people was “unlawful”, the High Court has ruled.’
BBC News, 5th June 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Johnston v Westminster City Council – WLR Daily
Johnston v Westminster City Council: [2015] EWCA Civ 554; [2015] WLR (D) 238
‘For the purposes of section 175 of the Housing Act 1996, the fact that an applicant for homeless assistance in one local housing authority might be offered accommodation by another authority which might satisfy section 175(3) of the Act did not entitle the decision-maker to find that the applicant was not homeless.’
WLR Daily, 3rd June 2015
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
In re K (Children) – WLR Daily
In re K (Children): [2015] EWCA Civ 543; [2015] WLR (D) 237
‘The Family Court had no power to order the Lord Chancellor to provide public funding for legal representation outside the legal aid scheme in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.’
WLR Daily, 22nd May 2015
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Legal challenge against Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act reaches High Court – OUT-LAW.com
‘A legal challenge fronted by two UK MPs against communications surveillance laws passed last year has reached the High Court.’
OUT-LAW.com, 4th June 2015
Source: www.out-law.com
Good news on diversity in judicial appointments – unless you are a solicitor – Litigation Futures
‘Solicitors were the least successful group of people applying for judicial appointment over the last six months, and the situation is getting worse, the latest figures from the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) have shown.’
Litigation Futures, 4th June 2015
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
MoJ hit with further £249m of cuts – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The Ministry of Justice will have to find a further £249m of savings this year, as part of a fresh round of spending reductions following Whitehall’s in-year budget review announced today.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 4th June 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Bankruptcy trustee barred from charging costs to client account – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A trustee looking after the affairs of a bankrupt law firm has been refused permission to claim costs from the client accounts of the practice.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 5th June 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Surrogacy agreement breakdowns–what are the issues? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘Are new laws needed to cover surrogacy arrangements and modern family set-ups? Mai-Ling Savage, a barrister and specialist in surrogacy, same-sex parenting and fertility law at Fourteen, a specialist family chambers, analyses a recent case which highlights the lack of a clear legal framework to enforce agreements made before the birth of a child.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 4th June 2015
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
NHS patient safety fears as health watchdog scraps staffing guidelines – The Guardian
‘The NHS has been accused of backtracking on improvements to patient safety brought in after the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal in an effort to tackle its escalating financial problems. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) watchdog has unexpectedly scrapped work to set out how many nurses are needed in different parts of hospitals to ensure safe patient care.’
The Guardian, 4th June 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Leaders of Wrexham drugs gang each jailed for 10 years – BBC News
‘Two men have each received 10-year jail terms for leading a gang supplying cocaine worth tens of thousands of pounds into the Wrexham area.’
BBC News, 4th June 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
