Exaggerated symptoms see claimant lose QOCS protection in first ‘fundamental dishonesty’ decision – Litigation Futures

Posted May 15th, 2014 in costs, fundamental dishonesty, news, personal injuries by sally

‘A circuit judge has ruled that a personal injury claimant who exaggerated the extent of his ongoing symptons should be denied the protection of qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS) on the grounds that the claim was “fundamentally dishonest”.’

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Litigation Futures, 14th May 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Response of the Judicial Executive Board to the Justice Committee Inquiry: Civil Legal Aid – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted May 15th, 2014 in civil justice, judiciary, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

‘Response of the Judicial Executive Board, drafted with input from the Association of Her Majesty’s District Judges and the Council of Her Majesty’s Circuit Judges.’

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Judiciary of England and Wales, 13th May 2014

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

High Court grants JR on immunity of ‘torture’ prince – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 15th, 2014 in immunity, judicial review, news, royal family, torture by sally

‘A judicial review has been granted challenging the prosecution service’s decision to allow the son of Bahrain’s ruler immunity in the UK over torture allegations.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 14th May 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Leading judges in damning attack on civil aid cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Senior judges have launched their most scathing attack yet on the government’s cuts to civil legal aid. In written evidence responding to the government’s consultation on the first year of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act, the Judicial Executive Board said courts have faced an ‘unprecedented increase’ in numbers of litigants in person (LiPs).’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 14th May 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Police officer fined for sharing extreme porn on mobile phone while on duty – The Guardian

Posted May 15th, 2014 in fines, news, police, pornography by sally

‘James Addison fined £6,000 after admitting he sent pornographic videos and stills to colleagues using WhatsApp.’

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The Guardian, 14th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Matthew Wickens jailed for Devon baby throwing death – BBC News

Posted May 15th, 2014 in child abuse, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who killed his crying baby by throwing him so violently into his cot that he suffered massive head injuries has been jailed.’

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BBC News, 14th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Line dancing teacher falsely accused of harassment successfully sues rival – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 15th, 2014 in costs, defamation, news, teachers by sally

‘Award-winning line-dancing teacher Val Myers given apology in High Court after rival falsely accused him of assault and harassing members of the line-dancing community.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court to make landmark ruling on whether to allow brain damaged man to die – The Independent

Posted May 15th, 2014 in assisted suicide, disabled persons, euthanasia, medical treatment, news by sally

‘A High Court judge will decide this week whether doctors should stop feeding a brain damaged man and allow him to die.’

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The Independent, 14th May 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

David Miranda allowed to appeal against ruling on Heathrow detention – The Guardian

‘David Miranda, partner of the former Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, has been granted permission to appeal against a ruling that he was lawfully detained under counter-terrorism powers at Heathrow airport. The case – which also involves a challenge to the police seizure of computer material related to the US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden – will now go to the court of appeal.’

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The Guardian, 15th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Merrill Academy teacher Leigh White banned for life – BBC News

‘A teacher who kissed and cuddled a pupil has been banned from the profession for life.’

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BBC News, 14th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges criticise impact of legal aid cuts – The Guardian

‘There has been a large increase in unrepresented claimants, outbreaks of courtroom violence, extra litigation and increased costs, according to senior judges who have criticised the impact of legal aid cuts in the family courts.’

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The Guardian, 14th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

R (on the application of Fitzroy George) (Respondent) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Appellant) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of Fitzroy George) (Respondent) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Appellant) [2014] UKSC 28 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 14th May 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

What can we learn from drug courts? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Why were drug courts set up?

The introduction of drug courts in the UK has followed a slightly different trajectory to other jurisdictions, where drug courts filled an important gap in the range of community-based sanctions available to the courts to deal with drug-related crime.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th May 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Letting agents ‘will have to publish their fees in full’ – BBC News

Posted May 14th, 2014 in bills, consumer protection, fees, landlord & tenant, news, regulations, rent by sally

‘The government has said letting agents in England face a new obligation to display full details of their fees both on their websites and in their offices.’

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BBC News, 14th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Andrew Le Sueur: Imagining judges in a written UK Constitution – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The tide of interest (among those who care about these things) in the idea of a written, codified constitution for the United Kingdom rises and falls. At the moment the tide is quite high, but certainly not high enough to flow into the estuaries of government policy making.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 14th May 2014

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Legal complaint filed against GCHQ ‘hacking’ – BBC News

‘Privacy campaigners are seeking to stop GCHQ using “unlawful hacking” to help its surveillance efforts.’

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BBC News, 13th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man convicted of grooming teenage girls online escapes jail – The Independent

Posted May 14th, 2014 in child abuse, internet, news, rehabilitation, sentencing, sexual grooming by sally

‘A man who groomed girls as young as 12 on social networking sites and watched them strip on Skype has escaped a jail sentence. MPs and charities branded the sentence “appalling”. The case has been referred to Attorney General Dominic Grieve.’

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The Independent, 14th May 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Google ruling, Pfizer boss grilled and World Cup ‘Rio-bocops’ – BBC News

Posted May 14th, 2014 in EC law, freedom of expression, internet, news, privacy by sally

‘There are mixed reactions in the press to a ruling by European judges over what has been dubbed the “right to be forgotten” on the internet.’

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BBC News, 14th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

ICC to examine claims that British troops carried out war crimes in Iraq – The Guardian

‘Allegations that British troops were responsible for a series of war crimes after the invasion of Iraq are to be examined by the international criminal court (ICC) at The Hague, the specialist tribunal has announced.’

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The Guardian, 13th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dangerous dogs: owners face tougher sentences for attacks – Home Office

Posted May 13th, 2014 in dogs, news, penalties, sentencing by sally

‘Irresponsible dog owners who allow their dog to attack people or assistance dogs will face tougher prison sentences from today.’

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Home Office, 13th May 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office