Supreme Court to hear QASA appeal – but rejects claim of threat to advocate independence – Legal Futures

Posted February 13th, 2015 in advocacy, appeals, barristers, news, proportionality, public interest, quality assurance by sally

‘The barristers challenging the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates have today been granted permission to appeal to the Supreme Court. However, the Supreme Court declined permission to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s finding that the principle of independence of the advocate was not infringed by QASA, saying it did not have a real prospect of success.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 12th February 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted February 13th, 2015 in law reports by sally

High Court (Chancery Division)

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Code of practice for police and border officials on seizing travel documents – Home Office

Posted February 13th, 2015 in codes of practice, immigration, passports, police, search & seizure by sally

‘Code of practice for officers exercising functions under Schedule 1 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 in connection with seizing and retaining travel documents.’

Full code

Home Office, 13th February 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted February 13th, 2015 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

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Regulator tidies up complaint handling powers – Bar Standards Board

Posted February 13th, 2015 in barristers, complaints, disciplinary procedures, press releases by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) wants to tidy up the regulations in relation to complaint handling by removing the power of its Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) to take “No Further Action” (NFA) decisions.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 12th February 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

The Rise and Rise of Damages in Human Rights Claims – Family Law Week

Posted February 13th, 2015 in care orders, children, damages, human rights, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘Julie Stather, barrister of Westgate Chambers, considers the development of claims for damages arising from breaches of human rights in care proceedings.’

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Family Law Week, 12th February 2015

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Fifth of sex attack victims ‘asleep or unconscious’ – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2015 in crime, news, sexual offences, statistics by sally

‘One in five serious sexual assaults targets someone who is unconscious or asleep, an official analysis suggests.’

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BBC News, 12th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Children’s doctor jailed for 18 years for indecently assaulting girls at Jimmy Savile hospital – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 13th, 2015 in child abuse, doctors, news, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘A former children’s doctor convicted of sexually assaulting young girls at Stoke Mandeville Hospital during the 70s and 80s has been jailed for 18 years.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

1.4 million women suffered domestic abuse last year, ONS figures show – The Guardian

Posted February 13th, 2015 in domestic violence, news, statistics, women by sally

‘An estimated 1.4 million women and 700,000 men have suffered domestic abuse in the last year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fracking will be allowed under national parks, UK decides – The Guardian

Posted February 13th, 2015 in bills, energy, environmental protection, fracking, news, parks by sally

‘Amendments to infrastructure bill unpick earlier protections, meaning companies just outside parks will be able to drill horizontally below them.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Classifieds

Posted February 13th, 2015 in news by sally

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Rapists guilty after Lincoln Crown Court judge overruled – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2015 in appeals, consent, evidence, news, rape by sally

‘Three men have been convicted of rape, despite a judge trying to stop their trial because of a lack of evidence. Judge John Pini QC halted the trial of Michael Armitage, Pawel Chudzicki and Rafal Segiet saying it could not be proved the woman did not have the capacity to consent. In an unusual move, the prosecution challenged the decision and the Court of Appeal overruled the judge.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law to make reporting of FGM mandatory – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2015 in bills, child abuse, disciplinary procedures, doctors, female genital mutilation, news, nurses, social services by sally

‘Professionals who fail to report cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) in children could face the sack under a new law for England and Wales.’

Full story

BBC News, 12 February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hanley Broadheath ‘harassed’ vicar at Court of Appeal – BBC News

Posted February 12th, 2015 in appeals, Church of England, clergy, employment, harassment, news, unfair dismissal by sally

‘A vicar who claimed he was the victim of four years of harassment has appeared at the Court of Appeal over whether he has the right to bring an action for unfair dismissal.’

Full story

BBC News, 11th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nearly half of British women killed by men die at the hands of partners – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 12th, 2015 in domestic violence, murder, news, women by sally

‘New analysis of the Census shows 46 per cent of women killed by men died at the hands of someone they were romantically involved with.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

DNA sample taken for criminal purposes may not be used for paternity test – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 12th, 2015 in appeals, DNA, human rights, news, paternity by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has ruled that it would not be lawful for DNA originally collected by the police to be used by a local authority for the purposes of a paternity test.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th February 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Costs and Applications for Pre-action Disclosure – Zenith PI Blog

Posted February 12th, 2015 in civil procedure rules, costs, disclosure, news, pre-action conduct by sally

‘It may come as a surprise to many solicitors that there is a presumption that the costs of making and complying with an application for pre-action disclosure are to be paid by the party making the application.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 11th February 2015

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Whistleblowing: ‘It’s still not safe for us to speak out’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 12th, 2015 in doctors, health, news, nurses, quality assurance, reports, whistleblowers by sally

‘Whistle-blowers say Sir Robert Francis’s report fails to offer enough protection to staff to who speak out and will not encourage others to come forward.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk