Asking for relief – NearlyLegal
‘This is a housing case, but the procedural issue in this decision is only tangentially related to that. Nonetheless, it is a matter worth noting.’
NearlyLegal, 10th January 2015
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
First ombudsman decisions in pension liberation cases show need for a change in the law, says expert – OUT-LAW.com
‘The Pensions Ombudsman has dismissed complaints by three pension scheme members who were prevented from transferring their savings into suspected liberation schemes, but has warned that “mere suspicion” is not enough reason for a provider to block a transfer request.’
OUT-LAW.com, 12th January 2015
Source: www.out-law.com
49 year-old Rugby player’s ban doubled to 20 years for assaulting referee’ – Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers
On 29 September 2014 the RFU Appeal Panel, chaired by Sir James Dingemans, handed down judgment in RFU v Barry Lockwood.
Sports Law Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 12th January 2015
Source: www.sportslawbulletin.org
Commercial property: dilapidations liability – Law Society’s Gazette
‘As the average lease length decreases, a review of dilapidations liability by the Court of Appeal is timely. Dilapidations are the repair works which have not been undertaken by the tenant, in breach of the terms of the lease.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 12th January 2015
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Neuberger and Dyson to head seven-judge panel for Coventry – Litigation Futures
‘The president of the Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger, and Lord Dyson, the Master of the Rolls, will head a seven-judge panel for the eagerly awaited Coventry costs hearing on 9 February, it has been announced.’
Litigation Futures, 9th January 2015
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Hot, hot, hot – NearlyLegal
‘Here is an interesting First Tier Tribunal bedroom tax appeal decision from Bexleyheath. [Decision notice]. It is a decision made after the Fife Upper Tribunal decision, but upholds the tenant’s appeal on the basis, in part, that the room is inadequately sized to be a bedroom, as well as being just too damn hot.’
NearlyLegal, 11th January 2015
Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk
Disabled tenants to challenge bedroom tax in supreme court – The Guardian
‘A legal case to be heard at the supreme court will decide whether the government’s housing benefit regulations – the bedroom tax – discriminates unfairly against disabled adults. The ruling could have consequences for hundreds of thousands of people.’
The Guardian, 10th January 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Milestone tax breaks’ idea for married couples who stay together longer – Daily Telegraph
‘Former High Court family judge Sir Paul Coleridge calls for couples to be given extra tax breaks after passing landmark wedding anniversaries to encourage family stability.’
Daily Telegraph, 10th January 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Men jailed over Haringey street shootout – BBC News
‘An armed officer who risked his life to protect the public during a shootout in north London has been commended for his “courage and resolve”.’
BBC News, 9th January 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Fake cancer’ woman sentenced for defrauding donors – The Guardian
‘A young woman who defrauded friends and strangers out of thousands of pounds by claiming she had terminal cancer has avoided an immediate jail term.’
The Guardian, 9th January 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Chris Grayling spends £72,000 of taxpayers’ money to defend ‘unlawful’ prison book ban – The Independent
‘The Justice Secretary spent £72,000 of taxpayers’ money in an attempt to maintain his ban on inmates receiving books in prison from visitors.’
The Independent, 10th January 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Gloucester hospital killer Ryan Matthews given whole life order – BBC News
‘A convicted murderer who stabbed to death a worker at a mental health unit has been sentenced to a whole life order.’
BBC News, 9th December 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Call for publication of review into man who killed himself after benefits cut – The Guardian
‘The sister of a partially sighted man who killed himself after his benefits were cut is calling on the UK government to publish details of its review into his case, one of 60 internal investigations of suicides linked to benefit changes it has carried out since 2012.’
The Guardian, 11th January 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Peers seek to limit law on assisted dying – The Independent
‘A coalition of cross-party peers has moved to water down proposed legislation that would let the terminally ill request and receive help to end their lives.’
The Independent, 11th January 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
An avalanche of reform – New Law Journal
‘Geraldine Morris reviews the family law changes in 2014 & makes predictions for the year ahead.’
New Law Journal, 8th January 2015
Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk
EVENT: UCL – Constitutionalising Labour Rights
Advocates of labour rights argue that constitutional protection of the freedom of association should be interpreted to include the rights to bargain collectively and to strike. They invoke international and transnational human rights instruments, as well as the observations of the International Labour Organization’s supervisory bodies, as normative resources that can be used by constitutional courts to advance such an interpretation.
Date: 22nd January 2015, 6.00-7.00pm
Location: UCL Laws, Bentham House, WC1H 0EG
Charge: Free
More information can be found here.
High Court judge disagrees on whether creditors can access bankrupt’s pension savings where pension not in payment – OUT-LAW.com
‘Trustees in bankruptcy should not be able to access a bankrupt pension scheme member’s savings for the purposes of paying off debts, a High Court judge has ruled, contradicting a 2012 decision of the same court.’
OUT-LAW.com, 8th January 2015
Source: www.out-law.com
Good character citizenship criteria quietly tightened up – Free Movement
‘The Home Office has quietly tightened up the criteria for granting British citizenship under the good character test. This had passed me by so I thought it useful to flag up – and many thanks to Alex Moran for point it out. A number of undesirable behaviours have been added to the list of disqualifying behaviour, including illegal entry, assisting illegal migration and evasion of immigration control. The changes seem to have been made on 11 December 2014. The previous version of the guidance can be seen here and the new version here.’
Free Movement, 8th January 2015
Source: www.freemovement.org.uk
Immigrant children still being detained, figures show – The Independent
‘More than 600 children, the majority under 12 years old, have been put in detention under immigration rules in the four years since the Government claimed to have ended the controversial practice.’
The Independent, 8th January 2015
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Supreme Court to hear landmark licensing fees battle next week – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Supreme Court will next week hear a case with major implications for local authorities and other regulators’ ability to charge fees for licences.’
Local Government Lawyer, 9th January 2015
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
