Complaints against doctors double since 2007 – Daily Telegraph

“Complaints against doctors have more than doubled in six years amid increasing demand on NHS services and rising expectations from patients, according to a new report.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Most gay hate crimes go unreported, Stonewall survey finds – The Independent

“More than three-quarters of gay, bisexual and lesbian victims of hate crime did not report it to the police, a survey found.”

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The Independent, 15th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Man who killed three generations in Cwmbran fire has sentence increased – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2013 in appeals, arson, families, fire, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“A violent drifter who murdered three generations of the same family, including his own ill baby daughter, by setting fire to their home has had his minimum jail term increased.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoner votes Supreme Court decision expected – BBC News

Posted October 16th, 2013 in appeals, bills, EC law, elections, human rights, news, prisons, proportionality, Supreme Court by sally

“The Supreme Court will rule later whether prisoners have the right to vote under European Union rules – even though they cannot under British law.”

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BBC News, 16th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Crown Prosecution Service admits misleading public over complaints – The Guardian

“The Crown Prosecution Service has admitted publishing misleading records of complaints made about its performance.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘A rank denial of justice’ for vulnerable people: Senior judge attacks plan to cut legal aid by £350m – The Independent

“Britain’s most senior judge has warned the Government that its proposed cuts to the legal aid budget could mean ‘a rank denial of justice’ for vulnerable people.”

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The Independent, 15th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Libel tourism at an end, say lawyers following high court rulings – The Guardian

“Lawyers have heralded the death of so-called libel tourism after the high court threw out two cases brought by wealthy foreigners over allegations published overseas.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Strike while the iron’s hot – recent developments in Tenancy Deposits, with more surely on the way – Zenith Chambers

Posted October 15th, 2013 in appeals, deposits, landlord & tenant, news, repossession by sally

“The facts of this new Court of Appeal decision – on the effect of a change in tenancy status on a landlord’s duty to protect a tenancy deposit – are deceptively simple. Its wider effects on claims to recover possession are yet to be felt.”

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Zenith Chambers, 10th October 2013

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

The House That Jackson Built – Zenith Chambers

Posted October 15th, 2013 in budgets, civil procedure rules, disclosure, housing, news, witnesses by sally

“It is now almost 6 months since the Brave New World of Jackson. This article considers the impact (if any) the reforms and stated ‘culture change’ have had, and are likely to have, upon those practising housing law.”

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Zenith Chambers, 15th October 2013

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

The Right to Pray and Work – No. 5 Chambers

Posted October 15th, 2013 in employment, Islam, news, religious discrimination by sally

“Recently I represented a white muslim convert lady to Islam in a claim of direct and indirect religious discrimination under the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. The Direct Discrimination claim was that she was treated less favourably as a muslim in not being provided with uninterrupted breaks. The indirect discrimination claim was wider.”

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No. 5 Chambers, 14th October 2013

Source: www.no5.com

Internet trolls and why Strasbourg doesn’t want to get involved – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 15th, 2013 in defamation, freedom of expression, human rights, internet, news by sally

“This case concerned the liability of an Internet news portal for offensive comments that were posted by readers below one of its online news articles. The following summary is based on the Strasbourg Court’s press release.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 14th October 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Opening a Free School – 11 KBW

Posted October 15th, 2013 in education, news by sally

“Free Schools were introduced following the election of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010. The first 24 Free Schools opened in September 2011, and prior to September 2013 there were 81 Free Schools in total. A further 109 were due to open in September 2013 (taking the total to 190), and the Secretary of State for Education has approved a further 102 to open from September 2014.”

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11 KBW, 15th October 2013

Source: www.11kbw.com

Landmark Supreme Court cases on deprivations of liberty to start next week – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 15th, 2013 in freedom of movement, local government, mental health, news, Supreme Court by sally

“A panel of seven justices at the Supreme Court will next week hear two landmark cases on deprivations of liberty.”

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th October 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

CoA rules Scrabble tile trademark to be invalid – The Lawyer

Posted October 15th, 2013 in appeals, intellectual property, news, trade marks by sally

“An attempt by the makers of Scrabble to protect its iconic letter tiles from imitations by claiming trademark rights has been thrown out by the Court of Appeal.”

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The Lawyer, 14th October 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Susan May’s 20-year fight against murder conviction – BBC News

“For the past two decades Susan May says one goal has consumed her every waking thought – to clear her name and overturn her conviction for the murder of her aunt.”

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BBC News, 14th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

JAC seeks first part-time High Court judge – Litigation Futures

“The first part-time High Court judge could start sitting next year after the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) launched a competition that allows candidates to work under flexible arrangements.”

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Litigation Futures, 15th October 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

POSHFA! – NearlyLegal

Posted October 15th, 2013 in confiscation, crime, housing, landlord & tenant, news, rent by sally

“The Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act comes into force tomorrow (Tuesday 15 October 2013) in England only. The text of the Act is here. A key point is the introduction of ‘Unlawful Profit Orders’, which get around the decision of the Court of Appeal in Sumal v Newham London Borough Council [2012] EWCA Crim 1840 that confiscation of rent was not possible because ‘the continued receipt of the rent was not the product of the appellants crime’. (Admittedly that was a prosecution for an unlicensed property in a selective licensing area under section 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004, but the point about confiscation not being enabled under statute had broader application).”

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NearlyLegal, 14th October 2013

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Revised Banking Code of Practice gives HMRC too much discretion, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 15th, 2013 in banking, codes of practice, HM Revenue & Customs, news, taxation by sally

“HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be given ‘too much discretion’ to ‘name and shame’ banks that do not meet strict governance requirements in relation to tax matters under proposed changes to the industry Code of Practice, an expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 14th October 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Marvin Samuels jailed for rape and murder – BBC News

Posted October 15th, 2013 in grievous bodily harm, murder, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A man who raped a stranger hours before murdering his ex-girlfriend has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 33 years.”

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BBC News, 14th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Footballers and employment law – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 15th, 2013 in contract of employment, employment, news, sport by sally

“A recent spate of public vocal exchanges within the game could be about to raise a number of interesting employment law issues.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 11th October 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk