Ofsted to set out changes to school inspection – BBC News
‘The head of Ofsted is set to outline changes to school inspections and defend the schools’ watchdog, in a speech to headteachers.’
BBC News, 21st March 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
English civil court reforms “inconsistent, time-consuming and costly”, says Law Society – OUT-LAW.com
‘Civil courts in England and Wales are increasingly valuing “administration over access to justice” since wide-ranging reforms to procedures and costs came into force last year, the Law Society has claimed.’
OUT-LAW.com, 20th March 2014
Source: www.out-law.com
Dawn Oliver: Does treating the system of justice as a public service have implications for the rule of law and judicial independence? – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘If you asked a second year LLB student, or even a professor of public law or a legal practitioner, ‘what are the most fundamental functions of judges and the system of justice?’ you would probably get ‘doing justice to all without fear or favour’ and ‘upholding the rule of law’ among the most common answers. And if you asked ‘what are the most important ways in which performance of these functions is secured?’ you would expect to get ‘independence of the judiciary’ among the answers.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 19th March 2014
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
Sentence of man who killed victim with Asperger’s challenged over leniency – The Guardian
‘A four-and-a-half-year jail sentence handed to a man who killed a man with Asperger’s syndrome with a single punch in an unprovoked attack has been referred to the court of appeal for review.’
The Guardian, 20th March 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
No duty to investigate in respect of civilian deaths in Malaya in 1948 – UK Human Rights Blog
‘After an interesting analysis of the time limits for claims under Convention in response to a claim made in relation to actions by British soldiers in Malaya in 1948, the Court of Appeal dismissed all their human rights, customary international law and Wednesbury arguments. There was no obligation in domestic law for the state to hold an inquiry into the deaths of civilians killed by British soldiers in colonial Malaya in 1948, even though the Strasbourg Court might well hold that such a duty ensued.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 20th March 2014
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
You can’t treat a database like a car in the garage – Your Response v Datateam – Technology Law Update
‘A publisher engaged a database manager to maintain a database of subscribers. There was no a formal contract and no provisions for termination were agreed. The relationship ended badly and the publisher gave a month’s notice. The database manager refused to release the database until outstanding fees and damages were paid – raising an old-style legal concept that was useful in the days before modern contracts.’
Technology Law Update, 20th March 2014
Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk
Poor care ‘resulted in North Yorkshire baby’s death’ – BBC News
‘A hospital has admitted failings in medical care and poor communication resulted in a child being stillborn.’
BBC News, 21st March 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Judge condemns former Miss Malaysia’s divorce bill – Daily Telegraph
A former beauty queen is seeking Britain’s biggest ever divorce payout of £500 million and is running up ‘eye-watering’ legal costs to have the case heard in London
Daily Telegraph, 20th March 2014
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Warning over number of war crime suspects living in UK – BBC News
‘Official figures may significantly underestimate the number of suspected war criminals living in the UK, the ex-head of the Border Force has warned.’
BBC News, 21st March 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
IPCC investigates complaints over 15-year-old boy strip-searched by police – The Guardian
‘The police watchdog is investigating complaints about how a 15-year-old boy was strip-searched by officers after being arrested for a suspected drug offence.’
The Guardian, 20th March 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘You’ve suffered enough,’ judge tells mercy killer – Daily Telegraph
‘A man avoids jail after confessing to a psychiatrist that he smothered his mother as she was dying of lung cancer in a Dorset hospital.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th March 2014
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Heavily pregnant immigrant carrying dead child wouldn’t seek help as she was afraid she’d have to pay NHS under ‘health tourism’ rules – The Independent
‘A heavily pregnant immigrant thought to be carrying a dead, unborn child was too afraid to seek medical help in the UK after being told she would have to pay the NHS thousands of pounds to remove the foetus, the High Court has heard.’
The Independent, 20th March 2014
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Worthing Birdman contestant Steve Elkins told to pay £20,000 costs – BBC News
‘A competitor in the Worthing Birdman competition in West Sussex has been ordered to pay £20,000 in legal costs following a lengthy battle with the organisers.’
BBC News, 20th March 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Criminal solicitors to walk out for third time over legal aid cuts – The Guardian
“Criminal solicitors across England and Wales are to stage a two-day walkout at the end of the month to coincide with a strike by probation workers.”
The Guardian, 20th March 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Al-Sweady Inquiry: Iraq unlawful killings claims dropped – BBC News
‘Claims that UK soldiers unlawfully killed Iraqi civilians in 2004 have not been supported by evidence heard by a public inquiry into their deaths, lawyers for their families have said.’
BBC News, 20th March 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
ICO fines police force £100k over information left in former station – Local Government Lawyer
‘A police force has been fined £100,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office after confidential information – including interview videotapes – was left in the basement of a former police station.’
Local Government Lawyer, 20th March 2014
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Chancery Division to pilot fixed-length trials from May – Litigation Futures
‘A pilot of fixed-ended trials will begin in the Chancery Division in less than six weeks’ time – and parties have been warned that they may be given just 24 hours’ notice that they are to be included in it.’
Litigation Futures, 20th March 2014
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Death of Jimmy Mubenga – Charging decisions following inquest – CrimeLine
‘The Crown Prosecution Service has reviewed the evidence relating to the tragic death of Jimmy Mubenga in October 2010. We had previously decided in July 2012 that no charges should be brought in relation to Mr Mubenga’s death. In accordance with a memorandum of understanding between prosecutors, coroners and the police, the case was reconsidered by the CPS following the verdict of unlawful killing at the inquest. All new evidence from the inquest was taken into account during this review. In accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, the decision now is that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Colin Kaler, Terrence Hughes and Stuart Tribelnig to be prosecuted for manslaughter.’
CrimeLine, 20th March 2014
Source: www.crimeline.info
Deprivation of Liberty Defined by the Supreme Court: a difference of views concerning deprivation of liberty of disabled persons – Garden Court Chambers Blog
‘Tim Baldwin comments on today’s Supreme Court judgment regarding the deprivation of liberty of people with disabilities.
This note concerns the case of P (by his litigation friend the Official Solicitor) (Appellant) v Cheshire West and Chester Council and another (Respondents); P and Q (by their litigation friend, the Official Solicitor)(Appellants) v Surrey County Council (Respondent) [2014] UKSC 19 handed down on the 19 March 2014.’
Garden Court Chambers Blog, 19th March 2014
Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com
Information held in electronic databases not property which can be possessed, rules UK court – OUT-LAW.com
‘Information stored electronically does not constitute property which someone can exercise possession of, judges in the UK have ruled.’
OUT-LAW.com, 20th March 2014
Source: www.out-law.com
