Prosecuting human trafficking and slavery, the law and the UK response – Solicitor General, Oliver Heald QC MP

Posted October 30th, 2012 in forced labour, news, prosecutions, trafficking in human beings by sally

Prosecuting human trafficking and slavery, the law and the UK response

Solicitor General, Oliver Heald QC MP

Bradford University, 29th October 2012

Source: www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk

Minimum sentences, minimum justice – Zenith Chambers

Posted October 30th, 2012 in criminal justice, firearms, news, sentencing by sally

“A five year old girl, Thusha Kamaleswaran, was shot through the spine and paralysed from the waist down for life, in March 2011. She was in her uncle’s shop in Stockwell, London, when two bullets were fired from a gun by a gang member from outside into the shop. Three men were put on trial for the shooting, and convicted at the Old Bailey on 26th March 2012. The jury at the trial were shown CCTV footage of Thusha skipping happily in the aisle in her pink dress and red cardigan shortly before she was struck. ”

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Zenith Chambers, 23rd October 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

The Interface between the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 – Thirty Nine Essex Street

Posted October 30th, 2012 in guardianship, mental health, news by sally

“There are, in one sense, multiple interfaces between the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005: those concerning medical treatment, welfare and finances as well as restriction and deprivation of liberty. This paper focuses upon the latter since there is a confusing line of authority developing on the topic, and because there remain a number of questions to be answered and problems to be solved. It is fair to say that today’s talk perhaps raises more questions than it provides answers.”

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Thirty Nine Essex Street, 15th October 2012

Source: www.39essex.com

Cohabitation Update – Zenith Chambers

Posted October 30th, 2012 in cohabitation, constructive trusts, news by sally

“The purpose of this seminar is to consider the law on constructive trusts following Jones v. Kernott and recent developments regarding cohabiting couples.”

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Zenith Chambers, 25th October 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

End of life – where are we now? – Thirty Nine Essex Street

Posted October 30th, 2012 in assisted suicide, children, euthanasia, mental health, news by sally

“Since the multitude of reflections provoked by the case of W v M and others [2011] EWHC 2443 (CoP) at the end of last year, there have been yet more difficult end of life decisions for the Courts this year. The tension between concepts of autonomy and dignity on the one hand, and respect for the sanctity of life and the duty to take steps to preserve it on the other, remain real and not easily resolved.”

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Thirty Nine Essex Street, 24th October 2012

Source: www. 39essex.com

Fire, flood and tempest… – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted October 30th, 2012 in fire, landlord & tenant, news, repairs, repossession by sally

“Arthur Moore considers the liability of landlords in instances of fire damage.”

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Hardwicke Chambers, 11th October 2012

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Children, Seatbelts and Parental Duties: strap up or pay up? – Zenith Chambers

Posted October 30th, 2012 in children, news, parental responsibility, road safety by sally

“It has long been accepted that a failure to wear a seatbelt will affect proportion of damages that a Claimant can receive for an accident, if that failure caused or contributed to his injury. This new case from April 2012 applies the same reasoning to the use of child seats and the apportionment of liability.”

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Zenith Chambers, 22nd October 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Crown Court means testing of criminal legal aid – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 30th, 2012 in consultations, criminal justice, legal aid, news by sally

“The proposals set out in this consultation paper seek to improve the effectiveness of the Crown Court means testing scheme of criminal legal aid.”

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Ministry of Justice, 30th October 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Practising Certificate Fee (PCF) Consultation – The Bar Council

Posted October 30th, 2012 in barristers, consultations, fees, news by sally

“Update for the profession: the Bar Council has launched a consultation for the profession on the practising certificate fee (PCF).”

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The Bar Council, 30th October 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Inquests – Garden Court Chambers Blog

Posted October 30th, 2012 in fire, inquests, news by sally

“Deirdre Malone on an inquest into the tragic deaths of family members killed in a house fire, and the lessons to be learned.”

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Garden Court Chambers Blog, 30th October 2012

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

Legal aid cheats targeted by Ministry of Justice – BBC News

Posted October 30th, 2012 in assets recovery, fraud, legal aid, news by sally

“Criminals who collectively owe millions of pounds in legal aid could have their assets seized under government plans.”

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BBC News, 30th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hillsborough shows why we need a permanent truth commission – The Guardian

Posted October 30th, 2012 in inquiries, news, victims by sally

“There’s an urgent need for independent oversight of incidents of malpractice – and the Hillsborough panel could provide a model.”

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The Guardian, 29th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyers braced for post-recession surge in divorces – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 30th, 2012 in divorce, news by sally

“Lawyers are preparing for a possible surge in the divorce rate as the economy moves out of recession.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th October 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court calls for joined-up thinking on disclosure of sex offender information – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 30th, 2012 in appeals, criminal records, disclosure, news, sexual offences by sally

“The High Court has made an important ruling about the disclosure of information under the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme (CSOD).”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th October 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Mental health sectioning error – BBC News

Posted October 30th, 2012 in detention, doctors, legislation, mental health, news, retrospectivity by sally

“Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says urgent retrospective legislation is needed to correct a ‘technical error’ affecting up to 5,000 patients sectioned under the Mental Health Act since 2002.”

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BBC News, 29th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisoner votes: Strasbourg should give way to national independence – The Guardian

Posted October 30th, 2012 in constitutional law, courts, elections, human rights, news, parliament, prisons by sally

“The constitutional crisis predicted for years by Professor Vernon Bogdanor is upon us. He warned that the human rights reforms of the 1990s created a potential conflict between the sovereignty of parliament and the rule of law. ‘What happens if there is a clash between the two principles?’ he asked in his Magna Carta lecture of 2006. A very senior judge to whom he had posed the conundrum had replied ‘That is a question that ought not to be asked.'”

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The Guardian, 29th October 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ryan Coleman-Farrow jailed for faking rape case records – BBC News

Posted October 30th, 2012 in case management, misfeasance in public office, news, police, rape, sentencing by sally

“A former Metropolitan Police detective constable who specialised in rape cases has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for faking police records.”

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BBC News, 29th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

More offenders to meet their victims under plan to expand restorative justice – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 30th, 2012 in bills, news, restorative justice, victims by sally

“More offenders will have to meet their victims and apologise before being sentenced under a rapid expansion of restorative justice unveiled on Tuesday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th October 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Child benefit cuts ‘may be illegal’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 30th, 2012 in benefits, children, illegality, news by sally

“Cutting child benefit for middle-class parents breaks European laws by discriminating against Britons and is open to legal challenge, ministers have been told.”

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Daily Telegraph, 29th October 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Withdrawn, dismissed or discontinued – the extent of consent – NearlyLegal

Posted October 29th, 2012 in appeals, consent orders, landlord & tenant, news, receivers, trespass by sally

“A case perhaps best filed under the ‘Ooops’ category, which only took a trip to the Court of Appeal to sort out.”

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NearlyLegal, 25th October 2012

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk