The implications for access to justice of the Government’s proposed legal aid reforms – Joint Committee on Human Rights

Posted July 25th, 2013 in civil justice, criminal justice, human rights, inquiries, legal aid, press releases, select committees by sally

“The Joint Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Dr Hywel Francis MP, is today launching an inquiry into the implications for access to justice of certain of the Government’s proposals to reform legal aid, as set out in its Consultation Paper Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system.”

Full press release

Joint Committee on Human Rights, 18th July 2013

Source: www.parliament.uk

MoJ proposes online scheme for asbestos victims – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 25th, 2013 in asbestos, case management, compensation, consultations, dispute resolution, insurance, news, personal injuries, victims by sally

“Victims of asbestos-related disease are to be offered a process for out-of-court compensation along the lines of the RTA Portal, under proposals to support mesothelioma sufferers announced by the Ministry of Justice today.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th July 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Children: Public Law Update (July 2013) – Family Law Week

Posted July 25th, 2013 in adoption, children, costs, expert witnesses, news, proportionality, witnesses by sally

“John Tughan, barrister of 4 Paper Buildings, examines some important recent judgments of particular interest to public law children lawyers.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 24th July 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

How far should our courts venture onto the battlefield? – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2013 in armed forces, constitutional reform, news, parliament, select committees, war by sally

“If you think there are clear rules governing the UK’s use of armed force, you would be wrong.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whiplash drives false insurance claims to £1bn – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 25th, 2013 in fraud, insurance, news, personal injuries by sally

“Fraud uncovered by the country’s insurers has topped £1 billion for the first time, with 340 questionable claims detected every day.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Teenager convicted of starting fatal fire – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2013 in arson, fire, homicide, news, young offenders by sally

“Dyson Allen, 19, faces prison sentence after being found guilty of manslaughter of four siblings in Lancashire.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Nadine Dorries repays £3,000 travel expenses – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2013 in expenses, news, parliament, repayment by sally

“Parliamentary standards watchdog finds Tory MP’s claims for trips between London and her constituency ‘wrongfully made.’ ”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Bullying’ nurses guilty of misconduct – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 25th, 2013 in bullying, disciplinary procedures, medical records, news, nurses, professional conduct, racism by sally

“Two ‘bullying’ former nurses at Stafford hospital have been found guilty of misconduct after faking casualty records in order to meet waiting time targets.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Kirkby factory deaths due to safety failures, inquest finds – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2013 in accidents, health & safety, inquests, news by sally

“The company in charge of a factory where two engineers were killed when
they were dragged into a conveyor belt could face criminal charges after
an inquest found that procedures were not followed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Forensics upheaval ‘threat to justice’, MPs warn – BBC News

Posted July 25th, 2013 in crime, forensic science, news, reports, select committees by sally

“Major crimes could go unsolved unless the government does more to support forensic science, MPs have warned.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coroner’s court overhaul begins in England and Wales – BBC News

Posted July 25th, 2013 in codes of practice, coroners, courts, delay, inquests, news by sally

“Most inquests in England and Wales will be completed within six months
under a new code of standards for coroners which has come into effect.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MoD could face legal action over Brecon Beacons heatwave deaths – The Independent

Posted July 25th, 2013 in armed forces, duty of care, human rights, inquests, news by sally

“A coroner has suggested that the Ministry of Defence could face legal action over two soldiers who died while undergoing the gruelling SAS selection process.”

Full story

The Independent, 25th July 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jennifer Jones: Care battle mum cleared of contempt – BBC News

Posted July 24th, 2013 in care orders, contempt of court, families, news by sally

“A mother who went missing with four of her children during a care dispute with her Spanish ex-husband has been cleared of being in contempt of court for breaching a High Court order.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

RBS hit with £5.6m fine over reporting failures – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 24th, 2013 in banking, financial regulation, fines, news by sally

“Royal Bank of Scotland has been fined £5.6m by British regulators after it was  found to have incorrectly reported or altogether forgotten to disclose details  of more than a third of the trades handled by its investment banking arm.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

HS2 challenge rejected by Court of Appeal – BBC News

Posted July 24th, 2013 in appeals, environmental protection, local government, news, railways by sally

“The latest legal challenge to the HS2 high-speed rail project has been rejected by the Court of Appeal.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani faces extradition – BBC News

Posted July 24th, 2013 in delay, extradition, fitness to plead, murder, news, post-traumatic stress disorder by sally

“Honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani will be extradited to South Africa to face trial over his wife Anni’s death.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted July 24th, 2013 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

CW (Jamaica) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWCA Civ 915 (23 July 2013)

V (Children), Re [2013] EWCA Civ 913 (23 July 2013)

Ardagh Group SA v Pillar Property Group Ltd [2013] EWCA Civ 900 (23 July 2013)

Duffy v George [2013] EWCA Civ 908 (23 July 2013)

ITV Services Ltd v HM Revenue and Customs [2013] EWCA Civ 867 (23 July 2013)

Pendragon Plc & Ors v HM Revenue and Customs [2013] EWCA Civ 868 (23 July 2013)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Morgan, R v [2013] EWCA Crim 1307 (23 July 2013)

Oyebola, R v [2013] EWCA Crim 1052 (23 July 2013)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Blackside Ltd, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 2087 (Admin) (23 July 2013)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Caldero Trading Ltd v Beppler & Jacobson Ltd & Ors [2013] EWHC 2191 (Ch) (23 July 2013)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Nowak v The Nursing and Midwifery Council & Anor (Rev 1) [2013] EWHC 1932 (QB) (23 July 2013)

Source: www.bailii.org

Regina (CN) v Lewisham London Borough Council: Regina (ZH) v Newham London Borough Council – WLR Daily

Posted July 24th, 2013 in appeals, homelessness, human rights, judicial review, law reports, local government, proportionality by sally

Regina (CN) v Lewisham London Borough Council: Regina (ZH) v Newham London Borough Council: [2013] EWCA Civ 804; [2013] WLR (D) 297

“A housing authority was not required to issue court proceedings before evicting the occupier of accommodation made available on a licence by a housing authority pursuant to its interim duty under sections 188(1) or 190(2)(a) of the Housing Act 1996.”

WLR Daily, 11th July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina (Government Actuary’s Department) v Pensions Ombudsman – WLR Daily

Posted July 24th, 2013 in administrators, fire services, law reports, maladministration, ombudsmen, pensions by sally

Regina (Government Actuary’s Department) v Pensions Ombudsman: [2013] EWCA Civ 901; [2013] WLR (D) 298

“The Government Actuary’s Department performed an important proactive role, by producing and from time to time revising the actuarial tables, which was central to the administration and proper operation of the firefighters’ public sector pension scheme, and as such was ‘concerned with the … administration of … the scheme’, within the meaning of section 146(4)(b) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993, as substituted.”

WLR Daily, 22nd July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted July 24th, 2013 in legislation by sally

The Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) (Amendment Regulations 2013

The Finance Act 2013, Section 66 (Appointed Day) Order 2013

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk