What can and can’t you say on Twitter? – BBC News

“A student who made racially offensive comments about footballer Fabrice Muamba on Twitter has been jailed for 56 days – the latest case where a comment made on social media has landed someone in court.”

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BBC News, 28th March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal high drug ‘mexxy’ banned under new government powers – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2012 in drug offences, news, stop and search by sally

“A so-called legal high used as an alternative to ketamine will be the first drug to be banned under new government powers, the Home Office has said.”

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The Guardian, 28th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

SRA confirms debut trio of licensed alternative business structures – Legal Week

“The first three alternative business structures (ABS) to be licensed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have been confirmed today (March 28), as the reforms ushered in by the Legal Services Act continue to gather pace.”

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Legal Week, 28th March 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Press regulation on a sinking ship – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 28th, 2012 in defamation, freedom of expression, human rights, media, news by sally

“It was coincidental that this cricket libel case and Lady Justice Arden’s speech on media intrusion and human rights ‘Striking the Balance’ came out on the same day.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th March 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Reoffending may rise under Ken Clarke’s plans – The Independent

Posted March 28th, 2012 in community service, electronic monitoring, news, recidivists by sally

“Kenneth Clarke’s plans to toughen up community orders by tracking offenders with high-tech ankle tags and ensuring every sentence is a punishment could increase reoffending, the Government’s own impact assessment showed today.”

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The Independent, 27th March 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Police manhandled autistic boy at swimming pool – UK Human Rights Blog

“The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) was long awaited; it took nearly two decades for the Law Commission’s proposals for codification of the common law on mental capacity to make their way onto the statute books. The MCA is generally considered to be quite progressive and I often hear it described as ‘empowering’ and granting people ‘rights to autonomy’.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th March 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Asbestos: court ruling opens way for insurance claims – BBC News

Posted March 28th, 2012 in asbestos, cancer, compensation, health & safety, insurance, news, Supreme Court, victims by sally

“The UK Supreme Court has made a ruling which could allow thousands of insurance claims by families of people who died after exposure to asbestos.”

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BBC News, 28th March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court staff forced to rely on Google Translate – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 28th, 2012 in courts, internet, interpreters, news by sally

“Court staff and lawyers have been forced to use Google Translate to communicate with non-English speaking defendants because of problems with the new interpreter service, it has been claimed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

OFT’s ‘adversarial’ approach meant witness documents do not have to be disclosed, CAT rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 28th, 2012 in competition, disclosure, news, privilege, tribunals, witnesses by sally

“A supermarket does not have to hand over notes from discussions with witnesses to the Office of Fair Trading as part of an ongoing legal dispute because the information was protected by ‘litigation privilege’, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has ruled.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th March 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Djanogly: UK consumers benefiting from solicitors’ big bang – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 28th, 2012 in alternative business structures, competition, news, solicitors by sally

“Consumers in England and Wales will find solicitors more competitive, more efficient and easier to access as new High Street providers are announced today.”

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Ministry of Justice, 28th March 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Terror suspect loses court ruling – The Independent

“A terrorist suspect referred to as ‘BM’ has lost his legal challenge against a terrorism prevention measure imposed on him under new Government legislation to stop him travelling to Pakistan.”

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The Independent, 27th March 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Search engines should face legal requirement to censor privacy-invasive material unless they act voluntarily, MPs say – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 28th, 2012 in complaints, injunctions, internet, media, news, ombudsmen, privacy, public interest by sally

“New legislation should be introduced to force search engines to delete privacy-invasive material from search indexes if the companies do not take action voluntarily, a committee of MPs has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th March 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Christmas midget bar promotion ‘offensive’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 28th, 2012 in advertising, complaints, news by sally

“A bar that promised revellers the chance to party with ‘our very own Xmas midgets’ acted offensively and irresponsibly, a watchdog has ruled.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

NHS reforms finally become law – The Independent

Posted March 28th, 2012 in amendments, bills, health, legislation, news by sally

“The Government’s controversial reforms to the NHS became law today [27 March] after a tortuous 14-month passage through Parliament, when the Queen granted Royal Assent to the Health and Social Care Bill.”

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The Independent, 27th March 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Eldon Lecture on workforce diversity – Legal Services Board

Posted March 28th, 2012 in diversity, legal education, legal profession, news by sally

Eldon Lecture on workforce diversity (PDF)

Lecture by LSB Chairman David Edmonds

Legal Services Board, 22nd March 2012

Source: www.legalservicesboard.org.uk

Fresh series of defeats for proposals to cut access to legal aid for children – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2012 in bills, budgets, children, legal aid, negligence, news by sally

“The government has suffered a fresh series of defeats in the House of Lords over proposals to cut access to legal aid for children and in medical negligence cases.”

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The Guardian, 27th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Protecting Consumers from Scams and Rip-offs – Law Commission

Posted March 28th, 2012 in compensation, consumer protection, fraudulent trading, news by sally

“Consumers exploited by misleading and aggressive traders will have a clear and easy route to redress under reforms being proposed by the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.”

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Law Commission, 28th March 2012

Source: lawcommission.justice.gov.uk

Mexican football fans jailed for burglary spree after running out of money – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2012 in burglary, deportation, news, sentencing by sally

“A group of Mexican tourists burgled houses from Lancaster to Glasgow after they ran out of money during a holiday to Britain, a court heard on Tuesday.”

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The Guardian, 27th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Punishment and reform – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 28th, 2012 in community service, consultations, news, probation by sally

“Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke has today launched radical proposals to strengthen community sentences and modernise the Probation Service.”

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Ministry of Justice, 27th March 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Planning laws signal end of road for out-of-town shopping centres – The Guardian

Posted March 28th, 2012 in environmental protection, news, planning by sally

“Planning minister Greg Clarke has said there should be a presumption against the building of more out-of-town shopping centres, and insisted the green belt would continue to be protected, as he announced the biggest shakeup of the planning system for more than half a century.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk