Ofcom takes action on ‘notoriously murky’ charges for calling 0800 numbers – The Independent

Posted April 16th, 2013 in costs, news, telecommunications by sally

“Mobile phone users will no longer be charged to dial supposedly freephone 0800 numbers under plans published today by the telecoms regulator.”

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The Independent, 15th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Complexity of parliamentary legislation ‘undermining the rule of law’ – The Guardian

Posted April 16th, 2013 in legislation, legislative drafting, news, parliament, regulations, rule of law by sally

“Parliamentary legislation is excessively complex and its confusions undermine the rule of law, according to the official in charge of drafting government statutes.”

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The Guardian, 16th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Wild animals in circuses to be banned – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 16th, 2013 in animals, news by sally

“Travelling circuses are to be banned from using wild animals in two years time, under plans being announced by the Government.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Google facing High Court case after UK maps rival submits complaint about its search practices – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 16th, 2013 in competition, computer programs, internet, news by sally

“A UK technology firm that provides internet maps has initiated legal action against Google in the High Court in which it has claimed that it has been the victim of anti-competitive practices engaged in by the internet giant.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th April 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Legal aid cuts: law centres must not be allowed to die – The Guardian

Posted April 16th, 2013 in law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“In the early 1970s I was practising in a solicitors’ firm in Gray’s Inn but I was also a Labour councillor in the London Borough of Camden. Interest was growing in the development of law centres. I had myself been one of the members of the Society of Labour Lawyers who had written a Fabian pamphlet – ‘Justice for All’ in 1968. It argued for a national network of such centres, one of which, in Notting Hill, had already been established with charitable funds. Another was proposed in Paddington with local authority support.”

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The Guardian, 15th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Three teenagers sentenced for homeless man’s murder – The Guardian

“Three teenagers who beat a homeless man to death following a dare have been ordered to be detained.”

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The Guardian, 15th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Thatcher funeral: Police plan to arrest protesters under ‘draconian’ Public Order Act – The Independent

Posted April 16th, 2013 in demonstrations, freedom of expression, news, public order by sally

“Campaigners reacted angrily last night after Scotland Yard suggested protesters should consider avoiding Baroness Thatcher’s cortège – because they face arrest under a controversial public order law.”

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The Independent, 15th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Blow to freedom of speech as key libel reform the Defamation Bill is blocked – The Independent

Posted April 16th, 2013 in bills, defamation, freedom of expression, news, parliament by sally

“The Government is to block plans to reform Britain’s ‘chilling’ libel laws and to prevent large companies from silencing their critics with the threat of being sued.”

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The Independent, 15th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High court rules against ‘buffer zones’ for windfarms – The Guardian

Posted April 16th, 2013 in energy, local government, news, planning by sally

“Wind energy developers are celebrating today after the high court ruled that Milton Keynes Borough Council’s attempts to impose a ‘buffer zone’ for new wind farm projects were unlawful.”

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The Guardian, 15th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

How to calm the legal aid row – The Lawyer

Posted April 15th, 2013 in legal aid, news, proceeds of crime, restraint orders by sally

“Repeal section 41 (4) of the Proceeds of Crime Act to level the playing field and ease pressure on the public purse.”

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The Lawyer, 15th April 2013

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Court of Protection Update – Family Law Week

“Sally Bradley and Michael Edwards, barristers at 4 Paper Buildings, look at recent decisions on capacity in the Court of Protection.”

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Family Law Week, 12th April 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Court terminates father’s parental responsibility – Family Law Week

“In the first reported judgment on the issue since 1995, Mr Justice Baker has terminated the parental responsibility of a father who had been imprisoned for sexual abuse of his own child’s half-sisters.”

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Family Law Week, 14th April 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Rise in convictions of badger cruelty as RSPCA accused of using law to get to hunts – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 15th, 2013 in animal cruelty, hunting, licensing, news, prosecutions, statistics, video recordings by sally

“Badger cruelty prosecutions have almost doubled in five years, according to new figures, as the RSPCA is accused of using the law to target huntsmen.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Put away the measuring tape – it’s time for greater codification – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted April 15th, 2013 in Law Commission, legislation, news, taxation by sally

“Ever since I was a law student, it has been an annual ritual of the newspapers to buy a copy of the Tolley Tax Handbook and measure how much fatter the tax laws have become. Red tape seems inevitable, regulation grows by half an inch or so each year and business bemoans this lack of simplicity. So why does no-one ask the same thing of statutes and case law? Couldn’t this all be simplified by codification?”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 12th April 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Bankers’ ‘honesty test’: nearly all pass City regulator’s check – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2013 in banking, criminal records, financial regulation, news, ombudsmen by sally

“Just 30 out of 227,000 people have failed the City regulator’s ‘fit and proper’ test to take on some of the most risky jobs in British banks since the onset of the financial crisis.”

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The Guardian, 12th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whistleblowing charity seeks evidence on effectiveness of current law – OUT-LAW.com

“The national whistleblowing charity has begun a public consultation exercise to help it establish whether the current law and legal protections are fit for purpose.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 15th April 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Restrictions on terror suspect student relaxed by court – BBC News

“Restrictions on a terror suspect who is studying at a London university should be relaxed, the High Court has ruled.”

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BBC News, 13th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Appeal court extends jail term of man who filmed rape on iPad – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2013 in appeals, deportation, news, rape, sentencing, video recordings by sally

“Appeal judges have almost doubled the jail sentence of a man who filmed himself raping a woman on his iPad.”

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The Guardian, 12th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Psychiatric Asbos’ were an error says key advisor – The Independent

Posted April 15th, 2013 in medical treatment, mental health, news by sally

“Controversial powers to treat mental health patients in the community while seriously curtailing their freedoms have been criticised by one of their strongest supporters.”

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The Independent, 14th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sally Bercow faces first high court hearing in Twitter libel battle – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2013 in child abuse, damages, defamation, internet, news by sally

“Sally Bercow, the wife of the Commons speaker, faces her first high court hearing next week as part of the libel battle with Lord McAlpine over an allegedly defamatory Twitter message.”

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The Guardian, 12th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk