DIY divorces set to surge as legal aid vanishes – The Independent

Posted January 7th, 2013 in budgets, dispute resolution, divorce, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“On the eve of ‘D-Day’ – that’s Divorce Day, the first Monday back to work after the festive period, when warring couples are more likely to register for a divorce – lawyers warn that tens of thousands of people could find splitting up harder and more costly this year. And the number of those turning to ‘DIY divorce kits’ is expected to surge.”

Full story

The Independent, 6th January 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Criminals should spend longer in jail, says Chris Grayling – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2013 in budgets, early release, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Criminals should spend longer in jail and not be automatically released after serving half their sentence, the justice secretary has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court of Protection approves arrangements for safeguarding Article 8 rights of detained man – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 7th, 2013 in care homes, Court of Protection, detention, human rights, mental health, news by sally

“On 11 December 2012 Mr Justice Mostyn handed down judgment in J Council v GU and others [2012] EWHC 3531 (COP) approving arrangements aimed at safeguarding the Article 8 (private and family life) rights of a 57 year old man detained under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in a private care home. At seven pages, the judgment was admirably concise.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 7th January 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Serial offenders escaping tough penalties at record rate – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 7th, 2013 in cautions, news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

“The worst serial offenders are being let off with cautions at a record rate as thousands avoid tough penalties every year, the Daily Telegraph can disclose.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Special report: Female genital mutilation – unreported, ignored and unpunished – The Independent

Posted January 7th, 2013 in female genital mutilation, news, prosecutions by sally

“The failure to punish anyone for carrying out female genital mutilation (FGM) in almost a decade since Labour introduced a new law designed to stamp out the practice is forcing prosecutors to seek alternative methods to tackle the problem. The Government was facing growing criticism from campaigners after an Independent on Sunday investigation into the horrifying practice known as ‘cutting’, in which the genitals of women and girls are severed by unqualified people in the belief it will preserve the girl’s virginity.”

Full story

The Independent, 6th January 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Fair access to the legal profession – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2013 in diversity, law firms, legal education, legal profession, news by sally

“City law firms are exploring ways to remove barriers that prevent students from lower-income backgrounds pursuing a career in law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Christmas Break

Posted December 21st, 2012 in news by sally

There will be no posts during the Inner Temple Library’s Christmas closed period which starts at 2pm on 21st December. We will resume posting on 7th January 2013.

Happy Christmas!

 

High Court blocks US drone intelligence case – BBC News

Posted December 21st, 2012 in disclosure, intelligence services, news, weapons by sally

“The High Court has rejected an attempt by a Pakistani man to force the UK government to reveal if it is providing intelligence for US drone strikes.”

Full story

BBC News, 21st December 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cracking Down on Waste Crime report: greater transparency is needed – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted December 21st, 2012 in environmental protection, news, waste by sally

“The Environment Agency was established under the Environment Act 1995 and plays a central role in ensuring that environmental laws are complied with. Presently, it is the principal environmental regulatory body in England and Wales, although this will change as from 1 April 2013, when the Natural Resources Body for Wales commences operating. Thereafter, that body will perform the functions previously performed by Environment Agency Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission Wales.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law exchange, 20th December 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

High Court upholds Secretary of State’s refusal of 1,000 Grantham homes – OUT- LAW.com

Posted December 21st, 2012 in housing, news, planning by sally

“A High Court judge has dismissed a challenge to the Secretary of State’s refusal of developer Larkfleet Limited’s plans to build a 1,000-home urban extension to the north of Grantham in South Kesteven.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 20th December 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Defamation and privacy claimants will not have to pay other side’s costs, Government confirms – OUT- Law.com

Posted December 21st, 2012 in costs, defamation, insurance, news, privacy by sally

“Members of the public faced with the prospect of bringing a claim for defamation
or breach of privacy against a large media organisation will in the future  be
protected against having to pay the other side’s costs if the case is lost, the
Government has announced.”

Full text

OUT-LAW.com, 20th December 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

What lies beneath the Commission on a Bill of Rights report – UK Human Rights report

Posted December 21st, 2012 in constitutional law, devolution, human rights, news, reports by sally

“Don’t be fooled! We have been led to believe there was a two-way split on the government-appointed Bill of Rights Commission, which published its report on Tuesday, but the split was at least three-way. The Commissioners tell us that ‘it [was] not always easy to disentangle in the opinions expressed to [them] what are tactical positions rather than fundamental beliefs’. The same must surely be said of the report’s seven ‘majority’ authors.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 20th December 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Command Papers – official-documents.gov.uk

Posted December 21st, 2012 in parliamentary papers by sally

Annual energy statement, Cm 8456 (PDF)

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Tesco scores partial victory in cheese cartel – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted December 21st, 2012 in competition, food, news, price fixing by sally

“In a judgment handed down this afternoon, the Competition Appeal Tribunal largely upheld Tesco’s appeal against the OFT’s decision that it had participated in unlawful agreements relating to the price of cheese: see Tesco Stores Ltd v Office of Fair Trading [2012] CAT 31.”

Full story

Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 21st December 2012

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Civil Aviation Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 21st, 2012 in airports, competition, legislation by sally

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 21st, 2012 in internet, legislation, prisons, telecommunications by sally

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Police (Complaints and Conduct) Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 21st, 2012 in complaints, legislation, police by sally

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Small Charitable Donations Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 21st, 2012 in charities, legislation, taxation by sally

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 21st, 2012 in legislation by sally

The Greater London Authority (Consolidated Council Tax Requirement Procedure) (No. 2) Regulations 2012

The Cumbria (Electoral Changes) Order 2012

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) (Amendment No. 3) Order 2012

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Abed El Karem El Kott and others v Bevándorlási és Állampolgársági Hivatal (ENSZ Menekültügyi Főbiztossága intervening) (Case C-364/11) – WLR Daily

Posted December 21st, 2012 in asylum, EC law, law reports, refugees, United Nations by sally

Abed El Karem El Kott and others v Bevándorlási és Állampolgársági Hivatal (ENSZ Menekültügyi Főbiztossága intervening): (Case C-364/11); [2012] WLR (D) 390

“On its proper interpretation, article 12(1)(a) of Council Directive 2004/83/EC of 29 April 2004 on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third country nationals or stateless persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise needed international protection, and the content of the protection granted, the cessation of protection or assistance from organs or agencies of the United Nations other than the High Commission for Refugees ‘for any reason’ included the situation in which a person who, after actually availing himself of such protection or assistance, had ceased to receive it for a reason beyond his control and independent of his volition. Where the competent authorities of the member state responsible for examining the application for asylum established that the condition relating to the cessation of the protection or assistance provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was satisfied, the fact that that person was ipso facto ‘entitled to the benefits of [the] Directive’ meant that that member state must recognise him as a refugee within the meaning of article 2(c) of the Directive and that person must automatically be granted refugee status, provided always that he was not caught by article 12(1)(b) or (2) and (3) of the Directive.”

Source: www.iclr.co.uk