‘Before the event’ legal insurers cannot refuse an insured’s solicitor solely because of rates, court says – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 27th, 2011 in costs, fees, insurance, news by sally

“An insurer cannot refuse to pay fees for an insured’s choice of solicitor solely because the solicitor’s rates are higher than a limit stipulated by the insurers, a court has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th October 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson abandons gag order on ex-wife who says they had an affair – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 27th, 2011 in injunctions, internet, news, privacy by sally

“Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear presenter, took out a far-reaching injunction to prevent the publication of allegations that he had an affair with his first wife while married to his second, it has emerged.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lawyers slam government plans to restrict unfair dismissal claims – The Lawyer

Posted October 27th, 2011 in news, reports, unfair dismissal by sally

“Employment lawyers have hit back at a leaked government paper that proposes abolishing unfair dismissal claims for ’unproductive workers’, stressing it would rob all employees of basic legal protection.”

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The Lawyer, 26th October 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

BT ordered to block Newzbin2 filesharing site within 14 days – The Guardian

Posted October 27th, 2011 in copyright, intellectual property, internet, news, telecommunications by sally

“BT has been given 14 days to block access to a website accused of promoting illegal filesharing ‘on a grand scale’ by Hollywood studios, in the first high court ruling of its kind under UK copyright law.”

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The Guardian, 26th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs call for tougher personal data abuse laws – BBC News

Posted October 27th, 2011 in data protection, detention, fines, news, penalties, reports, select committees by sally

“Courts should have the power to punish people breaching the Data Protection Act with prison sentences, MPs on the justice select committee have said.”

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BBC News, 27th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Automatic life terms for repeat sex offenders – The Independent

“Automatic jail sentences will be introduced for 16 and 17-year-olds who commit knife crimes in a sweeping law and order package announced last night by Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Secretary.”

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The Independent, 27th October 2011

Souce: www.independent.co.uk

The UK supreme court is changing the way we think about law – The Guardian

Posted October 27th, 2011 in constitutional reform, devolution, human rights, judiciary, news, Supreme Court by sally

“The separation of judiciary and legislature will bring about a more confrontational relationship between judges and ministers.”

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The Guardian, 26th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gang jailed for £4bn cocaine smuggling plot – BBC News

Posted October 27th, 2011 in conspiracy, drug trafficking, news, sentencing by sally

“Drug dealers from Liverpool and London who plotted to flood the UK with £4bn of cocaine have been jailed.”

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BBC News, 26th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Britain unable to deport more than 5,000 foreign offenders – The Guardian

Posted October 27th, 2011 in deportation, human rights, news, reports by sally

“The number of foreign prisoners who have come to the end of their sentences but cannot be deported has passed the 5,000 mark, despite repeated pledges by Home Office ministers to speed up removals.”

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The Guardian, 27th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Guardian granted permission to challenge court over secret documents – The Guardian

Posted October 27th, 2011 in appeals, documents, extradition, media, news by sally

“Three senior judges have granted permission to the Guardian to challenge a court’s decision to keep secret a set of documents.”

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The Guardian, 26th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Morrissey can sue NME over ‘racist’ claim – The Independent

Posted October 27th, 2011 in defamation, delay, media, news, racism by sally

“Morrissey spoke of his ‘delight’ after a judge ruled yesterday that he had the right to sue the music magazine NME over an article which he claims branded him as a racist.”

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The Independent, 27th October 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted October 26th, 2011 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Heys, R. v [2011] EWCA Crim 2112 (09 August 2011)

Reid, R. v [2011] EWCA Crim 2162 (20 September 2011)

Archer, R. v [2011] EWCA Crim 2252 (27 September 2011)

Source: www.bailii.org

UK supreme court sits on cusp of tradition and modernity – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2011 in judges, news, Supreme Court by sally

“Two years after its founding, five supreme court justices explain how they reach judgments of national significance.”

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The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge reveals distress at ruling teenager cannot keep child – Daily Telegraph

“A teenage mother has lost her fight to be allowed to bring up the daughter she gave birth to when she was just 14 years old.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ken Clarke criticises mandatory sentence for teenagers carrying knives – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2011 in news, offensive weapons, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“Ken Clarke, the justice secretary, is heading for a fresh clash with his cabinet colleague, Theresa May and Tory backbenchers after publicly criticising moves to impose mandatory prison sentences on teenagers found with a knife.”

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The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Wife murderers in ‘loss of control’ Appeal Court bid – BBC News

Posted October 26th, 2011 in appeals, domestic violence, murder, news, provocation by sally

“The Court of Appeal is being urged to overturn the convictions of three men who killed their wives in the first appeals after a change to murder laws.”

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BBC News, 25th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Supreme court: does it deliver justice? – video – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2011 in judges, news, Supreme Court by sally

“The supreme court, the highest court of appeal in the UK, is two years old. The Guardian’s legal affairs correspondent, Owen Bowcott, gained exclusive access to the court and questioned the justices about their decisions, their democratic credentials, and whether or not they represent modern British society.”

Video

The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Landmark pension High Court case: commentary – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 26th, 2011 in budgets, indexation, news, pensions, trade unions by sally

“A High Court test case has been launched to tackle the ‘biggest robbery’ from the pension payouts to British pensioners, unions have claimed. The head of Britain’s largest civil service union sets out the case against the change in pension indexation from the retail price index to the consumer price index.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Some news is good news – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted October 26th, 2011 in confidentiality, freedom of expression, media, news, privacy by sally

“The need for a free press has been proved over and over again by the revelation of major public scandals which would not otherwise have come to light. The disclosure by the Daily Telegraph and the Guardian of dishonest expenses claims by members of parliament and the hacking of telephones and emails are two egregious examples.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th October 2011

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Legal aid cuts will cause courts logjam, warn top judges – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2011 in budgets, courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“Legal aid cuts aimed at saving £350m a year will result in courts being deluged by people without lawyers and will restrict access to justice, some of the country’s most senior judges have told the Guardian.”

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The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk