Woman guilty of stabbing husband to death in TV row – BBC News

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

“A north London woman who stabbed her husband during a row over what to watch on TV has been cleared of his murder.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK supreme court’s only female judge calls for more diversity in appointments – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2011 in diversity, equality, judiciary, news, Supreme Court by sally

“Lady Hale is the only woman justice to sit in the supreme court. She longs for female company – perhaps another three women judges, and is tired of being told that it is only ‘a matter of time’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cambridge student sued after dropping female undergraduate while drunk – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 26th, 2011 in alcohol abuse, assault, compensation, news by sally

“A Cambridge student was ordered to pay thousands of pounds in compensation to a female undergraduate after he fell while carrying her and crushed her pelvis while drunk.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th October 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Testicle bite woman Maria Topp faces jail for Newcastle boyfriend attack – BBC News

Posted October 26th, 2011 in alcohol abuse, domestic violence, grievous bodily harm, news by sally

“A mother of four who admitted biting her boyfriend’s testicles during a drunken row has been warned she is facing jail.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recurrent patterns of failings in baby abuse cases, warns Ofsted – The Guardian

“Too many babies have been killed or seriously injured through child abuse because of failings by the authorities that are repeated across the country, a report has found.”

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The Guardian, 26th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Consultation begins on domestic violence disclosure scheme – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2011 in consultations, criminal records, disclosure, domestic violence, news by sally

“Women could soon have the right to know whether a new partner has a history of domestic violence under proposed legislation announced by the home secretary, Theresa May. The Home Office has launched a consultation over how a national domestic violence disclosure scheme could work in practice following a campaign by the father of Clare Wood, who was strangled in 2009 by an ex-boyfriend she had met through Facebook.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Times can use leaked Police documents in libel defence – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 26th, 2011 in defamation, disclosure, evidence, media, news, police, proportionality by sally

“Mr Justice Tugendhat has held that, with restrictions, The Times Newspapers Ltd (TNL) should be allowed to use information from leaked documents in its defence to a libel claim brought by the Metropolitan Police Service and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). However, proportionality limited the reach of this judgment to the next stage in the libel claim, after which reassessment may be necessary.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 25th October 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Sunday Mirror loses bid to overturn Olivier Martinez privacy ruling – The Guardian

Posted October 25th, 2011 in EC law, internet, jurisdiction, media, news, privacy by sally

“European court of justice’s decision reinforces law under which UK online publishers can be sued in any EU member state.”

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The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government considers ‘right to know’ on domestic abuse – BBC News

Posted October 25th, 2011 in consultations, criminal records, domestic violence, news, violent offenders by sally

“People could be given the power to find out from the police if a new partner has a history of domestic violence under new government proposals.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted October 25th, 2011 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Shields, R. v [2011] EWCA Crim 2343 (25 October 2011)

H, R. v [2011] EWCA Crim 2344 (25 October 2011)

T, R. v [2011] EWCA Crim 2345 (16 September 2011)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Guardian News and Media Ltd, R (on the application of) v City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court & Anor [2011] EWCA Civ 1188 (25 October 2011)

Brandon v American Express Services Europe Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 1187 (25 October 2011)

NHS Manchester v Fecitt & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 1190 (25 October 2011)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Alexander v Alexander & Ors [2011] EWHC 2721 (Ch) (21 October 2011)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC v PSI Energy Holding Company BSC & Ors [2011] EWHC 2718 (Comm) (24 October 2011)

Source: www.bailii.org

Why nearly a third of us could soon be living in a legal advice desert – The Guardian

Posted October 25th, 2011 in law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“Public funds left for social welfare law won’t be enough for not-for-profits to hire one full-time caseworker in 30% of areas.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man jailed for knife attack on police – The Guardian

Posted October 25th, 2011 in grievous bodily harm, murder, news, offensive weapons, sentencing by sally

“A knifeman described as one of the most dangerous men in Britain has been jailed for life for trying to kill two police officers.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Students turn away from the law as uni applications drop across the board – The Lawyer

Posted October 25th, 2011 in legal education, news, universities by sally

“The largest fall in university applications in more than 30 years has seen the number of candidates applying to study law drop by a record 5.2 per cent, according to figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).”

Full story

The Lawyer, 25th October 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Transcripts Guide – revised edition

Posted October 25th, 2011 in judgments, law reports, news by sally

In February of this year the Inner Temple Library produced a revised edition of Transcripts of Judicial Proceedings in England and Wales: a guide to sources.

Since that edition was published a number of changes caused by the creation of Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, and of the new government web portal, Justice, have affected the currency of some of the content. The information in the Guide has been updated, and is now, as far as possible, correct as at 1 July 2011.

More information can be found here.

Regina (Independent Schools Council) v Charity Commission for England and Wales (National Council for Voluntary Organisations and another intervening); Attorney General v Charity Commission for England and Wales and another – WLR Daily

Posted October 25th, 2011 in charities, education, law reports, tribunals by sally

Regina (Independent Schools Council) v Charity Commission for England and Wales (National Council for Voluntary Organisations and another intervening); Attorney General v Charity Commission for England and Wales and another [2011] UKUT 421 (TCC); [2011] WLR (D) 301

“Guidance issued by the Charity Commission for England and Wales included errors of law in respect of the public benefit requirement contained in the Charities Act 2006 on independent schools which charged fees. Whether the public benefit requirement was satisfied depended on the facts of each case. The correct approach was to look at what a trustee, acting in the interests of the community as a whole, would do in all the circumstances of the particular school under consideration and to ask what provision ought to be made once the threshold of benefit going beyond the de minimis or token level had been met. There was no reason why the provision of scholarships or bursaries to students who could pay some, but not all, of the fees should not be seen as for the public benefit. Provided that the operation of the school was seen as being for the public benefit, with an appropriate level of benefit for the poor, a subsidy to the not so well off was to be taken account of in the public benefit.”

WLR Daily, 13th October 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted October 25th, 2011 in legislation by sally

The Offshore Installations (Safety Zones) (No. 4) Order 2011

The Export (Penalty) (Amendment) Regulations 2011

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted October 25th, 2011 in law reports by sally

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

ABB & Ors v Milton Keynes Council [2011] EWHC 2745 (QB) (21 October 2011)

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis & Anor v Times Newspapers Ltd & Anor [2011] EWHC 2705 (QB) (24 October 2011)

High Court (Chancery Division)

British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc & Ors v Digital Satellite Warranty Cover Ltd & Ors [2011] EWHC 2636 (Ch) (07 October 2011)

Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH & Ors v Carefusion 303, Inc [2011] EWHC 2663 (Ch) (12 October 2011)

High Court (Patents Court)

ZTE (UK) Ltd v Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ) [2011] EWHC 2709 (Pat) (19 October 2011)

Source: www.bailii.org

Legal aid bill ‘to hit families, women and children’ – BBC News

Posted October 25th, 2011 in domestic violence, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

“A coalition of lawyers and charities has attacked planned government changes to the legal aid system as ‘disturbing’ for children, women and families.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th October 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal feminists take on the judiciary – The Lawyer

Posted October 25th, 2011 in diversity, judiciary, news, women by sally

“Why is there not more gender diversity at the top of the legal ­profession? What can be done to nurture and encourage female ­talent and, more importantly, accommodate women’s needs and perspectives at the highest ­echelons of the sector? Can you be both a feminist and a judge?”

Full story

The Lawyer, 24th October 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Attorney General speaks on the European Convention on Human Rights – Attorney General’s Office

Posted October 25th, 2011 in attorney general, courts, human rights, news, speeches by sally

“In a speech to a legal audience at London’s Lincoln Inn this evening, the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP, said that the benefits of remaining within the Convention and retaining our position as a leader of the international community are seen by the government to be fundamental to our national interest.”

Full story

Attorney General’s Office, 24th October 2011

Source: www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk