Ruling fails to halt confusion for asbestos sufferers – The Independent

Posted October 8th, 2010 in asbestos, compensation, industrial injuries, insurance, news by sally

“Victims of asbestos and their families face more ‘confusion and uncertainty’ today after a Court of Appeal ruling.”

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The Independent, 8th October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge reprimanded for alleged anti-Israel comments – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 8th, 2010 in complaints, disciplinary procedures, judges, news, professional conduct by sally

“Judge George Bathurst-Norman was disciplined following an investigation in to comments made at the end of a trial of seven activists who sabotaged equipment at a Brighton factory they claimed was making parts for Israeli warplanes.”

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Daily Telegraph, 7th October 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Paralysed sixth-former awarded record £17.5m payout after car accident – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 8th, 2010 in accidents, compensation, news, personal injuries, road traffic by sally

“A sixth-former, Chrissie Johnson, who was paralysed for life in a car accident has been awarded a record multi-million pound payout from the High Court.”

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Daily Telegraph, 8th October 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Fiona Bruce harasser detained under mental health laws – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2010 in harassment, mental health, news by sally

“A man who harassed BBC newsreader Fiona Bruce by sending her ‘love messages’ has been detained in hospital under mental health laws.”

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BBC News, 7th October 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

CPS apologises to woman over assault case collapse – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2010 in Crown Prosecution Service, news, prosecutions, sexual offences by sally

“The Crown Prosecution Service has apologised to a woman over failures in the collapse of a case against a man accused of assaulting her. The woman was waiting to go into Ealing Magistrates’ Court in west London, when she learned the prosecutor had suddenly decided to offer no evidence. The CPS has launched an inquiry into the handling of the case.”

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BBC News, 8th October 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mark Saunders was killed lawfully, inquest jury finds – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2010 in firearms, inquests, news, police, unlawful killing by sally

“An alcoholic barrister who pointed his shotgun at police was lawfully killed when they opened fire in response, an inquest jury found today.”

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The Guardian, 7th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High volume of complaints against solicitors as LeO launches – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 7th, 2010 in complaints, legal ombudsman, news, solicitors by sally

“The new Legal Ombudsman handled nearly 500 complaints on its launch day yesterday, taking its first call two minutes after opening at 8.30am while its chief executive was appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Kenneth Clarke reveals what cuts will mean for the courts – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2010 in budgets, costs, legal aid, news by sally

“This month, the justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, is expected to outline ways in which he could cut around a quarter of his department’s annual budget. Making prisoners work for 40 hours a week — the policy Clarke outlined at the Conservative conference on Tuesday — won’t go very far towards producing the £2bn or so of savings that he needs.”

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The Guardian, 7th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government publishes open data licence – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 7th, 2010 in copyright, database right, government departments, news by sally

“The Government has published the details of a licence which allows the re-use of public and Government information on a perpetual, royalty-free basis regardless of any copyright or database rights that exist in the material.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 7th October 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Courts will ‘struggle to cope’ with Equality Act caseload – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 7th, 2010 in employment, equality, news, tribunals by sally

“Employment lawyers have warned that tribunals could be ‘submerged’ by a surge in cases stemming from the Equality Act 2010, which came into force this month.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chancery Lane calls for appraisal system for family judges – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 7th, 2010 in family courts, judiciary, news by sally

“An appraisal system should be introduced for family judges, so that they can hear feedback on their performance and to reassure the public about the quality of the judiciary, the Law Society has suggested.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Feuding parents could be refused legal aid unless they mediate – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 7th, 2010 in custody, dispute resolution, legal aid, news by sally

“Feuding parents could be refused legal aid in custody battles unless they try mediation first, the justice minister signalled yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 7th October 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘No legal case’ for Iraq invasion – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 7th, 2010 in Iraq, news, war by sally

“Human rights lawyers have claimed that the UK had no legal case for its 2003 invasion of Iraq, in a submission to the Chilcot Inquiry seen by the Gazette.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th October 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

ACS:Law gets more of copyright fines than rights holders – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2010 in copyright, fees, law firms, news by sally

“ACS:Law, the controversial London-based solicitors’ firm involved in making copyright claims, keeps about 40% of the payments made by alleged filesharers, while rights holders receive between 20% and 30%, research by the Guardian has revealed.”

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The Guardian, 5th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Black and female young offenders ‘failed by legal advice’ – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2010 in legal services, minorities, news, prisons, young offenders by sally

“Black and female young offenders are being denied access to justice because legal advice in young offenders’ institutions is sometimes unavailable, a report shows.”

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The Guardian, 5th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge blocks website’s ‘Solicitors From Hell’ comments about lawyer – The Independent

Posted October 6th, 2010 in defamation, injunctions, internet, news, solicitors by sally

“A second High Court judge has issued an interim injunction banning the owner of the website Solicitors From Hell from publishing or republishing defamatory material about a lawyer with a London firm.”

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The Independent, 5th October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New research shows 16% rise in court appearances by FTSE 100 companies – Legal Week

Posted October 5th, 2010 in news, statistics by sally

“The number of court appearances by FTSE 100 companies has jumped by 16% over the last year, according to new research.”

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Legal Week, 4th October 2010

Source: www.legalweek.com

Judges are resigned to jurors researching their trials online – The Guardian

Posted October 5th, 2010 in internet, judiciary, juries, news by sally

“Judges are ‘giving up’ trying to stop juries using Google, Facebook and Twitter to access potentially false and prejudicial information about defendants, Sir Ken Macdonald, the former director of public prosecutions, has warned.”

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The Guardian, 4th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New Legal Ombudsman warns rip-off lawyers – BBC News

Posted October 5th, 2010 in complaints, legal ombudsman, legal services, news by sally

“Lawyers who bring the industry into disrepute by charging huge prices for services will no longer get away with it, the new Legal Ombudsman has said.”

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BBC News, 5th October 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man jailed for life for rape and murder of his 12-year-old niece – The Guardian

Posted October 5th, 2010 in child abuse, murder, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A man obsessed with violent child porn who called police to tell them he had raped and murdered his 12-year-old niece was told today by a judge he would spend the remainder of his life in prison.”

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The Guardian, 4th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk