The Family Justice Modernisation Programme: Fourth update – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted April 13th, 2012 in civil justice, family courts, reports by sally

“Following the final report of the Family Justice Review, the Lord Chief Justice and the President of the Family Division have appointed Mr Justice Ryder as Judge in Charge of the Modernisation of Family Justice. Ryder J’s appointment is until July 2012, and he is clear that it is important to ensure interested parties are aware of his work as it develops. He will publish information during this period and you will find the fourth update here.”

Full update

Judiciary of England and Wales, 10th April 2012

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Another challenge to HS2 launched – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 13th, 2012 in judicial review, news, planning, railways by sally

“A further legal challenge has been launched against the Government’s decision to proceed with the proposed £33 billion High Speed 2 network, which will provide high speed rail links between major cities in the UK.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Litigants in Person Cases: It Doesn’t Have to Be Like This – Family Law Week

Posted April 13th, 2012 in family courts, litigants in person, news by sally

“Lesley Pendlebury Cox, Consultant with Gregory Rowcliffe Milners considers the issues arising from the increase in the number of self represented clients in family cases, its impact on family lawyers and their clients.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 13th April 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.com

UK firm admits illegal waste exports to Brazil – BBC News

Posted April 13th, 2012 in news, waste by sally

“A UK company has admitted illegally exporting non-recyclable household waste to Brazil.”

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BBC News, 12th April 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Pakistani students applying for UK visa will face compulsory interview – The Guardian

Posted April 13th, 2012 in immigration, news, Pakistan by sally

“Every Pakistani student applying for a visa to come to study in Britain will face a compulsory interview with consular officials following a secret pilot study indicating that up to 40% could be ineligible. Theresa May, the home secretary, will soon announce that ‘bogus’ students will be blocked from entering Britain when the measures are introduced.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Cigarettes may have to be sold in plain packets following public consultation – The Guardian

Posted April 13th, 2012 in news, smoking by sally

“Cigarette packets could be stripped of all branding following a consultation beginning on Monday, the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, has revealed.”

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The Guardian, 13th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

TfL bans Christian groups’ ‘gay cure’ advert from London buses – The Independent

Posted April 13th, 2012 in advertising, Christianity, freedom of expression, homosexuality, news by sally

” An attempt by evangelical Christians to promote ‘gay cure’ therapies on the sides of London buses was banned last night, sparking an angry row over free speech.”

Full text

The Independent, 13th April 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

IPCC: John Yates showed ‘poor judgment’ in assisting Neil Wallis’s daughter – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 13th, 2012 in complaints, media, news, police, professional conduct by sally

“Former Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner John Yates helped secure a job for News International executive Neil Wallis’s daughter telling his staff he had been a ‘great friend’ of the force, a report has revealed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Tycoon Kate Bleasdale brings £12m sex bias case against her firm – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 13th, 2012 in news, sex discrimination, unfair dismissal by sally

“A former nurse who built a business empire has begun a £12million legal action against a medical company she created, claiming that she was wrongfully sacked and that her former chairman touched her breast.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The rising cost of free speech: Reynolds, contempt and Twitter – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 12th, 2012 in contempt of court, defamation, freedom of expression, internet, news by sally

“Free speech is under attack. Or so it seems. The last few weeks have been abuzz with stories to do with free speech: a Supreme Court ruling on the Reynolds defence to libel; contempt of court proceedings against an MP for comments made in a book and the latest in a growing line of criminal trials for Twitter offences. The diversity of media at the heart of these stories – print news, traditional books and online ‘micro-blogging’ – indicates the difficulty of the task for the legal system.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 12th April 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Journalists ‘should have to argue public interest for unlawful methods in court’ – The Guardian

Posted April 12th, 2012 in media, news, public interest by sally

“Journalists should appear before a court of law to make a public interest defence for stories obtained by unlawful newsgathering techniques, the information commissioner has said.”

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The Guardian, 12th April 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Security bodies, private emails: parallels between the UK and US – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 12th, 2012 in electronic mail, freedom of information, intelligence services, news by sally

“Today was one of striking parallels between the USA and the UK in terms of litigation concerned with access to information.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th April 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Government to give consumers control over smart meter data amidst privacy concerns – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 12th, 2012 in consumer protection, data protection, energy, news, privacy by sally

“Third-party companies will not be able to access data recorded in consumers’ smart meters unless consumers choose to let them see it, the Government has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 12th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted April 12th, 2012 in legislation by sally

The Beef and Pig Carcase Classification (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2012

The National Curriculum (Assessment Arrangements on Entry to the Foundation Phase) (Wales) (Revocation) Order 2012

The Fire and Rescue Services (National Framework) (Wales) Order 2012

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Family Justice Modernisation Programme – Update – Family Law Bar Association

Posted April 12th, 2012 in case management, family courts, news by sally

“Mr Justice Ryder has published his fourth update on the progress of the Family Justice Modernisation Programme.”

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Family Law Bar Association, 11th April 2012

Source: www.flba.co.uk

Legal education review calls for response to ‘radical’ proposals – Legal Week

Posted April 12th, 2012 in consultations, legal education, news by sally

“The Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) has issued a call for feedback on radical proposals for reform, including the replacement of the training contract with a more flexible period of ‘supervised practice’.”

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Legal Week, 12th April 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Mother jailed over ‘daughter abducted’ claim – The Independent

Posted April 12th, 2012 in kidnapping, news, perverting the course of justice, sentencing by sally

“A mother of four has been jailed for six months for falsely reporting her daughter had been abducted from her backyard.”

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The Independent, 11th April 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jail for Muamba Twitter abuse – was 56 days imprisonment justified? – Legal Week

Posted April 11th, 2012 in internet, media, news, racism, sentencing by sally

“Liam Stacey – a 21-year-old student – was recently sentenced by a District Judge (Magistrates’ Court) to 56 days imprisonment for his tweets in relation to Bolton Wanderers footballer Fabrice Muamba (pictured). The Guardian reported that Stacey entered a guilty plea to a charge of racially aggravated disorderly behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress contrary to Crime and Disorder Act 1998 s.31 (as read with Public Order Act 1986 s.4A)”

Full story

Legal Week, 11th April 2012

Source: www.legalweek.com

Blogger’s publication of Motorman records may have breached data protection laws, says watchdog – OUT-LAW.com

Posted April 11th, 2012 in data protection, interception, media, news, privacy by sally

“A political blogger may have breached UK data protection laws after posting a list of journalists and the requests they allegedly made to a private detective to ‘blag’ information for stories.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th April 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Lost and Found: the Tenancy Deposit Scheme – Zenith Chambers

Posted April 11th, 2012 in deposits, housing, landlord & tenant, news by sally

“The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) legislation, set out in sections 212 to 215 of the Housing Act 2004, came into force in 2007 in respect of tenancy deposits paid by assured shorthold tenants. Essentially, it imposes two requirements on landlords:
(1) protection of the deposit paid in respect of such tenancies by paying it into an authorised scheme within 14 days of receipt of the deposit; and
(2) provision to the tenant of prescribed information, again within 14 days of the receipt of the deposit.”

Full story (PDF)

Zenith Chambers, 5th April 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk