Time, time, time, look what’s become of me – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in courts, human rights, news, time limits by sally

“In law, time can be everything. Every lawyer will have experienced waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat at the realisation that a time limit has been missed. Courts often have the discretion to extend litigation time limits, such as under rule 3.1 of the Civil Procedure Rules, but simple mistakes by lawyers rarely generate sympathy from judges. Even scarier, judges sometimes do not even have the power to extend time at all, however unfair the circumstances. The idea is to encourage certainty and predictability in the legal system.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Man jailed for life for killing again two decades after first murder – The Guardian

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in murder, news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

“An investigation is under way into the monitoring of a convicted killer who murdered for a second time after being freed from prison.”

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The Guardian, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Clarke asks top judges to probe disclosure sanctions – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in criminal justice, disclosure, news, sanctions by sally

“Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke has asked two senior judges to review sanctions for disclosure failures in criminal trials, to ‘mitigate the resource burden’ imposed by disclosure.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Extradition: where and why? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in evidence, extradition, jurisdiction, news by sally

“The past few months have seen a great many column inches dedicated to the issue of extradition. The dismissal of the extradition challenges by Abu Hamza and others has led to many commentators heaping praise on the ECtHR for making the correct choice in granting the extradition of these men to the US. The attempt by the Home Secretary to deport Abu Qatada to Jordan continues to stimulate debate and raise erudite procedural issues.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Bills delayed ‘to make room for Lords reform’ – BBC News

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in bills, constitutional reform, legislation, news, parliament by sally

“The government is putting promised legislation on hold to make room for House of Lords reform, MPs say.”

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BBC News, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

JAC commissioner: ‘let solicitors become judges’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in diversity, judicial appointments commission, judiciary, news, solicitors by sally

“The newly-appointed solicitor commissioner to the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) has expressed scepticism about targets and quotas for diversity as well as the ‘tipping point’ method of favouring under-represented groups.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

When does an expert report constitute “independent evidence” of torture? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in appeals, asylum, evidence, expert witnesses, news, reports, torture by sally

“Whether expert evidence relied upon by an asylum seeker amounted to ‘independent evidence’ of torture was the key issue before the Court of Appeal in this case . The issue arose in the context of AM’s claim against the Home Office for wrongful imprisonment contrary to the UK Border Agency’s Enforcement Instructions and Guidance. The Guidance, which contains the policy of the Agency on detentions (amongst other things), says that where there is ‘independent evidence’ that a person has been tortured, that person is suitable for detention only in ‘very exceptional circumstances’.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Abu Qatada appeal hearing due next Wednesday – The Guardian

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in appeals, deportation, human rights, news, terrorism, time limits by sally

“European human rights judges will decide next Wednesday whether Abu Qatada’s appeal against his deportation from Britain should be allowed to go ahead.”

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The Guardian, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hundreds still to face courts in London over riots – BBC News

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in London, news, prosecutions, sentencing, violent disorder by sally

“Hundreds of cases of people accused of being involved in last summer’s London riots are still being prepared for trial, the BBC has learned.”

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BBC News, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Are you the new pupil? One sugar, please love – The Guardian

Posted May 3rd, 2012 in news, pupillage, sex discrimination, women by sally

“Sexism at the bar may be more subtle, but female pupils still get asked to book flights, babysit and told to ‘heel'”

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The Guardian, 3rd May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted May 2nd, 2012 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

JSC BTA Bank v Granton Trade Ltd & Ors [2012] EWCA Civ 564 (01 May 2012)

AA (Somalia) v Entry Clearance Officer – Addis Ababa [2012] EWCA Civ 563 (01 May 2012)

Peart v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2012] EWCA Civ 568 (01 May 2012)

Cawdery Kaye Fireman & Taylor v Minkin [2012] EWCA Civ 546 (01 May 2012)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Rai & Ors v The Charity Commission for England and Wales [2012] EWHC 1111 (Ch) (01 May 2012)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Brzeski v Regional Court In Gdansk Poland [2012] EWHC 1138 (Admin) (01 May 2012)

Razzoqi, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2012] EWHC 1126 (Admin) (30 April 2012)

Source: www.bailii.org

“Murder most foul”: The right to life investigating homicide – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 2nd, 2012 in coroners, human rights, inquests, judicial review, murder, news by sally

“In what circumstances is a criminal trial not sufficient to discharge the State’s duties under Article 2, the right to life, towards a victim of murder? The High Court held last week in this tragic case that a Coroner unlawfully and unreasonably decided not to resume an inquest into the death of a teenage girl where her killer had been ruled unfit to plead at the Old Bailey and handed an indefinite hospital order.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 1st May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

England’s most prolific criminal has 567 convictions – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 2nd, 2012 in news, recidivists, statistics by sally

“England’s most prolific criminal has almost 600 convictions to his name, official figures have disclosed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Yes, come to the library! Browse and borrow, and help make sure it’ll still be here tomorrow… – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 2nd, 2012 in budgets, equality, judicial review, libraries, local government, news by sally

“‘Yes, come to the library! Browse and borrow, and help make sure it’ll still be here tomorrow…’ Thus concludes “Library poem”, penned by Children’s Laureate and Gruffalo creator Julia Donaldson, the latest high profile recruit to the campaign against planned library closures.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

‘Living wills’ need to be completely clear, rules judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 2nd, 2012 in assisted suicide, Court of Protection, medical ethics, news, wills by sally

“‘Living wills’ that stipulate exactly how a person wants to die should be drawn up with absolute clarity, a judge has ruled after concluding a 67-year-old man with motor neurone disease had made a ‘valid decision’ to refuse treatment.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Crackdown on whiplash injury claims – The Independent

Posted May 2nd, 2012 in claims management, compensation, insurance, news, personal injuries, road traffic by sally

“Whiplash injury claims cost insurers more than £2 billion last year – adding around £90 to the
cost of a typical car insurance policy, the AA has revealed.”

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The Independent, 2nd May 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

London 2012: Legal bid over Olympics flats missile plan – BBC News

Posted May 2nd, 2012 in defence, news, sport, terrorism, weapons by sally

“An east London resident wants to take legal action after his apartment complex was earmarked for the use of surface-to-air missiles during the Olympics.”

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BBC News, 1st May 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Internet freedom ‘under threat from hasty legislation in UK and US’ – The Guardian

Posted May 2nd, 2012 in freedom of expression, intellectual property, internet, media, news by sally

“Head of global media observation group says many countries are trying to restrict internet freedom in name of security.”

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The Guardian, 1st May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Drink-driving midwife had gin and tonic in her car – The Guardian

Posted May 1st, 2012 in alcohol abuse, driving licences, drunk in charge, midwives, news by sally

“A midwife who was caught drink-driving with a bottle of gin, tonic water and slices of lemon in her car has been banned from the road for three years.”

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The Guardian, 1st May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal aid is (almost) dead – The Guardian

Posted May 1st, 2012 in alternative business structures, bills, law centres, legal aid, news by sally

“After a long fight and a knife-edge vote in the Lords last week, the Queen gave her assent today to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill (Laspo). A significant number of people will no longer have access to professional help with legal problems.”

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The Guardian, 1st May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk