Appeal court overturns civil partnership award – BBC News
“Judges have overturned a decision that awarded an actor a £1.7m settlement after his civil partnership broke down.”
BBC News, 29th March 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk
The Landfill Tax (Qualifying Material) (Amendment) Order 2012
The Climate Change Levy (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
The Welsh Language Measure (Registrable Interests) Regulations 2012
The Welsh Language Board (Transfer of Staff, Property, Rights and Liabilities) Order 2012
The Works on Common Land, etc. (Procedure) (Wales) Regulations 2012
The School Teachers’ Qualifications (Wales) Regulations 2012
The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) (Amendment)(Wales) Regulations 2012
The Education Act 2011 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional and Savings Provisions) Order 2012
Source: www.legislation.gov.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Supreme Court
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
DL v A Local Authority & Ors [2012] EWCA Civ 253 (28 March 2012)
Abubakar v Entry Clearance Officer (Sannaa) [2012] EWCA Civ 377 (28 March 2012)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
Citation Plc v Ellis Whittam Ltd [2012] EWHC 764 (QB) (28 March 2012)
SKA & Anor v CRH & Anor [2012] EWHC 766 (QB) (28 March 2012)
Church v MGN Ltd [2012] EWHC 693 (QB) (28 March 2012)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Isis Investments Ltd v Oscatello Investments Ltd & Ors [2012] EWHC 745 (Ch) (23 March 2012)
High Court (Administrative Court)
Aga v General Medical Council [2012] EWHC 782 (Admin) (28 March 2012)
Source: www.bailii.org
Commissioner of Taxpayer Audit and Assessment v Cigarette Company of Jamaica Ltd (in voluntary liquidation) – WLR Daily
“For the purposes of income tax assessment, a transaction was “artificial” if it had, as compared with normal transactions of an ostensibly similar type, features that were abnormal and appeared to be part of a plan. A transaction was not artificial merely because it was not commercial, but if a transaction effected in a commercial context was attacked as uncommercial that might be a reason for looking at it closely.”
WLR Daily, 13th March 2012
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Bar Council Welcomes Lords Constitution Committee Report on Judicial Appointments – The Bar Council
“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has welcomed the findings and recommendations of the House of Lords Constitution Committee in its report on Judicial Appointments published today. The inquiry, to which the former Chairman of the Bar, Peter Lodder QC, gave evidence, found that the principle of appointments based on merit is vital and should continue, an outcome which the Bar Council completely endorses.”
The Bar Council, 28th March 2012
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
IPCC urging evidence law change – BBC News
“Changes to the law are needed to ensure fuller details can be revealed in cases where people have died at the hands of officers, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.”
Full story
BBC News, 29th March 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Hackers to face two years in jail under new rules proposed by EU – The Independent
“Computer hackers will face at least two years in jail under new rules proposed by the EU, it has emerged. The wide-ranging measures, which are aimed at tackling the rise of online crime, are likely to hit hacktivism groups such as Anonymous.”
The Independent, 28th March 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Legal training: the best routes to becoming a lawyer – The Lawyer
“Abolishing the concept of the qualifying law degree, more common training for prospective lawyers, replacing the training contract with ‘supervised practice’ and sector-wide CPD – just some of the ‘more radical’ ideas being considered by the profession-wide Legal Education and Training Review (LETR).”
The Lawyer, 29th March 2012
Source: www.thelawyer.com
Would introducing a minimum price for alcohol of 40p per unit breach EU law? – The Guardian
“Last week’s announcement regarding minimum alcohol pricing was unusual in a number of respects. Plans for the introduction of a minimum price per unit are already well advanced in Scotland, but the Westminster government is a more recent convert. As soon as the proposal was announced, it was clear the implementation was likely to come under legal challenge from the drinks industry. The Telegraph, the Guardian and the Daily Mail all indicate that the drinks industry had ‘legal advice’ that the minimum pricing would be contrary to EU law.”
The Guardian, 28th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Man loses privacy case over telling his wife about twins – BBC News
“A businessman has failed in his High Court bid to prevent his wife being told of the birth of his twins from a secret relationship.”
BBC News, 28th March 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Courtroom cameras ‘risk turning trials into a circus’ – The Independent
“Plans to allow cameras into courtrooms would risk turning trials into media circuses and could jeopardise defendants’ safety, ministers were warned last night by a leading solicitor.”
The Independent, 29th March 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Existing copyright licensing processes not accounting properly for ‘mixed media’ and digital content, report says – OUT-LAW.com
“Copyright licensing processes in the UK could be more ‘streamlined, easier and cheaper to use’ than is currently the case, a report into the framework has said.”
OUT-LAW.com, 28th March 2012
Source: www.out-law.com
Hacker declared fit to stand trial in US court – The Independent
“Gary McKinnon is almost certain to be extradited to the US after a psychiatrist declared him fit to be sent abroad, despite the same doctor having said three years ago that the computer hacker was too great a suicide risk to be handed to American authorities.”
The Independent, 29th March 2012
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Leveson Inquiry: IPCC ‘error’ over Mark Duggan shooting – BBC News
“The head of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said it made a ‘serious error’ in its handling of the Mark Duggan shooting.”
BBC News, 28th March 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Jeremy Bamber in new challenge to conviction for murdering family – The Guardian
“Jeremy Bamber, who was jailed for 26 years for killing five members of his own family, is launching another bid for freedom after evidence emerged that the assistant director of public prosecutions decided not to proceed with drug trafficking and fraud allegations against a key prosecution witness.”
The Guardian, 29th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Related link: Jeremy Bamber: prosecutor’s correspondence with police – full documents
Parents will have legal right to choose the best school for their children, says David Cameron – Daily Telegraph
“People will have a legal ‘right to choose’ which schools and hospitals they use under new laws overhauling public services, David Cameron says today.”
Daily Telegraph, 28th March 2012
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Asbestos court ruling leaves insurers facing bill of up to £5bn – The Guardian
“Insurers may have to pay out as much as £5bn to relatives of those who have died from asbestos-related cancers following a supreme court judgment that will benefit thousands of families.”
The Guardian, 28th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Tesco Law’ allows legal services in supermarkets – BBC News
“A big shake-up of legal services has removed restrictions on where such products may be sold.”
BBC News, 28th March 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Charlotte Church article in People could be defamatory, judge rules – The Guardian
“An article in the People newspaper claiming Charlotte Church had drunkenly proposed to her boyfriend at a pub karaoke night could be seen as defamatory because she was a ‘star’, a high court judge has ruled.”
The Guardian, 28th March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
