Give judges discretion in murder sentencing – The Guardian
“Mandatory life sentences erode the judiciary’s independence and fail to take account of the individual circumstances of a case.”
The Guardian, 7th December 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Supreme Court
Aberdeen City Council v Stewart Milne Group Ltd (Scotland) [2011] UKSC 56 (7 December 2011)
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
London Borough of Islington v Boyle & Anor [2011] EWCA Civ 1450 (06 December 2011)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
McKeown v Attheraces Ltd [2011] EWHC 3232 (QB) (07 December 2011)
High Court (Administrative Court)
Source: www.bailii.org
Water cannon and plastic bullets, but don’t start panicking yet – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
“On 30 November the Metropolitan Police published the second part of its interim report into the widespread rioting in August 2011. The report has found that numbers of police on the streets of London were insufficient to deal with the disorder, and those that were there did not arrive quickly enough. It acknowledges the possibility that pre-existing tension went unnoticed, and that intelligence gathering systems could not keep pace with scale and speed of the riots.”
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 7th December 2011
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
Posters banned for ‘trivialising’ cosmetic surgery – The Guardian
“The advertising watchdog has banned a poster campaign for cosmetic surgery that featured a woman in a skimpy top in posters designed to look like the cover of a glossy women’s magazine, after deciding it trivialised breast augmentation and would be seen by young girls.”
The Guardian, 7th December 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Final Destination 5 poster banned by ASA – BBC News
“The Advertising Standards Authority has banned a poster for horror sequel Final Destination 5 for being too violent.”
BBC News, 7th December 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Withers LLP v Langbar International Ltd – WLR Daily
Withers LLP v Langbar International Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 1419; [2011] WLR (D) 351
“In asking whether money placed in the client account of a solicitor’s client were subject to a lien in favour of the solicitor the key question was whether the money had been placed in the account for general purposes or for a particular purpose which was incompatible with a lien arising.”
WLR Daily, 5th December 2011
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Realchemie Nederland BV v Bayer CropScience AG (Case C-406/09) – WLR Daily
Realchemie Nederland BV v Bayer CropScience AG (Case C-406/09); [2011] WLR (D) 350
“Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (OJ 2001 L 12, p1) applied to the recognition and enforcement of a decision of a court or tribunal that contained an order to pay a fine in order to ensure compliance with a judgment given in a civil and commercial matter. The costs relating to an exequatur (enforcement) procedure brought in one member state, in the course of which the recognition and enforcement was sought of a judgment given in another member state in proceedings seeking to enforce an intellectual property right, fell within article 14 of Parliament and Council Directive 2004/48/EC of 29 April 2004 on the enforcement of intellectual property rights (OJ 2004 L 157, p 45).”
WLR Daily, 18th December 2011
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Transcript of the Lord Chief Justice’s Annual Press Conference 2011 – Judiciary of England and Wales
Transcript of the Lord Chief Justice’s Annual Press Conference 2011 (PDF)
Judiciary of England and Wales, 6th December 2011
Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk
Record £130,000 child data error fine for Powys council – BBC News
“A council which sent details of a child protection case to the wrong person has received a record £130,000 fine for breaching the Data Protection Act.”
BBC News, 6th December 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Couple who used Indian surrogates can bring children up as their own rules judge – Daily Telegraph
“An English couple who paid Indian women to have their babies can keep them and bring them up as their own ruled one of Britain’s top judges, Sir Nicholas Wall ruled today (6 December).”
Daily Telegraph, 6th December 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Pro bono cannot plug the gap left by legal aid cuts – The Guardian
“Without decrying the achievements of voluntary legal work, let’s keep a sense of proportion.”
The Guardian, 7th December 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Peers ‘should end Downton Abbey-style succession rules’ – BBC News
“The House of Lords is being urged to end rules which deny most hereditary peerages to women.”
BBC News, 7th December 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Groupon breaches ASA code for 49th and 50th time in 2011 – The Guardian
“Groupon is in trouble with regulators again after a promotion for breast enhancement failed to deliver the boost promised, and a discount deal on an Ocado product which never existed.”
The Guardian, 7th December 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Judges warned against straying into politics – by top judge – Daily Telegraph
“Judges are straying too far in the world of politics and should stay within their ‘proper function’, the head of the judiciary, Lord Judge, has said.”
Daily Telegraph, 6th December 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Charities and universities to benefit from VAT exemption for shared services – OUT-LAW.com
“The Government will implement EU proposals that will allow charities and universities to share services without charging each other VAT, according to proposals published in today’s Finance Bill 2012.”
OUT-LAW.com, 6th December 2011
Source: www.out-law.com
Legal advice for migrants and refugees is already patchy – The Guardian
“Local authority cuts have hit some areas of London hard, and further cuts would have disastrous consequences.”
The Guardian, 6th December 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Ban on referral fees is looming but enforcement could prove tricky – The Guardian
“There is a crucial get-out clause that means referral fees in personal injury claims may continue to be paid in disguise.”
The Guardian, 6th December 2011
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
R v A Local Authority & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 1451 (06 December 2011)
Leeds Group Plc v Leeds City Council [2011] EWCA Civ 1447 (02 December 2011)
High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)
Farnon v Devonshires Solicitors (a firm) [2011] EWHC 3167 (QB) (06 December 2011)
High Court (Family Division)
X And Y (Children), Re [2011] EWHC 3147 (Fam) (06 December 2011)
H v S [2011] EWHC B23 (Fam) (18 November 2011)
High Court (Technology and Construction Court)
Sprunt Ltd v London Borough of Camden [2011] EWHC 3191 (TCC) (06 December 2011)
Source: www.bailii.org
Draft tax legislation gives greater predictability and clarity – HM Treasury
“Following Budget 2011, the Government has today published responses to a number of tax policy consultations, alongside draft clauses for legislation to be included in Finance Bill 2012.”
HM Treasury, 6th December 2011
Source: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
