Human rights blamed for sharp rise in prisoner legal aid – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 7th, 2011 in human rights, legal aid, news by sally

“Taxpayers are funding almost £70,000 a day on legal aid for prisoners after a 25-fold increase in the last decade.”

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Daily Telegraph, 7th July 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man sentenced to 10 years for trying to kill wife with electric chair – The Guardian

Posted July 7th, 2011 in attempted murder, attempts, murder, news, sentencing by sally

“When Andrew Castle’s wife of 18 years asked him for a divorce, his response was to rig up a homemade electric chair in his garage and try to kill her.”

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The Guardian, 6th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

NHS ‘above the law’ in legal aid reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 7th, 2011 in legal aid, medical treatment, negligence, news by sally

“The government is putting the NHS ‘above the law’ with its proposed legal aid reforms and changes to the ‘no win, no fee’ arrangements, the Gazette has been told.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyers to boycott UK torture inquiry as rights groups label it a sham – The Guardian

Posted July 7th, 2011 in inquiries, intelligence services, news, rendition, torture, victims by sally

“The government’s plans for an inquiry into the UK’s role in torture and rendition after 9/11 are in disarray after human rights groups queued up to denounce it as a sham and lawyers for the victims said they were boycotting the hearings.”

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The Guardian, 6th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Gold-digger’ jailed over OAP con – The Independent

Posted July 7th, 2011 in fraud, news, recidivists, sentencing by sally

“A serial conwoman was back behind bars tonight after getting up to her ‘old tricks’ of befriending elderly men through lonely hearts columns before fleecing them of their savings.”

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The Independent, 6th July 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Media needs to get facts straight on immigrants’ rights – The Guardian

Posted July 7th, 2011 in consultations, families, immigration, media, news by sally

“The news that the government is about to undertake a public consultation on family reunion policies for immigrants has been greeted with a barrage of inaccurate media reports. This is especially true when it comes to reporting on the current state of play in UK law and the use of article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which sets out a right to privacy and family life.”

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The Guardian, 6th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Top-100 firms concerned by Legal Services Act reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 7th, 2011 in alternative business structures, law firms, news by sally

“Top law firms are coming under increasing pressure from clients to reduce fees, a poll has revealed, while a growing number fear that Legal Services Act reforms will pose a risk to profits.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Police bail debate raises legal eyebrows – The Guardian

Posted July 7th, 2011 in bail, bills, detention, legislation, news, stay of execution, Supreme Court by sally

“The supreme court seemed to be exercising powers it does not have when it offered to consider suspending the bail ruling”

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The Guardian, 6th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

HSBC manager held overdrawn customer against her will – BBC News

Posted July 7th, 2011 in banking, debts, false imprisonment, harassment, news by sally

“HSBC bank has written off a customer’s overdraft after a judge decided it had unlawfully imprisoned her and harassed her with hundreds of phone calls.”

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BBC News, 6th July 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

White, male-dominated judiciary ‘shows need to reform recruitment’ – The Guardian

Posted July 7th, 2011 in constitutional reform, diversity, judiciary, news, parliament by sally

“Giving politicians a role in selecting judges would deliver a more diverse and representative judiciary, the House of Lords has been told.”

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The Guardian, 6th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Clarke announces additional funding to help victims of homicide – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 6th, 2011 in bereavement, homicide, news, victims by sally

“Justice Secretary, Kenneth Clarke, has announced an additional £500,000 to help victims of homicide, following the publication of the Victims Commissioner’s report today.”

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Ministry of Justice, 6th July 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Parliament could scrutinise judicial appointments – The Guardian

“As judges find themselves increasingly under attack from the current and previous governments, the rightwing press and liberals concerned about the lack of diversity in the judiciary, a House of Lords committee is looking at judicial appointments, including whether there should be US-style parliamentary confirmation hearings to increase judicial accountability.”

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The Guardian, 6th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jamaican lesbian can stay in UK, tribunal rules – BBC News

Posted July 6th, 2011 in appeals, immigration, news, refugees, sexual orientation discrimination by sally

“A Jamaican lesbian has won the right to stay in the UK after immigration judges ruled she risks persecution if she returns to her home country.”

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BBC News, 6th July 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Carer battle over as ex-ballerina loses supreme court fight – The Guardian

Posted July 6th, 2011 in carers, disabled persons, human rights, judicial review, news by sally

“A former prima ballerina left disabled after a stroke has lost her supreme court battle for an overnight carer to give her ‘dignity and independence’.”

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The Guardian, 6th July 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Society calls for safeguards in bail legislation – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 6th, 2011 in bail, bills, news, police by sally

“The Law Society has urged the home secretary to consider safeguards to the emergency bail legislation about to go through Parliament to prevent abuse of the bail system by police.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 6th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal protection should only be given to artists who sign up for copyright exchange, says musicians’ rights campaigner – OUT-LAW.com

Posted July 6th, 2011 in artistic works, copyright, internet, news by sally

“The Government should approve the creation of a new digital copyright exchange and should make some legal protections available only to musicians who sign up to it, a campaigner for music artists’ interests has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th July 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Daily Email Alert

Posted July 6th, 2011 in news by sally

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BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted July 6th, 2011 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

P v Independent Print Ltd. & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 756 (04 July 2011)

Glentree Estates Ltd v Holbeton Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 755 (05 July 2011)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Schütz (UK) Ltd & Anor v Delta Containers Ltd & Anor [2011] EWHC 1712 (Ch) (05 July 2011)

High Court (Administrative Court)

D Morgan Plc, R (on the application of) v The Welsh Ministers & Anor [2011] EWHC 1680 (Admin) (05 July 2011)

Resource Recovery Solutions (Derbyshire) Ltd v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government & Anor [2011] EWHC 1726 (Admin) (05 July 2011)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Russian Commercial Bank (Cyprus) Ltd v Khoroshilov [2011] EWHC 1721 (Comm) (05 July 2011)

Pioneer Freight Futures Company Ltd v Cosco Bulk Carrier Company Ltd [2011] EWHC 1692 (Comm) (05 July 2011)

Source: www.bailii.org

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted July 6th, 2011 in legislation by sally

The Companies (Reporting Requirements in Mergers and Divisions) Regulations 2011

The Gender Recognition Register (Amendment) Regulations 2011

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

DPP responds to Louise Casey report with enhanced service to bereaved families – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted July 6th, 2011 in bereavement, courts, Crown Prosecution Service, families, murder, news, victims by sally

“The Crown Prosecution Service is extending its service for bereaved families at court, announced the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, today. He also welcomed the Victims Commissioners report: Review into the Needs of Families Bereaved by Homicide.”

Full story

Crown Prosecution Service, 6th July 2011

Source: www.cps.gov.uk