Bar Council Calls for Access to Justice in an Age of Austerity – The Bar Council

Posted October 4th, 2010 in barristers, legal aid, news by sally

“Speaking at two fringe meetings at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, the Chairman-Elect of the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, Peter Lodder QC, will stress the importance of the legal profession working with Government to maintain access to justice, despite forthcoming budget cuts. He will also call on the Government to ensure that any reforms to the legal aid system maintain high quality representation for all those eligible to receive it, particularly the most vulnerable members of society.”

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Bar Council, 4th October 2010

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Attorney general eases up on bar diversity stats – The Lawyer

Posted October 4th, 2010 in barristers, equality, news, statistics by sally

“The attorney general’s office has dropped demands on bar members of the Treasury Solicitor Panel of Counsel to disclose equality and diversity credentials.”

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The Lawyer, 4th October 2010

Source: www.thelawyer.com

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted October 4th, 2010 in law reports by sally

High Court (Queen’s Bench)

CA v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2010] EWHC 2278 (QB) (10 September 2010)

High Court (Family Division)

Coventry City Council v X, Y and Z (Care Proceedings: Costs: Identification of Local Authority) [2010] EWHC B22 (Fam) (27 September 2010)

Source: www.bailii.org

Procedure Rules – updates to civil rules come into force – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 4th, 2010 in civil procedure rules, news by sally

“Updates to the rules on how some types of civil cases are managed or prepared for court come into force on 1 October.”

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Ministry of Justice, 1st October 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

ECJ says VAT should not be due on music industry samples – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 4th, 2010 in news, VAT by sally

“UK VAT rules will have to change after the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) ruled this week that record companies should not owe the tax on free albums sent to journalists, DJs and promoters.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 4th October 2010

Source: www.out-law.com

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted October 4th, 2010 in legislation by sally

The Welfare Reform Act 2009 (Commencement No. 3) Order 2010

The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (Commencement No. 4) Order 2010

The Commons Act 2006 (Commencement No. 1 and Savings (England and Wales) and Commencement No. 5 (England) (Amendment)) Order 2010

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Specified Lists: Scotland) Order 2010

The Commons Registration (Amendment and Miscellaneous Revocations) Regulations 2010

The Bee Diseases and Pests Control (England) (Amendment) Order 2010

The Feed (Sampling and Analysis and Specified Undesirable Substances) (Wales) Regulations 2010

The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Wales) Regulations 2010

The Food Irradiation (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Teenager who paralysed man in drunken attack walks free because jail term not ‘useful’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 4th, 2010 in grievous bodily harm, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A teenager who left a man severely paralysed and able to communicate only by blinking has been spared jail after a judge ruled it would not be ‘useful’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 2nd October 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MPs set out list of torture inquiry demands in letter to judge – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2010 in inquiries, news, rendition, torture by sally

“An all-party group of MPs has written to the judge heading the inquiry into the UK’s role in torture and rendition setting out the steps they believe are needed to establish the truth.”

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Shoplifter wins case over ‘disproportionate detention’ – The Independent

Posted October 4th, 2010 in conspiracy, criminal records, damages, imprisonment, news, theft by sally

“A shoplifter with ‘a bad criminal record for offences of theft’ has won the right to damages against the Home Secretary under human rights laws.”

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The Independent, 1st October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Couple jailed for allowing their adopted daughters to be abused – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2010 in child abuse, news, parental responsibility, sentencing by sally

“A couple who allowed their adopted daughters to be abused by two paedophiles were jailed today for child cruelty after a judge condemned their ‘deplorable and terrible betrayal of trust’.”

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The Guardian, 1st October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyers vow to continue antipiracy fight – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 4th, 2010 in copyright, data protection, internet, news by sally

“Law firms will continue to pursue those suspected of piracy and illegal filesharing, despite the ACS:Law data breach scandal.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st October 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Got a legal complaint? Now you can take it to the new legal ombudsman – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2010 in complaints, legal ombudsman, legal services, news by sally

“People who are dissatisfied with the service they have received from their lawyer can, from this Wednesday, complain to a legal ombudsman. The ombudsman can compel all regulated lawyers to comply with its investigations, and has the power to impose penalties ranging from apologising to a client, through to paying up to £30,000 compensation.”

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Asbestos victims await compensation ruling – The Independent

Posted October 4th, 2010 in compensation, industrial injuries, insurance, news by sally

“Thousands of families bereaved by the asbestos cancer mesothelioma will discover this week whether insurance companies will compensate them for the deaths of their loved ones. The Court of Appeal will rule in a test case on Friday if insurers must pay out on company policies that existed when people were exposed to the deadly dust.”

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The Independent, 3rd October 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

CBI calls for tougher legislation on right to strike – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2010 in industrial action, news, trade unions by sally

“Business leaders will today urge the government to introduce stringent new laws to make it harder for public sector workers to go on strike and prevent the country grinding to a halt as opposition grows to the looming spending cuts.”

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The Guardian, 4th October 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Farmer spared jail over ‘cannibal’ pigs – The Independent

Posted October 1st, 2010 in animal cruelty, news, sentencing by sally

“A pig farmer whose starving animals were kept in such appalling conditions that they resorted to cannibalism has been spared a prison sentence, prosecutors said today.”

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The Independent, 30th September 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Speeding drink-driver jailed for fatal M4 crash – BBC News

Posted October 1st, 2010 in alcohol abuse, dangerous driving, news, sentencing by sally

“A drink-driver who caused a fatal crash at speeds of more than 100mph on the M4 in Berkshire has been jailed for six-and-a-half years.”

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BBC News, 1st October 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ex-teacher sentenced for child pornography offences – The Independent

Posted October 1st, 2010 in indecent photographs of children, news, sentencing by sally

“A former schoolteacher who used his work laptop to view child pornography was given a three-year community order today.”

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The Independent, 30th September 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Teenage driver locked up for killing boy – The Independent

Posted October 1st, 2010 in careless driving, news, sentencing, young offenders by sally

“A speeding teenage driver who collided with a 10-year-old boy and left him dying in the road as he fled the scene was sentenced to 30 months in a young offenders’ institution today.”

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The Independent, 30th September 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hertfordshire park rapist jailed for public protection – BBC News

Posted October 1st, 2010 in news, rape, sentencing by sally

“A man who raped a 17-year-old girl in a Hertfordshire park when she intervened in an argument, has been jailed for ‘public protection’, a judge said.”

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BBC News, 1st October 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fair ride owner fined after men injured at Silverstone – BBC News

Posted October 1st, 2010 in health & safety, news, sentencing by sally

“A man who owned a faulty fairground ride at the British Grand Prix has been fined £3,000 after two people were injured when they were thrown from it.”

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BBC News, 30th September 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk