Current Awareness

“A Haringey social worker today accepted undisclosed compensation over the authority’s false claim that she did not raise concerns about returning Baby P to his mother.”

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The Independent, 1st July 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted July 1st, 2010 in legislation by sally

The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 2010

The Social Security (Disability Living Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Cuts on the agenda of family justice review – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 1st, 2010 in children, family courts, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice has launched a ‘comprehensive review’ of the family justice system, appointing a panel of experts to hear evidence on how the system can improve. However, the panel chair has admitted a principal catalyst for the review is the government’s desire to make spending cuts.”

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Ministry of Justice, 1st July 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Post-It notes and the end of written history – BBC News

Posted July 1st, 2010 in disclosure, documents, freedom of information, ministers' powers and duties, news by sally

“The new coalition government is currently deciding when the legislation, which follows a review of secrecy rules by a committee chaired by Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre, will come into effect.”

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BBC News, 1st July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted July 1st, 2010 in law reports by sally

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

The Mayor of London v Hall & Ors [2010] EWHC 1613 (QB) (29 June 2010)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Dominion Corporate Trustees Ltd& Anor v Capmark Bank Europe Plc [2010] EWHC 1605 (Ch) (29 June 2010)

The PNPF Trust Company Ltd v Taylor & Ors [2010] EWHC 1573 (Ch) (28 June 2010)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Tesco Stores Ltd v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2010] EWHC 1581 (Admin) (29 June 2010)

Source: www.bailii.org

Regina (Noone) v Governor of HMP Drake Hall and another – WLR Daily

Posted July 1st, 2010 in law reports, prisons, release on licence, sentencing, Supreme Court by sally

Regina (Noone) v Governor of HMP Drake Hall and another [2010] UKSC 30; [2010] WLR (D) 164

“The release provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 applied to sentences of under 12 months’ imprisonment, unless they were imposed concurrently or consecutively with sentences of 12 months or over, in which case the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 applied.”

WLR Daily, 30th June 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Fiddes v Channel Four Television Corporation and others – WLR Daily

Posted July 1st, 2010 in appeals, defamation, juries, law reports, media, trial without jury by sally

Fiddes v Channel Four Television Corporation and others [2010] EWCA Civ 730; [2010] WLR (D) 163

“Observations on the applicable principles as to whether there should be a trial by jury or trial by judge alone in a libel action were made by the Court of Appeal.”

WLR Daily, 30th June 2010

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Was it necessary to turn an insult involving coconuts into a criminal prosecution? – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 1st, 2010 in local government, news, public order, racism by sally

“In a heated council debate, Shirley Brown called her colleague a ‘coconut’ and has since been convicted under the Public Order Act. Elizabeth Grice reports.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th June 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Lawyers warn that court closures could threaten access to justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 1st, 2010 in consultations, courts, law firms, magistrates, news by sally

“Lawyers have warned that government proposals to close nearly a third of the courts in England and Wales could threaten access to justice and increase pressure on legal aid practitioners.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Full judgment: R (Smith) v Secretary of State for Defence – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2010 in armed forces, human rights, law reports, Supreme Court by sally

“Read the full judgment from the UK Supreme Court that found that British troops deployed abroad are not protected by the Human Rights Act outside of military bases.”

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The Guardian, 30th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Transsexual to get legal aid to help fight NHS over breast surgery row – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 1st, 2010 in hospitals, legal aid, medical treatment, news by sally

“A transsexual, Miranda Lee, who was left ‘half man, half woman’ will get tax payers’ money in her legal fight for a breast enlargement.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Family justice – your views on its future – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 1st, 2010 in children, consultations, family courts, grandparents, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“Views on how the family justice system can do its best to protect children and help families to work through their disagreements are being sought by a panel of experts.”

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Ministry of Justice, 30th June 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

More may have to pay own legal costs – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 1st, 2010 in legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“High earners could be barred from legal aid and left to take out legal cover, Ken Clarke signalled yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st July 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Tory MP proposes law to ban wearing burkas – The Independent

Posted July 1st, 2010 in Islam, news, race discrimination, women by sally

“A Conservative politician is seeking to make it a criminal offence to wear a burka in public. Philip Hollobone, the MP for Kettering, was the subject of a complaint to police from the Northamptonshire Race Equality Council five months ago because of remarks he made about burkas.”

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The Independent, 1st July 2010

Source:www.independent.co.uk

Chilcot inquiry: Iraq papers show Lord Goldsmith’s warning to Tony Blair – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2010 in attorney general, documents, illegality, inquiries, Iraq, news, war by sally

“Tony Blair was warned by his government’s chief law officer that an invasion of Iraq would be illegal the day before he privately assured President George Bush he would support US-led military action, documents released today by the Chilcot inquiry reveal.”

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The Guardian, 30th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jury clears activists who broke into Brighton arms factory – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2010 in conspiracy, criminal damage, defences, news, war crimes by sally

“Five activists who caused £180,000 damage to an arms factory were acquitted after they argued they were seeking to prevent Israeli war crimes.”

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The Guardian, 30th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Tell us which laws to scrap, urges Clegg – The Independent

Posted July 1st, 2010 in legislation, Ministry of Justice, news, regulations by sally

“Inviting the public to nominate unnecessary laws they would like to see repealed is a move away from ‘the old way of doing things’, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said today.”

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The Independent, 1st July 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

More immigration advice providers could close – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2010 in immigration, law firms, legal aid, news by sally

“More organisations providing immigration and asylum advice could face closure as only 252 out of over 400 applicants were successful in their bids for contracts from the Legal Service Commission.”

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The Guardian, 30th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk