Asbo law will give power of eviction – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 29th, 2007 in ASBOs, news by sally

“Laws allowing problem families to be thrown out of their own homes will be in force within weeks in a fresh blitz on anti-social behaviour.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th May 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Minister’s plan for new stop-and-question powers takes senior officers by surprise – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in news, police, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“Government plans for new police powers to stop and question people were greeted with a barrage of criticism yesterday, after it emerged that senior police officers had neither requested the change nor been consulted. The Home Office confirmed that the power would be included in a counterterrorism bill to be announced in early June. But the vehemence and breadth of criticism led Home Office ministers to signal a willingness to compromise after the idea was also attacked by MPs, civil liberties and Muslim groups as unnecessary and harmful.”

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The Guardian, 28th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK ambassador asks Moscow to extradite polonium murder suspect – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in extradition, news, Russia by sally

“Britain’s ambassador to Moscow yesterday delivered a request for the extradition of the man suspected of murdering former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London.”

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The Guardian, 29th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rampton patient fights smoking ban at high security hospital – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in hospitals, human rights, news, smoking by sally

“Patients at Rampton high security psychiatric hospital, which houses some of the country’s most dangerous criminals, are challenging a smoking ban in a test case which claims the refusal to permit cigarettes in the hospital’s buildings or grounds violates their human rights.”

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The Guardian, 28th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Heavy secrecy over terror fuels suspicion, says expert – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2007 in news, reporting restrictions, terrorism, trials by sally

“Scotland Yard’s head of counterterrorism has criticised what he called excessive secrecy in Britain’s terrorism trials, and he called for changes that would permit freer reporting and wider discussion.”

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The Independent, 27th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Prenups’ could be in force within months – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in news, prenuptial agreements by sally

“Wealthy people would be ‘mad’ to marry without a prenuptial agreement after last week’s decision by senior judges that a woman can keep her £48m divorce settlement – and they could be legally enforceable within months, said the lawyer acting for her husband.”

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The Guardian, 27th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fairford Two strike blow for anti-war protesters after jury decide they were acting to stop crime – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in criminal damage, news by sally

“Ruling seen as ‘judicial endorsement’ of attempts to stop B52 bombers.” 

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The Guardian, 26th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk
 

Civil rights fears over DNA file for everyone – The Guardian

Posted May 29th, 2007 in criminal records, DNA, news by sally

“Civil liberties groups are warning that the details of every Briton could soon be on the national DNA database, raising fresh concerns of a ‘surveillance society’. Controversial plans being studied by the government would see the DNA of people convicted of even the most minor, non-imprisonable offences, such as dropping litter, entered on the national database.”

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The Guardian, 27th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Crime Bill may add to prison overcrowding – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in criminal justice, news, prisons by sally

“Tony Blair’s final measures to tackle law and order are being threatened by a Cabinet dispute over fears that the Bill will fuel a further 3,000 rise in prison numbers.”

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The Times, 26th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Law failing to keep up with advances in data technology – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in data protection, news by sally

“The 1998 Data Protection Act (DPA) is the main tool for the public to take control of its personal data, but there are concerns that the law is falling behind the technological curve.”

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The Times, 26th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Prison numbers reach record high – BBC News

Posted May 25th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Prisoner numbers in England and Wales have hit a record high for the second week in a row, says the Prison Service.” 

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BBC News, 25th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges boycott MoJ launch party – The Lawyer

Posted May 25th, 2007 in judges, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“The launch party for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on Wednesday night (23 May) had a few notable absentees – namely judges.”

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The Lawyer, 25th May 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Authorities should analyse risk before sharing data, says privacy chief – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 25th, 2007 in data protection, local government, news by sally

“Local authorities should conduct a risk assessment before sharing personal data with other public bodies. Sharing can be legitimate, but only when the benefits and risks have been weighed up, the Information Commissioner has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 25th May 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

Sex change doctor guilty of misconduct – The Guardian

Posted May 25th, 2007 in doctors, news, professional conduct by sally

“The UK’s best-known expert on transsexualism was today found guilty of serious professional misconduct for rushing five patients into sex-changing treatments, but avoided being struck off.”

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The Guardian, 25th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Law firms get ready for lucrative move into India – The Times

Posted May 25th, 2007 in India, law firms, news by sally

“Britain’s multibillion-pound legal profession is about to profit from a landmark change in India that will allow foreign law firms to set up shop there for the first time.”

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The Times, 25th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Court report ban ‘could be eased’ – BBC News

Posted May 25th, 2007 in juries, media, news by sally

“Research should be carried out into whether juries are prejudiced by media reports of criminal cases, Attorney General Lord Goldsmith has said.” 

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BBC News, 25th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Blow to Commercial Court as planned e-filing of documents is put back to 2009 – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 25th, 2007 in Commercial Court, electronic filing, news by sally

“The electronic filing of documents in England and Wales courts looks likely to be delayed by at least a year, the Gazette can reveal.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th May 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

ABS threat to firms provokes Bill defeat – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 25th, 2007 in law firms, legal services, news by sally

“The Legal Services Bill completed its passage through the House of Lords last week, but not before the opposition inflicted one final defeat on the government over concerns about the impact of alternative business structures (ABSs) on high street law firms.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th May 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Society slams government over HIPs ‘shambles’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 25th, 2007 in home information packs, news by sally

“The Law Society this week accused the government of presiding over ‘a complete shambles’ after it delayed the introduction of home information packs (HIPs) until 1 August and said they will initially only be required for four-bedroom properties or larger.” 

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th May 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Competition regulator to probe Sky’s stake in ITV – OUT-LAW.com

Posted May 25th, 2007 in competition, media, news by sally

“The Competition Commission will investigate BSkyB’s acquisition of a 17.9% stake in ITV. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has referred the purchase to the Commission after reports from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and media regulator Ofcom.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 24th May 2007

Source: www.out-law.com