ECHR upholds Lords’ decision to refuse widow’s benefit to widowers – The Lawyer

Posted May 30th, 2007 in benefits, human rights, news by sally

“The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has upheld a House of Lords ruling that the UK Government did not act unlawfully by refusing to pay widows’ benefits to two widowers.”

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The Lawyer, 28th May 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Bar Council vice-chair gains salary as report sparks rejig – The Lawyer

Posted May 30th, 2007 in barristers, news, remuneration by sally

“The Vice-chair of the Bar Council Timothy Dutton QC will be the last in his post to work for free.”

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The Lawyer, 28th May 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Lord Goldsmith refuses to publish advice to Army over use of torture – The Independent

Posted May 30th, 2007 in armed forces, human rights, Iraq, news by sally

“The Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, is under growing pressure to disclose his advice to the Army on whether British soldiers in Iraq needed to comply with the Human Rights Act.”

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The Independent, 30th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

£100,000 fund will help bank customers fight unfair charges – The Independent

Posted May 30th, 2007 in banking, news by sally

“Campaigners have pledged £100,000 for a fighting fund to encourage people to launch legal challenges against what they say are illegal bank charges. The money has been pledged by MoneySavingExpert.com and the Consumer Action Group as well as private individuals.”

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The Independent, 30th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Pressure on Falconer as prison population hits all-time high – The Guardian

Posted May 30th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“The number of prisoners in England and Wales hit an all-time high of 80,846 yesterday, raising fears that the court service could run out of cell space this week if too few remand prisoners succeed in getting bail. The record numbers saw 450 prisoners housed in police and court cells made available for overspill.”

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The Guardian, 30th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bereavement damages ‘too low’, study says – The Times

Posted May 30th, 2007 in damages, news by sally

“Court-awarded damages for people whose spouses die could be up to £300,000 too low, a report claimed today.”

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The Times, 30th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Related link: Death and the Calculation of Hedonic Damages (PDF)

Judges asked to rethink control order rulings after suspects abscond – The Guardian

Posted May 30th, 2007 in control orders, human rights, news, terrorism by sally

“Judges should be less ready to rule that control orders imposed on terrorism suspects breach human rights, the independent watchdog on terrorism law said yesterday. Lord Carlile of Berriew QC called on judges to review their approach to restrictions imposed by control orders after a further three terrorist suspects absconded last week, bringing the total to six.”

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The Guardian, 30th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rowdy residents ‘to be shut out’ – BBC News

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

“Nuisance neighbours could face being shut out of their homes under proposed new powers, the Home Office has said.” 

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BBC News, 29th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lloyds wins second charges case – BBC News

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

“Lloyds TSB has won a second county court case against a customer trying to reclaim overdraft charges.” 

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BBC News, 29th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Standards Board attacks plan to cut student numbers – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in barristers, legal education, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has criticised the Bar Council’s proposals to limit the number of places available on the Barristers Vocational Training course, the compulsory one-year training programme for aspiring barristers.”

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The Times, 29th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Online music retailer ordered to pay £35m damages – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in copyright, damages, news, parallel imports by sally

“An internet retailer that broke a legally-binding promise not to sell imported CDs at almost half the price they sold for on the High Street has been ordered to pay the UK record industry £35 million, it emerged today.”

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The Times, 29th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Bar Council prompts war of words over training plans – The Lawyer

Posted May 29th, 2007 in barristers, legal education, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has lashed out at the Bar Council’s proposals to limit BVC places in submissions made to the Entry to the Bar working party.”

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The Lawyer, 29th May 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Judges’ ruling challenges a traditional right – The Times

Posted May 29th, 2007 in disclosure, news, self-incrimination by sally

“Senior judges have dealt a blow to the ancient legal principle that a person is protected from incriminating himself.”

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The Times, 29th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Law Lords slam crime agency for freezing UMBS payments – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2007 in fraud, news, proceeds of crime, VAT by sally

“The Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), the UK equivalent of the FBI, has been strongly criticised by Law Lords [sic] in the Court of Appeal for its “unlawful” action in freezing payments to a company that the organisation believed may have been involved in a VAT fraud.”

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The Independent, 27th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New law will put bullying salesmen at risk of prison – The Times

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

“Tough new laws to prevent British consumers being ripped off by aggressive doorstep sellers and bogus prize-draw scams are to be enforced within a year.”

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The Times, 28th May 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Sex-offender computer system hits delay – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2007 in criminal records, news, police, sexual offences by sally

“Moves to help police track sex offenders across the country have been delayed because of computer problems, prompting claims that public safety could be endangered as a result.”

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The Independent, 29th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Human rights in Iraq: a case to answer – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2007 in armed forces, human rights, Iraq, news by sally

“The Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, is facing accusations that he told the Army its soldiers were not bound by the Human Rights Act when arresting, detaining and interrogating Iraqi prisoners.”

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The Independent, 29th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jury convicts mother who destroyed foetus – Daily Telegraph

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

“A woman who had a backstreet abortion when she was seven-and-a-half months pregnant was convicted on a rare charge of child destruction yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 27th May 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Related link: Child destruction: charge is rarely used

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