Sir James Dyson in High Court attempt to see off rival vacuum design – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 11th, 2008 in news, patents by sally

“The tycoon Sir James Dyson, whose trademark ‘double cyclone’ vacuum cleaner has become a world beater, has gone to the High Court to try to block a rival design from Samsung Electronics.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th December 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gordon Brown refuses to back law allowing assisted suicides – The Times

Posted December 11th, 2008 in assisted suicide, news by sally

“Campaigners seeking to lift the ban on assisted suicide were dealt a blow yesterday when Gordon Brown repeated his opposition to a change in the law.”

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The Times, 11th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Three children a week – the death toll from abuse – The Independent

Posted December 11th, 2008 in child abuse, news by sally

“The true scale of child abuse in the UK was revealed yesterday when Christine Gilbert, the chief executive of the children’s services watchdog, told MPs that three children a week died as a result of abuse – more than triple the previous estimate.”

Full story

The Independent, 11th December 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Company Names Tribunal’s first ruling: Coke Cola needs a new name – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 11th, 2008 in brand names, news, tribunals by sally

“A company called Coke Cola Limited has been ordered to change its name and pay £700 to the Coca-Cola Company in the first ruling issued by the UK’s newly-formed Company Names Tribunal.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th December 2008

Source: www.out-law.com

Egg is fined £700,000 for mis-selling insurance cover for payment protection – The Times

Posted December 11th, 2008 in banking, insurance, news by sally

“Egg, the online bank owned by Citigroup, has been fined £721,000 for ‘serious failings’ on sales of credit card payment protection insurance (PPI) to nearly half its customers over a three-year period. The bank may have to pay millions of pounds to customers in PPI refunds.”

Full story

The Times, 11th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Single mothers forced to give father’s name on birth certificate – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 11th, 2008 in birth certificates, news, paternity by sally

“Single mothers will be forced to give the name of their child’s father on birth certificates so that they can be made to pay maintenance, under a Government clampdown on the benefits culture.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th December 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK runs ‘Guantanamo camps’, says detainees – The Independent

Posted December 11th, 2008 in asylum, detention, news by sally

“Asylum-seekers who claim to have been abused by British security guards accused the Government yesterday of running Guantanamo Bay-style detention camps.”

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The Independent, 11th December 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Plans to regulate barristers reach final stages – Legal Week

Posted December 11th, 2008 in barristers, news by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) is in the final stages of drawing up plans to regulate barristers, in preparation for the next round of reforms under the Legal Services Act (LSA).”

Full story

Legal Week, 11th December 2008

Source: www.legalweek.com

Daughter wins legal battle over mother’s suicide – The Independent

Posted December 10th, 2008 in hospitals, human rights, mental health, negligence, news, suicide by sally

“The daughter of a mentally-ill woman who walked out of a hospital and threw herself under a train has won the final round of her battle for the right to sue the local health trust for damages. ”

Full story

The Independent, 10th December 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted December 10th, 2008 in law reports by sally

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Crouch, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Health [2008] EWCA Civ 1365 (10 December 2008)

Cream Holdings Ltd & Ors v Davenport [2008] EWCA Civ 1363 (09 December 2008)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Kitfix Swallow Group Ltd v Great Gizmos Ltd [2008] EWHC 2723 (Ch) (12 November 2008)

Ellis v Ellis [2008] EWHC 2989 (Ch) (08 December 2008)

High Court (Commercial Court)

JP Morgan Chase Bank & Ors v Springwell Navigation Corp [2008] EWHC 2848 (Comm) (21 November 2008)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Yoram Amsalem (t/a MRE Building Contractors) v Raivid & Anor [2008] EWHC 3028 (TCC) (09 December 2008)

Source: www.bailii.org

Succession law changes ‘needed’ – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2008 in constitutional law, Crown, news, succession by sally

“A cabinet minister has called for progress to be made on ending the 300-year old legal ban on Roman Catholics succeeding to the throne.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th December 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Civil Procedure Rule – Amendments – The Bar Council

Posted December 10th, 2008 in civil procedure rules, news by sally

“There are two new provisions which are outside the usual timetable for amendments to the CPR.”

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The Bar Council, 10th December 2008

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

House of Lords Judgments: What’s New?

Posted December 10th, 2008 in law reports by sally

Knowsley Housing Trust (Respondents) v White (FC) (Appellant) Honeygan-Green (Respondent) v London Borough of Islington (Appellants) Porter (FC) (Appellant) v Shepherds Bush Housing Association (Respondents) [2008] UKHL 70 (10 December 2008)

Earl Cadogan (Appellant) v Pitts and another (Respondents) and one other action Earl Cadogan and others (Appellants) v Sportelli and another (Respondents) and two other actions [2008] UKHL 71 (10 December 2008)

R (On the Application of Wellington) (FC) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent) (Criminal Appeal from Her Majesty’s High Court of Justice) [2008] UKHL 72 (10 December 2008)

R v Chargot Limited (t/a Contract Services) and others (Appellants) (On appeal fromt he Court of Appeal Criminal Division) [2008] UKHL 73 (10 December 2008)

Savage (Respondent) v South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (Appellate) [2008] UKHL 74 (10 December 2008)

Source: www.parliament.uk

Simplification Plan 2008 – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 10th, 2008 in Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice’s simplification plan 2008 shows our progress made since 2007 in delivering reductions in the administrative burdens that our regulations impose on businesses, charities and the voluntary sector. It also provides an update on how we have been reducing data requests and bureaucratic burdens on our own front-line staff. It sets out our future plans for delivering our promised 25% reduction by 2010 in the administrative burdens on the business and third sectors.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 10th December 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Definitive Sentencing Guidelines on theft and burglary (non-dwelling) and breach of an anti-social behaviour order – Sentencing Guidelines Council

Posted December 10th, 2008 in ASBOs, news, sentencing, theft by sally

“On 9 December 2008 the Sentencing Guidelines Council published its definitive guidelines ‘Theft and burglary in a building other than a dwelling’ and ‘Breach of an anti-social behaviour order’.”

Full story

Sentencing Guidelines Council, 9th December 2008

Source: www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk

Blacklight Power v Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks – Times Law Reports

Posted December 10th, 2008 in law reports, patents, standard of proof by sally

Blacklight Power v Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks

Chancery Division

“The correct standard of proof for establishing patentability was the balance of probabilities.”

The Times, 10th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Club la Costa (UK) plc v Gebhard and Another – Times Law Reports

Posted December 10th, 2008 in defamation, law reports, offer of amends by sally

Club la Costa (UK) plc v Gebhard and Another

Queen’s Bench Division

“An offer to make amends for a defamatory statement could not be valid without the offer or accepting that the specific defamatory meaning contained in the statement complained of was defamatory of the person bringing the complaint.”

The Times, 10th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Louca v Public Prosecutor, Bielefeld, Germany Kaba v Court of First Instance, Creteil, France – Times Law Reports

Posted December 10th, 2008 in EC law, extradition, law reports, warrants by sally

Louca v Public Prosecutor, Bielefeld, Germany Kaba v Court of First Instance, Creteil, France

Queen’s Bench Divisional Court

“While a European arrest warrant had to be validated by reference to an enforceable national legal procedure, it need not refer to any other European arrest warrant that might previously have been issued in respect of the alleged offences contained in the current warrant.”

The Times, 10th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Recent Statutory Instruments – OPSI

Posted December 10th, 2008 in legislation by sally

The Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997 (Amnesty Period) Order 2009

The Parish Councils (Power to Promote Well-being) (Prescribed Conditions) Order 2008

The National Savings Bank (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2008

The Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No.6) Regulations 2008

The European Parliamentary Elections (Appointed Day of Poll) Order 2008

The Parks for People (England) Joint Scheme (Authorisation) Order 2008

The Housing Renewal Grants (Amendment) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2008

The Family Proceedings Fees (Amendment No. 2) Order 2008

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Office of Fair Trading ticking-off over VAT cuts surprises retailers – The Times

Posted December 10th, 2008 in competition, news, VAT by sally

“As cartels go, it does not seem the sort to keep competition lawyers awake at night.”

Full story

The Times, 10th December 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk