Current Awareness

“A man who raped a tourist in his home after offering her a place to stay through a travellers’ website has been jailed for 10 years, police said today.”

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The Independent, 29th October 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Views sought on the enforcement powers of new Legal Services Board – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 29th, 2009 in enforcement, Legal Services Board, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice today publishes a consultation on the regulations which will control the new Legal Services Board’s power to enter and search the premises of legal profession regulators under warrant.”

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Ministry of Justice, 29th October 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Woman who made indecent child video goes free – The Independent

Posted October 29th, 2009 in indecent photographs of children, news, sentencing by sally

“A woman who made a video on her mobile phone of a young girl having simulated sex with a toy walked free from court today.”

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The Independent, 29th October 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court rules on vetting safeguards – BBC News

Posted October 29th, 2009 in children, criminal records, news, vetting by sally

“New vetting checks designed to protect children and vulnerable people carry a “real risk” of undermining public confidence, the Supreme Court has said.”

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BBC News, 29th October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Peers to get standards watchdog – BBC News

Posted October 29th, 2009 in corruption, news, parliament by sally

“The House of Lords is set to get its own standards watchdog in the wake of cash for influence allegations, Lords leader Baroness Royall has said.”

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BBC News, 29th October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Date set for Iraq war public hearings – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2009 in inquiries, Iraq, news, war by sally

“The first public hearings at the long-awaited inquiry into the Iraq war will take place next month, the panel’s chairman has announced.”

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The Guardian, 29th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted October 29th, 2009 in law reports by sally

High Court (Chancery Division)

Quest Advisors Ltd v McFeely & Anor [2009] EWHC 2651 (Ch) (22 October 2009)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Miller v Bull (Returning Officer of Herefordshire Council) & Ors [2009] EWHC 2640 (QB) (28 October 2009)

Sir John Fitzgerald Ltd v Macarthur [2009] EWHC 2659 (QB) (28 October 2009)

Source: www.bailii.org

Loss of a Chance and a Chance of Loss – Lecture by Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe

Posted October 29th, 2009 in lectures, loss of chance by sally

Loss of a Chance and a Chance of Loss (PDF)

Lecture by Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe

The Law Reports Annual Lecture, 19th October 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Intestacy and Family Provision Claims on Death – Law Commission

Posted October 29th, 2009 in intestacy, news by sally

“On 29 October 2009 we published a Consultation Paper reviewing the law of intestacy and family provision claims on death. The intestacy rules govern the inheritance of assets where a person dies without leaving a will disposing of the whole of his or her property. Whether or not the deceased left a valid will, certain family members and dependants may apply to court for reasonable financial provision from the estate, under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 – this is known as a claim for family provision.”

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Law Commission, 29th October 2009

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

New report compares publicly funded legal aid expenditure across the globe – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 29th, 2009 in legal aid, news by sally

“An independent report into the costs of legal aid across countries in the EU and further abroad has confirmed that England and Wales has one of the highest per capita spends in the world, said Justice Secretary Jack Straw today.”

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Ministry of Justice, 28th October 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Why a criminal lawyer should be the next Justice of the Supreme Court – The Times

Posted October 29th, 2009 in news by sally

“The candidacy for the twelfth justice of the UK Supreme Court — the first appointment since the court began its life earlier this month — is under way.”

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The Times, 29th October 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Court case results recording review shows error rate of 25% – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 29th, 2009 in courts, news, statistics by sally

“HM Courts Service needs to improve the accuracy of its recording of case results ‘as a matter of urgency’, a report by HM Inspectorate of Court Administration (HMICA) found last week.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 29th October 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Has the new Companies Act helped small business? – The Times

Posted October 29th, 2009 in news by sally

“Will company directors be more accountable to their shareholders and the wider community now that the landmark Companies Act 2006 is now fully in force?”

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The Times, 29th October 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Ministers back ‘anti-slavery law’ – BBC News

Posted October 29th, 2009 in forced labour, news by sally

“Ministers are to legislate to outlaw employment practices which campaigners say amount to modern-day slavery.”

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BBC News, 28th October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Slaughter may lose its legal stranglehold on banking – The Times

Posted October 29th, 2009 in banking, government departments, law firms, news, tenders by sally

“Slaughter and May could lose its crown as the Government’s preferred legal adviser on the banking crisis. In the biggest legal shake-up since the bank bailouts started two years ago, the Treasury is asking other firms to tender for the business.”

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The Times, 29th October 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Mother assesses ‘beasting’ review – BBC News

Posted October 29th, 2009 in armed forces, bullying, courts martial, judicial review, news by sally

“The mother of a soldier who died after an army punishment is considering a judicial review to overturn a decision not to court-martial those involved.”

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BBC News, 29th October 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

TalkTalk threatens legal action over Mandelson’s filesharing plan – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2009 in copyright, human rights, internet, news, penalties by sally

“TalkTalk, the second largest internet service provider in the UK, has threatened to launch legal action if business secretary Peter Mandelson follows through with his plan to cut off persistent illegal filesharers’ internet connections.”

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The Guardian, 29th October 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Solicitors join with bar to fight plans to cut advocacy rates – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 29th, 2009 in advocacy, barristers, judicial review, news, solicitors by sally

“The government could face legal action by the Law Society and Bar Council as the professions unite over plans to cut criminal defence advocacy rates by 23%.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 29th October 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk