“Our goodwill has run dry” – hundreds to refuse out-of-hours hearings – Legal Futures

‘Hundreds of crime lawyers have issued public refusals to attend hearings in evenings or at weekends as new figures show that backlogs in courts and tribunals were growing even before the coronavirus.’

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Legal Futures, 24th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Whistleblowers’ lawyers “fear retaliation” over NDAs – Legal Futures

‘Lawyers acting for whistleblowers have told MPs and peers that they can feel intimidated to raise concerns over non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) because of the threat of retaliation.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Reactivation! – Nearly Legal

‘After the mystery of the Rules laid last Friday, we now had the text of Practice Direction 55C, which will come into effect on 23 August 2020 at the end of the Part 55.29 stay of possession proceedings.’

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Nearly Legal, 21st July 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

UK set to bring in strict new junk food rules including pre-9pm ad ban – The Guardian

Posted July 24th, 2020 in advertising, coronavirus, food, health, news by sally

‘The government is set to implement strict rules on how junk food is advertised and sold in the UK, with restrictions such as a ban on online adverts and TV commercials before the 9pm television watershed.’

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The Guardian, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law Commission unveils leasehold proposals – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 24th, 2020 in enfranchisement, housing, Law Commission, leases, news by sally

‘The Law Commission has unveiled a blueprint for the future of home ownership – including a commonhold regime described as “fit for purpose” nearly two decades after the concept was introduced.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st July 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Coronavirus: New face covering rules come into force in England – BBC News

‘Face coverings are now compulsory for customers in shops in England, after new coronavirus rules came into force within 12 hours of the government issuing guidance on the change.’

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BBC News, 24th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

English judges rule lying about fertility to sexual partner is not rape – The Guardian

Posted July 24th, 2020 in appeals, consent, deceit, news, rape, sexual offences, statutory interpretation by sally

‘A convicted rapist could make a bid for early release after winning an appeal in which judges ruled that lying to a sexual partner about being infertile is not rape.’

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The Guardian, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

DWP to increase support for vulnerable claimants after series of suicides – The Guardian

‘The Department for Work and Pensions is to overhaul its safeguarding systems following a series of high-profile failures in which mentally ill claimants took their own lives after having their benefits cut off by welfare officials.’

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The Guardian, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Russia report: What would tougher spy laws mean for UK? – BBC News

Posted July 23rd, 2020 in intelligence services, news, reports, Russia, spying by sally

‘After the UK government is accused of underestimating the threat of Russian interference, ministers are considering strengthening security laws to require all foreign agents to register in the UK in future. What might that involve and what are the challenges?’

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BBC News, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge rails at lawyers’ ‘thoroughly disorganised’ case presentation – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 23rd, 2020 in case management, delay, expert witnesses, family courts, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has urged parties not to expect to be given sympathy in future if they continue to flout procedural rules and file evidence late.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st July 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Controversial immigration detention centre in Lincolnshire to close – The Guardian

Posted July 23rd, 2020 in detention, immigration, news, prisons, reports, self-harm, violence by sally

‘A controversial immigration detention centre where several deaths have occurred in recent years is to close.’

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The Guardian, 23rd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family courts carry out ‘state sanctioned abuse’ of domestic abuse survivors by letting perpetrators see children, commissioner warns – The Independent

‘Family courts are responsible for “state-sanctioned abuse” of domestic abuse victims as they allow violent parents to torment their ex-partners through the legal process, London’s victims commissioner has warned.’

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The Independent, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Posted July 23rd, 2020 in budgets, legislation, stamp duty by sally

Stamp Duty Land Tax (Temporary Relief) Act 2020

Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2020

Business and Planning Act 2020

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted July 23rd, 2020 in legislation by sally

The Pension Protection Fund (Moratorium and Arrangements and Reconstructions for Companies in Financial Difficulty) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

The Friendly Societies Act 1992 (Accounts) (Amendment) Order 2020

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted July 23rd, 2020 in law reports by sally

High Court (Administrative Court)

Dutta, R (On the Application Of) v General Medical Council (GMC) [2020] EWHC 1974 (Admin) (22 July 2020)

Choudhary v Prosecutor at the Creteil Tgi, France [2020] EWHC 1966 (Admin) (22 July 2020)

Alake, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] EWHC 1956 (Admin) (22 July 2020)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Goldtrail Travel Ltd v Grumbridge [2020] EWHC 1757 (Ch) (22 July 2020)

Awendale Resources Incorporated v Pyxis Capital Management Ltd [2020] EWHC 1978 (Ch) (22 July 2020)

ARC Aggregates Ltd v Branston Properties Ltd [2020] EWHC 1976 (Ch) (22 July 2020)

State Bank of India & Ors v Mallya [2020] EWHC 1981 (Ch) (22 July 2020)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Smith v Secretary of State for Transport [2020] EWHC 1954 (QB) (21 July 2020)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Empyreal Energy Ltd v Daylighting Power Ltd [2020] EWHC 1971 (TCC) (22 July 2020)

Source: www.bailii.org

High Court rejects CFA-style ban on third-party funding in family cases – Litigation Futures

Posted July 22nd, 2020 in champerty, families, family courts, fees, news, third parties by sally

‘The ban on conditional fee agreements (CFAs) in family cases should not be read across to third-party litigation funding, the High Court has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

High Court judge outlines reasons for granting interim injunction over anti-social behaviour in park – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has given his reasons for granting, despite his misgivings, the London Borough of Hackney an interim injunction against anti-social behaviour in a park.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Personal injury claim numbers continue to fall – Litigation Futures

Posted July 22nd, 2020 in compensation, news, personal injuries, statistics by sally

‘The number of personal injury claims registered with the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU) fell over the last year to the lowest point in a decade, newly published figures have shown.’

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Litigation Futures, 22nd July 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Christopher Kapessa river death: No prosecution decision upheld – BBC News

‘A 14-year-old boy who pushed a boy, 13, into a river before he died will not be prosecuted, a review has concluded.’

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BBC News, 20th July 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stevie Martin: Bullying, threatening and animus: what remains of the rule against apparent bias following the Supreme Court’s judgment in Serafin? – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘At the heart of the Supreme Court judgment in Serafin v Malkiewicz was the question of whether the Court of Appeal was correct in finding that the defamation proceedings before Justice Jay had been unfair (though the Court’s reasons with respect to the public interest defence under s 4 of the Defamation Act 2013 are also profoundly significant).’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 22nd July 2020

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org