Report into Welsh council highlights monitoring officer also being its sole qualified childcare lawyer as example of risk of ‘all hands to the pumps’ approach – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 4th, 2020 in children, legal services, local government, news, solicitors, Wales by sally

‘A rapid assessment carried out by the Improvement and Assurance Board set up at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has highlighted a situation where the authority’s monitoring officer is also its sole qualified childcare lawyer and has additional responsibilities as an example of why it has significant concerns about the ability of the council to deal with ongoing practical issues.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

New Judgment: R (DN (Rwanda)) (AP) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – UKSC Blog

Posted March 4th, 2020 in appeals, deportation, detention, government departments, immigration, judicial review, news, refugees, Supreme Court by sally

‘The appellant, DN, is a Rwandan national who was granted refugee status in the UK pursuant to the 1951 Refugee Convention. DN was subsequently convicted of a number of offences, the most serious of which occurred when he pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful entry of a non-EEA national in the UK. The Secretary of State for the Home Department used the powers under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 to order the deportation of DN. DN’s attempt to assist unlawful immigration to a member state country was a serious offence by way of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Specification of Particularly Serious Crimes) Order 2004. The Secretary of State ordered DN’s deportation and detention pending deportation.’

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UKSC Blog, 26th February 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Unmarried partners still missing bereavement payments – BBC News

Posted March 4th, 2020 in bereavement, child support, children, cohabitation, equality, families, government departments, human rights, marriage, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Means-tested payments of up to £10,000 are made to parents whose husband, wife or civil partner has died.’

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BBC News, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Caroline Flack: authorities to review pursuit of assault case – The Guardian

Posted March 4th, 2020 in assault, Crown Prosecution Service, domestic violence, news, suicide, victims by sally

‘The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will review its handling of the assault case against the late Love Island host Caroline Flack.’

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The Guardian, 4th March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

MoJ: Three months is enough to prepare for whiplash reforms – Legal Futures

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in accidents, civil procedure rules, dispute resolution, electronic filing, Ministry of Justice, news, personal injuries, road traffic by sally

‘Three months should be enough time for personal injury law firms and defendant insurers to be ready for the whiplash reforms, the government official leading the work said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Supreme Court refuses MIB permission to appeal in landmark case establishing liability for accidents on private land – Exchange Chambers

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in accidents, appeals, EC law, Motor Insurers’ Bureau, news, personal injuries, Supreme Court by sally

‘On 13.2.20 the Supreme Court (Lord Reed (President), Lady Arden and Lord Hamblen JJSC) refused the MIB’s application for permission to appeal against a finding that it was directly liable under EU law for injuries sustained by a pedestrian who was struck by an uninsured vehicle on private land. At the same time, it concluded that it was not necessary to refer the case for any ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union. As a result, David Knifton QC (who acted for the Claimant) explains, the MIB has exhausted all avenues of appeal, and will have to meet Mr Lewis’s claim for the catastrophic injuries he suffered.’

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Exchange Chambers, 20th February 2020

Source: www.exchangechambers.co.uk

The unprecedented case of a third fact finding hearing – Garden Court Chambers

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in children, evidence, female genital mutilation, news, police, retrials by sally

‘The case concerns the following tragic background. A 10-year-old girl, S was found dead in her bedroom. She died of strangulation and suffered recent injuries to her genital area.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 20th February 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

County Court considers costs rules in personal injury case (Khan v Aviva Insurance Ltd) – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in civil procedure rules, costs, county courts, damages, news, personal injuries by sally

‘Practitioners will be familiar with cases where costs are assessed according to the principles applicable in different tracks. In such circumstances, Khan v Aviva is of practical assistance by reaffirming the court’s general discretion to award issue-based costs, despite the presence of more restrictive costs regimes. The case therefore provides a helpful route to resisting adverse costs orders.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 21st February 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Woman who posed as man on gay dating app jailed for stalking – The Guardian

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in harassment, internet, malicious communications, news, sentencing, stalking by sally

‘A woman has been jailed for posing as a man on a gay dating app and sharing sexual photos and videos of a man she met online during a “disturbing campaign of harassment”.’

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The Guardian, 2nd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Anti-slavery tsar calls for councils to take on child trafficking cases – The Guardian

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in children, forced labour, government departments, local government, news, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘The UK’s independent anti-slavery commissioner has called for decision-making on child trafficking cases to be taken away from the Home Office.’

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The Guardian, 2nd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Solicitor wife compensated on divorce for career loss – Legal Futures

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in divorce, financial provision, maternity leave, news, partnerships, pregnancy, solicitors by sally

‘A solicitor who sacrificed possible partnership at a magic circle law firm to have children has been awarded an extra £400,000 in her divorce settlement with an equity partner at the same firm.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Wymondham murder: Wife jailed for killing husband at family home – BBC News

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in domestic violence, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A woman who murdered her husband during a drunken row has been jailed.’

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BBC News, 2nd March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Gross failures’ contributed to man’s death in immigration centre – The Guardian

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in death in custody, detention, immigration, inquests, news by sally

‘Neglect and a series of gross failures by the Home Office and other agencies contributed to the death of a vulnerable Ghanaian man from hypothermia, dehydration and malnutrition, an inquest jury has found.’

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The Guardian, 2nd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Former Barclays executives cleared of fraud charges – BBC News

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in banking, fraud, news by sally

‘Three former top Barclays executives have been cleared of fraud charges linked to how the bank raised billions from Qatar in the financial crisis.’

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BBC News, 28th March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Case Comment: Micula and others v Romania [2020] UKSC 5 – UKSC Blog

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in appeals, arbitration, compensation, EC law, news, state aids, Supreme Court by sally

‘In this case comment, Richard Bamforth and Laura West from CMS comment on the decision handed down last month in the matter of Micula and others v Romania [2020] UKSC 5. Richard Bamforth is a partner in the Litigation and Arbitration group of CMS, based in the London office. He specialises in international arbitration (as counsel and as arbitrator), commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution, with a focus on cross border disputes in the media, banking, finance, insolvency, energy and telecommunications sectors. Laura West is an associate at CMS based in Edinburgh. She specialises in construction, engineering and energy disputes providing operational and strategic contract advice as well as representing clients through a range of dispute resolution procedures including arbitration, litigation, adjudication and mediation. Laura has a particular interest in arbitration and is the current Vice Chair of the Global Steering Committee for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators’ Young Members Group.’

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UKSC Blog, 2nd March 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Solicitor got client to pay cheque into personal account – Legal Futures

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in disciplinary procedures, news, probate, solicitors by sally

‘A solicitor who persuaded a vulnerable client to pay £4,700 into her personal bank account, pretending the money would be spent on repairs to a property had inherited, has been struck off.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Domestic abuse: Ministers urged to strengthen revived law to protect children – BBC News

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in bills, children, domestic violence, news by sally

‘Proposed domestic abuse laws must be strengthened to give more protection to children, campaigners say.’

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BBC News, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government considers law to curb use of ‘rough sex’ defence – The Guardian

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in bills, defences, domestic violence, homicide, news, sexual offences by sally

‘The government is examining what can be done to stop the use of the “rough sex” defence in courts to escape justice, officials have said, as a long-awaited domestic abuse bill finally returns to parliament.’

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The Guardian, 3rd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Alcohol: Wales minimum pricing law comes into force – BBC News

Posted March 2nd, 2020 in alcohol abuse, health, news, price fixing, sale of goods, Wales by sally

‘As of Monday, retailers and any outlets serving alcohol must charge at least 50p a unit, meaning a typical bottle of wine costs no less than £4.69.’

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BBC News, 2nd March 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal rejects appeal by council over ruling reuniting mother and child in different residential unit – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 2nd, 2020 in appeals, care orders, children, drug abuse, families, fostering, housing, local government, news by sally

‘A local authority has failed in an appeal over a judge’s decision that a mother and child should be reunited in a different residential unit.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th February 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk