It’s a funny old world – The Bar Council

Posted June 28th, 2012 in advocacy, barristers, fees, legal profession, news by sally

“The plight of the criminal Bar; the independence of the Bar threatened by fee cuts, referral fees and price competitive tendering; and such developments under scrutiny from the rest of the common law world.”

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The Bar Council, July 2012

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Progress report on Lord Justice Jackson’s civil justice reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 28th, 2012 in civil justice, costs, news by sally

“In public, Sir Rupert Jackson (pictured) is circumspect about the government’s implementation of civil justice reforms based on his report. In private, he could be forgiven for feeling disappointment over the execution of changes to which he has lent his name.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 28th June 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Content mining should be cleared up and copyright law entirely rewritten, say MPs – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 28th, 2012 in copyright, intellectual property, internet, news, reports, select committees by sally

“Publishers should develop new licensing models that would allow researchers to use computerised techniques to read information contained in journal articles at ‘realistic rates’, MPs have said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th June 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Paul Mahoney appointed UK’s new judge in Strasbourg – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2012 in courts, human rights, judges, news by sally

“Paul Mahoney, who spent 30 years as an administrator at the European court of human rights, is to be Britain’s new judge on the Strasbourg court.”

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The Guardian, 27th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Preston gang rape men not significant risk: Appeal Court – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2012 in appeals, news, rape, sentencing by sally

“Two men who laughed as they took part in a gang rape in Preston do not pose a significant risk to women, three senior judges have ruled.”

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BBC News, 27th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted June 28th, 2012 in law reports by sally

Supreme Court

Fairclough Homes Ltd v Summers [2012] UKSC 26 (27 June 2012)

Oracle America Inc (Formerly Sun Microsystems Inc) v M- Tech Data Ltd [2012] UKSC 27 (27 June 2012)

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

McKillen v Maybourne Finance Ltd & Anor [2012] EWCA Civ 864 (27 June 2012)

Yukos Capital SARL v OJSC Rosneft Oil Company [2012] EWCA Civ 855 (27 June 2012)

Hall v Harris & Ors [2012] EWCA Civ 840 (27 June 2012)

High Court (Queen’s Bench Division)

Metroline Travel Ltd & Ors v Unite the Union [2012] EWHC 1778 (QB) (27 June 2012)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Hussain v Salam [2012] EWHC 1760 (Ch) (26 June 2012)

High Court (Admiralty Division)

Fish & Fish Ltd v Sea Shepherd UK & Anor [2012] EWHC 1717 (Admlty) (25 June 2012)

Source: www.bailii.org

“Cautious rebalancing” of terrorism laws in favour of liberty should continue, says independent reviewer – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 28th, 2012 in news, reports, terrorism by sally

“The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation has released his report into the operation of terrorism law in 2011. The press release is here.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th June 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Family bar chief calls for divorce law reform – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 28th, 2012 in divorce, matrimonial home, news, prenuptial agreements by sally

“Divorce laws should be reformed to provide a default regime for the division of assets when relationships break down, the chief of the family bar has suggested.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 28th June 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Libel reform campaigners demand better public interest defence – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2012 in bills, defamation, freedom of expression, news, public interest by sally

“Past defendants of libel claims, including Simon Singh and Ben Goldacre, say proposed changes would not have helped them.”

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The Guardian, 27th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The National Archives is recruiting volunteers to update the statute book – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 28th, 2012 in archives, legislation, news by sally

“Ignorance of the law is, notoriously, no excuse. But the individual citizen has never had access to a free, up-to-date account of what the law is on any particular topic. Acts of parliament can be consulted in public libraries (if there are any left) but a printed copy is only the starting point: many acts do not specify a commencement date and the legislation, as passed, cannot tell you whether it has been subsequently amended or repealed.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 28th June 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Appeal court quash SAS fantasy murder conviction after 18 years – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2012 in appeals, diminished responsibility, mental health, murder, news by sally

“Jamie Petrolini’s conviction for the 1994 murder of Mohamed el-Sayed overturned on grounds of diminished responsibility.”

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The Guardian, 27th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Racist Chelsea fan given 5 year match ban after filming himself yelling abuse – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 28th, 2012 in alcohol abuse, drug offences, news, racism, sentencing, sport by sally

“A racist Chelsea FC fan who was caught after he filmed himself yelling abuse has been handed a five year match ban.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Beck Row caravan site murders: Man found guilty – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2012 in murder, news, sentencing, travellers by sally

“A ‘merciless’ killer who gunned down two men in execution-style murders has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 35 years.”

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BBC News, 27th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Terrorism laws ‘messy and applied excessively’ warns legal reviewer – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2012 in legislation, news, reports, terrorism by sally

“Some suspects arrested under terror laws should be released on bail, the independent reviewer on terrorism legislation has proposed.”

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The Guardian, 27th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Automatic bar on net porn considered – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2012 in children, consultations, internet, news, pornography by sally

“The government is to consider putting extra pressure on computer users to filter out pornography when setting up internet accounts.”

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BBC News, 28th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Proposed new law would make it harder for insurers to avoid contracts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 28th, 2012 in consultations, contracts, insurance, news by sally

“Proposed changes to insurance law for businesses could make it harder for insurers to avoid contracts where a company does not disclose “every material circumstance” when taking out a policy.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 27th June 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Defendants with learning difficulties ‘need help to get fair trial’ – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2012 in learning difficulties, news, reports, trials by sally

“Greater support needs to be given to vulnerable defendants in order for them to get a fair trial, particularly those with learning difficulties who may have problems understanding the process, a report by the Prison Reform Trust (PRT) has warned.”

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The Guardian, 28th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk