Statutory Wills Update – Thirty Nine Essex Street

Posted June 4th, 2013 in Court of Protection, mental health, news, wills by sally

“This paper addresses the exercise by the Court of Protection of its power under s.18(1)(i) Mental Capacity Act 2005 (‘MCA 2005’) to execute a will for P where P is incapable of making a valid will for him or herself. Such so-called statutory wills (although the phrase does not in fact appear in the MCA 2005) are a very powerful tool that the Court can deploy to protect P and, in particular, P’s estate. Having set the statutory scene, this paper address two key aspects of the Court’s jurisdiction in this regard: (1) the assessment of P’s best interests; and (2) the assessment of P’s testamentary capacity (and, linked, how this assessment relates to the assessment that is undertaken outside the Court’s jurisdiction).”

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Thirty Nine Essex Street, May 2013

Source: www.39essex.com

Bar Council responds to legal aid consultation – The Bar Council

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has today published its full response to the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) controversial consultation paper, Transforming Legal Aid. The response, which runs to over 150 pages, incorporates expert economic and statistical analysis, which forensically examines the Government’s proposals, highlighting major flaws.”

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The Bar Council, 4th June 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Aspect Construction (Asbestos) Ltd v Higgins Construction plc – WLR Daily

Posted June 4th, 2013 in arbitration, construction industry, contracts, damages, law reports by sally

Aspect Construction (Asbestos) Ltd v Higgins Construction plc [2013] EWHC 1322 (TCC); [2013] WLR (D) 211

“A construction contract did not contain an implied term that a party to the contract, unsuccessful in adjudication, was entitled to have a final and binding resolution of the dispute determined by litigation.”

WLR Daily, 23rd May 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

In re Joseph Hill & Co, Solicitors – WLR Daily

Posted June 4th, 2013 in appeals, criminal procedure, delay, evidence, law reports, witnesses by sally

In re Joseph Hill & Co, Solicitors [2013] EWCA Crim 775 ; [2013] WLR (D) 210

“There was a statutory obligation on the defence to give notice to the prosecution of the name, address and date of birth of any witness whom the defendant believed was able to give evidence in support of his alibi. If there was a practice of advising that the names and addresses of alibi witnesses should not be disclosed unless and until they had provided signed proofs of evidence, that practice was misguided and wrong.”

WLR Daily, 21st May 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina v Jawad – WLR Daily

Regina v Jawad [2013] EWCA Crim 644; [2013] WLR (D) 209

“There was no mandatory duty to take the confiscation order made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 into account when deciding on a compensation order, but the question of compensation might have been relevant to disproportion, if compensation meant that money restored to the loser would have been counted again in the confiscation order, so it was necessary to consider both issues together.”

WLR Daily, 3rd May 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Government’s justice reforms could push innocent people to plead guilty, warns regulator – Bar Standards Board

“Plans to pay legal aid lawyers the same amount for a ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ plea could lead to defendants being pressurised into pleading guilty, warns the Bar Standards Board (BSB). The BSB is responsible for regulating barristers in the public interest, upholding the rule of law and protecting consumers.”

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Bar Standards Board, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Growing amount of legal work can be “de-lawyered”, says LSB director – Legal Futures

“A growing amount of legal work could be ‘de-lawyered’ and provided by organisations that offer a wide range of legal and non-legal services, the strategy director of the Legal Services Board (LSB) has suggested.”

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lift off for Budgetary Control – New Law Journal

Posted June 4th, 2013 in budgets, case management, costs, news by sally

“HH Simon Brown QC continues his exclusive NLJ online series on costs management post-Jackson.”

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New Law Journal, 31st May 2013

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Barristers attack legal aid plans from government – BBC News

Posted June 4th, 2013 in barristers, competition, criminal justice, legal aid, news, solicitors, tenders by sally

“Barristers have attacked plans to cut £220m from the annual criminal case legal aid budget in England and Wales.”

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BBC News, 4th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Minister tells profession to adapt to “the new circumstances” of life in the law – Legal Futures

Posted June 4th, 2013 in consultations, legal aid, legal profession, news, parliament by sally

“Solicitors and barristers will have to adjust to ‘the new circumstances’ they are facing as a result of legal aid and other reforms ‘if they are going to survive’, justice minister Lord McNally said yesterday.”

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘New law needed’ after collapse of care home neglect case – BBC News

Posted June 4th, 2013 in bills, care homes, elderly, negligence, news by sally

“The collapse of Britain’s biggest investigation into elderly care home neglect has prompted calls for a reform of the law.”

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BBC News, 4th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woolworths collective redundancy verdict renders “establishment” concept irrelevant, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 4th, 2013 in appeals, consultations, employment tribunals, news, redundancy by sally

“Employers seeking to make redundancies at multiple business locations could be forced to consult employees on their plans following a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decision, an expert has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

BSB wades into legal aid row – Legal Futures

Posted June 4th, 2013 in barristers, competition, criminal justice, guilty pleas, legal aid, news, tenders by sally

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has waded into the controversy over government plans to introduce price competitive tendering (PCT) in criminal work by warning that it risks causing irreparable harm to the credibility of the criminal justice system and incentivises lawyers to encourage guilty pleas.”

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2013

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Broken arms and strip-searches revealed in damning boys’ jail report – The Independent

“Two children at a privately-run Young Offenders Institution had their arms broken by staff last year during routine strip searches, a report by the Prison Inspectorate has revealed.”

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The Independent, 4th June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Sleepwalking’ drink driver avoids jail after crashing car at 100mph – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 3rd, 2013 in drunk in charge, news, road traffic offences, sleepwalking by sally

“A drink driver who crashed his car at 100mph has avoided jail after telling a court he was sleepwalking.”

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court lifts anonymity order in David McGreavy case – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 3rd, 2013 in anonymity, human rights, judicial review, media, news, public interest by sally

“Reporting restrictions on proceedings concerning a life prisoner should be discharged since the public interest in allowing media organisations to publish reports outweighed the prisoner’s human rights.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Rebecca Leighton: Poison probe nurse to sue police – BBC News

Posted June 3rd, 2013 in internet, news, nurses, poisoning, police, privacy by sally

“A nurse who spent six weeks in prison accused of poisoning patients at Stockport’s Stepping Hill Hospital is to sue Greater Manchester Police (GMP).”

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BBC News, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police force pays £8,000 compensation to staff member who tripped over pile of paper – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 3rd, 2013 in compensation, health & safety, news, personal injuries, police, statistics by sally

“A police force paid out £8,000 in compensation to a member of staff who was hurt tripping over a pile of paper in a corridor, it has emerged.”

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Law Society defies scholars with Mendham Collection auction – The Guardian

Posted June 3rd, 2013 in auctioneers, budgets, Christianity, Law Society, legal aid, news by sally

“The Law Society, facing straitened times following successive cuts in legal aid, is auctioning a collection of rare Reformation-era bibles and religious tracts in defiance of protests from scholars.”

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The Guardian, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge’s wig ‘pulled off’ in court assault – The Guardian

Posted June 3rd, 2013 in assault, judges, news by sally

“A judge has been assaulted in court by a member of the public during a hearing, police said.

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The Guardian, 3rd June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk