Sir Cliff Richard’s privacy was ‘violated’ by police deal with BBC, report claims – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 24th, 2015 in BBC, freedom of information, media, news, police, privacy, reports by sally

‘A damning report has alleged that ‘incompetent’ police chiefs violated Sir Cliff Richard’s privacy by disclosing details of a raid on his home to the BBC’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Egregious Failures by a Local Authority : Damages under the Human Rights Act in Care Proceedings: Northamptonshire County Council v AS and Ors (Rev 1) [2015] EWHC 199 (Fam)

Posted February 24th, 2015 in care orders, damages, grandparents, human rights, local government, news by sally

‘On 30 January 2015 Mr Justice Keehan handed down his judgment in Northamptonshire County Council v AS and Ors (Rev 1) [2015] EWHC 199 (Fam). It is another case where the Local Authority having breached parties Articles 6 and 8 rights in care proceedings the court awarded damages within care proceedings.’

Full story

The World of Family Law (Garden Court Chambers), 23rd February 2015

Source: www.gcfamily.wordpress.com

Quite like a whale – Panopticon

‘As my colleague Robin Hopkins has warned, the decision of the Upper Tribunal in Fish Legal looks like a pretty big beast: sixty pages on whether water companies are public authorities for the purposes of the Environmental Information Regulations, applying the CJEU’s lengthy ruling on the points of principle (for which, see this post by Chris Knight).’

Full story

Panopticon, 24th February 2015

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

‘Victims’ law’ proposals from Labour panel – BBC News

‘There needs to be a “cultural shift” in the way victims of crime in England and Wales are treated, a panel of criminal justice experts has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 24th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court dismisses landowners’ challenge to Tottenham Hotspur FC stadium CPO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 24th, 2015 in compulsory purchase, local government, news, planning, public interest, sport by sally

‘The High Court has dismissed a challenge to the land acquisition order that will allow Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC) to complete the redevelopment of the site of its north London stadium, according to reports.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Ofcom to probe Channel 4’s UKIP drama – BBC News

Posted February 24th, 2015 in codes of practice, media, news, political parties by sally

‘Media watchdog Ofcom says it will investigate the Channel 4 docudrama UKIP: The First 100 Days for breaches of the broadcasting code.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

I did not enter journalism to become a criminal, says Sun’s royal editor – The Guardian

Posted February 24th, 2015 in armed forces, corruption, media, news, privacy, royal family by sally

‘The Sun’s royal editor has said he “did not come into journalism to become a criminal”, telling jurors he would not have touched a story with “a barge pole” if he thought it meant breaking the law.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Courtroom communications experts to double – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in budgets, courts, evidence, news, victims, witnesses by sally

‘Victims and witnesses will be given more support than ever before with double the number of courtroom experts soon to be available.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Reforming Electoral Law – UCL Constitution Unit

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in consultations, elections, Law Commission, news, referendums by sally

‘Electoral law in the UK has grown complex, voluminous, and fragmented, with many statutes and secondary legislation governing a long list of elections and referendums. The twin aims of the project are to ensure, first, that electoral laws are presented within a rational, modern legislative framework, governing all elections and referendums under statute; and second, that the law governing the conduct of elections and referendums is modern, simple, and fit for purpose. The Law Commission have recently published the Electoral Law Consultation Paper, which sets out provisional proposals and consultation questions for reform of electoral law.’

Henni Ouahes – Reforming Electoral Law

Nicholas Paines QC – Reforming Electoral Law

UCL Constitution Unit, 28th February 2015

Source: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit

Regina (London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association and others) v Lord Chancellor; Regina (Law Society) v Lord Chancellor – WLR Daily

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in criminal justice, judicial review, law reports, legal aid, lord chancellor by sally

Regina (London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association and others) v Lord Chancellor; Regina (Law Society) v Lord Chancellor [2015] EWHC 295 (Admin) ; [2015] WLR (D) 78

‘The conventional Wednesbury standard of judicial supervision applied to a decision, taken by the Lord Chancellor in the exercise of his discretion under section 2(1) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, which involved changes to the provision of criminal legal aid services by solicitors.’

WLR Daily, 18th February 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Court Appeal overturns ruling that law firm wrongly paid out £2.3m from client account – Legal Futures

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in airports, appeals, breach of trust, client accounts, insolvency, law firms, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision that a Sussex law firm wrongly paid out £2.28m it had received from a group of investors in what turned out to be a doomed airport investment scheme.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th February 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Personal injury: duty of care – Law Society’s Gazette

‘In December the High Court gave judgment in NA v Nottinghamshire County Council [2014] EWHC 4005 (QB). The claimant (who was born in 1977) said that while in her mother’s care she had suffered physical and emotional abuse, and that the defendant local authority had failed in their common law duty of care by failing either to remove her or protect her from the abuse.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New public procurement rules bans use of PQQs for small value contracts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in documents, news, public procurement by sally

‘Public bodies can put “relevant” and “proportionate” questions to businesses looking to win low value goods or service contracts at an early stage of procurement without breaching new public procurement rules set to come into force later this month, the UK government has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 20th February 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Judge expresses anger at “flagrant non-compliance” with Commercial Court rules on pleadings – Litigation Futures

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in barristers, codes of practice, costs, fraud, news, penalties, pleadings, time limits by sally

‘A High Court judge has handed out a tongue-lashing and a costs penalty over a party’s failure to stick to the rules governing the length and content of statements of claim laid down in the Commercial Court Guide.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Metal thefts ‘down by a third’ in England and Wales – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in fines, handling stolen goods, licensing, news, statistics, theft by sally

‘Metal thefts have fallen by a third in England and Wales since a new law to tackle the trade in stolen metal came into force, new figures show.’

Full story

BBC News, 21st February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

SRA taken to task over perceived City bias – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in costs, disciplinary procedures, fines, news, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has rebuked the Solicitors Regulation Authority for giving the impression that it treats City lawyers more leniently than solicitors from smaller firms in prosecuting allegations of lack of integrity.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Council defeats High Court challenge to consultation on adult care cuts – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has rejected a legal challenge to Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council’s consultation on its proposal to cut its adult social care budget for 2015/16.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 20th February 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Southwark gatekeeping: All of the wrong – NearlyLegal

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, news, public interest by sally

‘Courtesy of Hansen Palomares Solicitors comes news of this settled Judicial Review of LB Southwark’s gatekeeping practices on homeless applications. It appears, to put it mildly, that Southwark have had a range of what should have been obviously unlawful policies on homeless applications, and even put them into leaflets and their website.’

Full story

NearlyLegal, 22nd February 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Marriage tax allowance: how does it work? – The Guardian

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in civil partnerships, income tax, married persons, news, remuneration, taxation by sally

‘Registration has opened for the new marriage tax allowance – a Conservative policy which will allow some couples to share part of their annual income tax allowance.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Law firms need to rethink approach under ‘fundamentally dishonest’ rule, barristers warn – Litigation Futures

‘Claimant solicitors have been warned that they need to review their retainers and advise clients about the implications of the new ‘fundamentally dishonest’ rule being introduced shortly.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com