PI claims more combative in England & Wales than elsewhere, says research – Litigation Futures

Posted March 9th, 2016 in conflict of interest, legal profession, news, personal injuries by tracey

‘The personal injury claims process in England and Wales is combative and often involves inflated opening offers on the claimant side, while claimant lawyers suspect defendants engage in similar tactics such as raising defences they know lack merit, according to academic research.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 8th March 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Home Secretary announces reforms to IPCC – Home Office

Posted March 9th, 2016 in complaints, police, press releases by tracey

‘Organisation to have new governance model and name.’

Full press release

Home Office, 7th March 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Speech by Sir Ernest Ryder: The Modernisation of Access to Justice in Times of Austerity – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 9th, 2016 in budgets, electronic filing, speeches, tribunals by tracey

‘Speech by Sir Ernest Ryder: The Modernisation of Access to Justice in Times of Austerity; 5th Annual Ryder Lecture at the University of Bolton.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 7th March 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Bar Council takes the lead on tackling sexual harassment in the profession – The Bar Council

Posted March 9th, 2016 in barristers, harassment, news, sexual offences by tracey

‘The Bar Council has stepped up its efforts to tackle any residual sexual harassment in the profession, now with a guide to help chambers. This forms part of the response to the Bar Council’s 2015 research, Snapshot: The Experience of Self-Employed Women at the Bar, which highlighted instances of unacceptable behaviour experienced by some barristers.’

Full press release

Full guide

The Bar Council, 7th March 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Senior judge voices concern over police investigation control – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 9th, 2016 in criminal justice, judiciary, news, police, time limits by tracey

‘Judges must “tread carefully” if they are granted powers to control the length of police investigations, the senior presiding judge for England and Wales has said in response to human rights organisation Justice’s report on complex and lengthy criminal trials.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th March 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Pair jailed for dumping body of Italian former art thief in London canal – The Guardian

‘Three men involved in dumping the body of a man in a canal and emptying his bank account have been jailed.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

First British smoke-free beach unveiled – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 9th, 2016 in news, smoking, Wales by tracey

‘Little Haven beach in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, is the first seaside resort in Britain to trial the no-smoking signs on the sand.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Recorded child sex abuse cases increase by more than 30% – The Guardian

Posted March 9th, 2016 in child abuse, internet, news, sexual offences, statistics by tracey

‘Cases of recorded child sexual abuse increased by more than 30% last year, figures suggest. Police chiefs fear the rise is being driven by predators searching online for victims.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

HMP Doncaster: Inspectors criticise safety at ‘very poor’ site – BBC News

Posted March 9th, 2016 in health & safety, news, prisons, reports, violence by tracey

‘A prison branded inadequate two years ago remains “very poor”, with “many violent incidents” leaving staff and inmates injured, inspectors have said. Privately-run HMP Doncaster suffered from a “lack of staff” and “ineffective initiatives” aimed at reducing violence, a report said.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th March 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Discriminating against Gypsies and Travellers is ‘common across Britain’, report finds – The Independent

Posted March 9th, 2016 in news, race discrimination, reports, travellers by tracey

‘Discrimination against Gypsies and Travellers by the public, the police and other authorities is “common across Britain”, according to a damning report by the UK’s human rights watchdog which warns the groups are among several being “locked out” by society.’

Full story

The Independent, 8th March 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Kenneth Clarke ‘failed to act’ over Lord Janner and Cyril Smith child abuse tip-offs – Daily Telegraph

‘Government’s sex abuse inquiry – which has first preliminary hearing on Wednesday – will hear claims that former home secretary was warned of abuse in the early 90s.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Legal battle over Margaret Thatcher aide’s £8m Ming porcelain collection – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 9th, 2016 in executors, families, news, wills by tracey

‘An exquisite £8 million Ming porcelain collection built up by a confidant of Margaret Thatcher has sparked a bitter legal feud which has torn apart a once close-knit family.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th March 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association has radio advert banned after it breached rules – The Independent

Posted March 9th, 2016 in advertising, charities, children, complaints, news by tracey

‘The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association has been censured over a Christmas advert in which Father Christmas tells a little girl who wants a puppy to tell her mother to sponsor a charity dog for £1 a week instead.’

Full story

The Independent, 9th March 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Government ad ‘ridiculed’ for claiming teachers can earn £65,000 is cleared – The Guardian

Posted March 9th, 2016 in advertising, complaints, news, remuneration, teachers by tracey

‘A government TV ad that said that “great” teachers can make up to £65,000 per year has been cleared, despite 140 complaints that it misrepresented potential salaries.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Calls for review of police use of restraint over lung cancer patient’s death – The Guardian

Posted March 8th, 2016 in death in custody, inquests, news, police, restraint by sally

‘A senior coroner has called for a national review of police use of restraints after an inquest jury found a decision to restrain a 57-year-old man suffering from lung cancer and pneumonia in hospital contributed to his death.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Supreme Court learns lessons of IT implementation as it heads towards going paperless – Litigation Futures

Posted March 8th, 2016 in courts, internet, judges, news, speeches, Supreme Court by sally

‘Lord Kerr, the Supreme Court justice, is leading an initiative to improve the use of technology at the court and cut down on paper, it has emerged.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 7th March 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

School closure consultation – Education Law Blog

Posted March 8th, 2016 in consultations, education, news, Wales by sally

‘The School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 sets out the process for establishing, altering and discontinuing schools in Wales. R (Edwards) v Flintshire County Council [2016] EWHC 459 (Admin) was an unsuccessful judicial review challenge of a decision by the Defendant LEA to issue statutory notices under Section 48 of that Act to close a High School. The ground of challenge was that the Council failed, in its consultation process, to comply with its obligation under Section 38(4) of the Act to act in accordance with the Welsh Ministers’ Code of School Organisation. The Act requires the Welsh Ministers to issue a code on school organisation. It may contain requirements and/or guidelines. By Section 38(4), those who exercise functions in relation to school organisation in Wales, including local education authorities, must, when exercising those functions, act in accordance with any relevant requirements contained in the Code, and have regard to any relevant guidelines contained in it. Section 48 requires a proposer for change to publish the proposals, consult and publish a report on the consultation, all in accordance with the published code. In April 2013, the Welsh Ministers published a Code on School Organisation. It came into force on 1 October 2013.’

Full story

Education Law Blog, 8th March 2016

Source: www.education11kbw.com

Research suggests Family Drug and Alcohol Courts make major savings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 8th, 2016 in alcohol abuse, courts, drug abuse, family courts, news, reports by sally

‘Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDACs) save the state money, with the London FDAC alone generating estimated gross savings of £1.29m to public sector bodies over five years, research has suggested.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 8th March 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Sharon Edwards: Violent wife murdered lawyer husband – BBC News

Posted March 8th, 2016 in domestic violence, murder, news by sally

‘A woman who regularly beat her newly-wed husband has been convicted of his murder by stabbing him through the heart.’

Full story

BBC News, 8th March 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prison smoking ban overturned by court of appeal – The Guardian

Posted March 8th, 2016 in appeals, news, prisons, smoking, Wales by sally

‘A compulsory, immediate ban on smoking in prisons has been overturned by the court of appeal, allowing the Ministry of Justice to introduce its own voluntary, phased controls.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk