Proportion of female judges in UK among lowest in Europe – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2016 in judiciary, news, statistics, women by tracey

‘The UK has one of the lowest proportions of female judges on its benches, according to a comparative study of judicial systems across Europe. The report by the Council of Europe, published on Thursday, shows that the systems with the lowest percentage of women among professional judges were Azerbaijan (11%), Armenia (23%), Northern Ireland (23%), Scotland (23%), England & Wales (30%) and Ireland (33%). The Europe-wide average was 51%.’

Full story

The Guardian, 6th October 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law Briefing Paper: ‘Parliament and the Rule of Law in the Context of Brexit’ – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted October 7th, 2016 in brexit, devolution, EC law, legislative drafting, news, parliament, referendums, rule of law by tracey

‘The Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law published a new Briefing Paper on 29 September 2016. Titled “Parliament and the Rule of Law in the Context of Brexit”, it aims to inform the work of Parliament by setting out preliminary rule of law issues relating to Brexit.’

Full paper

UK Constitutional Law Association, 5th October 2016

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Developments in the oversight of British Troops abroad – the Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The oversight of the conduct of British soldiers in Iraq has been subject of two recent developments. The first is political, as Prime Minister Theresa May has renewed criticism of investigations into allegations of criminal behaviour of British troops. The second is legal, with the Court of Appeal offering clarification as to the role of the ECHR in conflicts abroad. However, comments by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon have since thrown into doubt the future role of the ECHR in conflicts abroad.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 5th October 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Duplication in inquests – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 7th, 2016 in aircraft, disclosure, EC law, inquests, news by tracey

‘The Divisional Court in R(Secretary of State) v Her Majesty’s Chief Coroner for Norfolk (British Airline Pilots intervening) made some potentially noteworthy comments regarding the coronial role and the need to avoid duplicating previous investigations.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 7th October 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Material Contribution – Carder v University Of Exeter (2016) – Zenith PI

Posted October 7th, 2016 in asbestos, damages, news, personal injuries by tracey

‘Albert Victor Carder v University Of Exeter [2016] EWCA Civ 790. The Court of Appeal held that an asbestosis sufferer was entitled to recover damages from an employer who had contributed 2.3% of his overall exposure to asbestos dust. The contribution, whilst undoubtedly very small, had materially contributed to the respondent’s medical condition and was not de minimis.’

Full story

Zenith PI, 5th October 2016

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

Surrogacy Law Update – October 2016 – Family Law Week

Posted October 7th, 2016 in news, surrogacy by tracey

‘Andrew Powell, barrister, 4 Paper Buildings, reviews the latest important judgments concerning surrogacy law.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 6th October 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Teaching assistant had sex with pupil who was ‘attracted to him because he looked like Zayn Malik’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 7th, 2016 in child abuse, news, sentencing, sexual grooming by tracey

‘A teaching assistant who claimed pupils found him attractive because he “looks like Zayn Malik” has been jailed for five years over sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th October 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

CPS to pay six-figure sum to man over wrongful conviction – The Guardian

‘The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has agreed to pay more than £100,000 in compensation to a man who spent six years in prison after being wrongly convicted of perverting the course of justice in a gangland murder investigation.’

Full story

The Guardian, 6th October 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sir Cliff Richard lodges papers suing BBC and police – BBC News

Posted October 7th, 2016 in BBC, Crown Prosecution Service, news, police, prosecutions, sexual offences by tracey

‘Singer Sir Cliff Richard is suing the BBC and South Yorkshire Police after being investigated over allegations of historical sexual assault. Legal papers were filed at the High Court in London on Thursday. They list Sir Cliff as a claimant, and the BBC and chief constable of South Yorkshire Police as defendants.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th October 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cherie Booth: Challenge to buy-to-let tax ‘not over yet’ despite judicial review failure – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 7th, 2016 in interest, judicial review, mortgages, news, taxation by tracey

‘Campaigners led by Cherie Booth QC said that they would continue their fight against the changes to taxation of buy-to-let income after their application to launch a judicial review of the new law was turned down.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th October 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court challenge over award of helpline contract to G4S fails – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 6th, 2016 in contracting out, contracts, equality, law centres, news, telecommunications by tracey

‘The Law Centres Network (LCN) has lost its bid to prevent G4S being awarded a government contract to run the Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS) helpline.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 6th October 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Landlord ordered to pay £700,000+ for planning enforcement notice breach – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 6th, 2016 in costs, enforcement, fines, landlord & tenant, local government, news, planning by tracey

‘A landlord guilty of breaching a planning enforcement notice has been ordered to pay a record fine and costs to the London Borough of Barnet, after the largest planning enforcement and confiscation investigation the borough has seen.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 6th October 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Opening of the legal year – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 6th, 2016 in lord chancellor, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on the opening of the legal year.’

Full speech

Ministry of Justice, 3rd October 2016

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

Arbitrator justified in making losing party pay £2m cost of third-party funding, High Court rules – Litigation Futures

Posted October 6th, 2016 in arbitration, costs, international courts, news, third parties by tracey

‘A defendant whose conduct forced the claimant to seek third-party funding to take its case to arbitration has to pay the £2m owed to the funder following the claim’s success, the High Court has ruled.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 3rd October 2016

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Speech by the Lord Chief Justice: Launch of TheCityUK’s Legal Services Report 2016 – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted October 6th, 2016 in judges, legal services, reports, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by the Lord Chief Justice: Launch of TheCityUK’s Legal Services Report 2016.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 4th October 2016

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Recent Statutory Instruments – legislation.gov.uk

Posted October 6th, 2016 in legislation by tracey

The Crime and Courts Act 2013 (Commencement No. 15, Transitional and Savings Provisions) Order 2016

The Criminal Justice (Electronic Monitoring) (Responsible Person) (No. 2) Order 2016

The Housing and Planning Act 2016 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2016

The Town and Country Planning (Section 62A Applications) (Hearings) (Amendment) Rules 2016

The Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Sian Blake death: Arthur Simpson-Kent given life sentence – BBC News

Posted October 6th, 2016 in domestic violence, murder, news, sentencing by tracey

‘The partner of former EastEnders actress Sian Blake has been given a whole-life tariff for killing her and their two children.’

Full story

BBC News, 5th October 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

TalkTalk hit with record fine for cyber attack – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2016 in computer crime, data protection, fines, news, telecommunications by tracey

‘The UK’s data watchdog has fined TalkTalk a record £400,000 over last year’s cyber attack on the company in which the personal details of thousands of customers were exposed.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th October 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Operation Midland: VIP child abuse report will not be published in full – The Guardian

Posted October 6th, 2016 in child abuse, disclosure, London, news, police, reports, sexual offences by tracey

‘Scotland Yard has said it will not publish the full report on its heavily criticised investigation of child sexual abuse allegations against VIPs because it contains “confidential and sensitive information”.’

Full story

The Guardian, 5th October 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Coroner asks CPS to probe Freckleton baby death – BBC News

Posted October 6th, 2016 in birth, coroners, crime, Crown Prosecution Service, homicide, inquests, news by tracey

‘The inquest into a baby boy’s death at a vicarage in Lancashire has been halted and the coroner has referred the case to prosecutors.’

Full story

BBC News, 5th October 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk