Hate Crime: The Case for Extending the Existing Offences – Law Commission

“This project came to the Law Commission by a reference from the Ministry of Justice, following the Government’s publication of its three-year hate crime action plan in 2012.”

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Law Commission, 27th June 2013

Source: www.lawcommission.justice.gov.uk

Judges look again at £2m claims exemption – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 27th, 2013 in budgets, civil procedure rules, consultations, costs, news by sally

“Exempting mandatory costs budgeting for claims in excess of £2m may be ‘unnecessary and inappropriate’, a newly established sub-group of the Civil Procedure Rule committee has suggested.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 26th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Fraud, bribery and money laundering offences draft guideline – Sentencing Council

Posted June 27th, 2013 in bribery, consultations, fraud, money laundering, news, sentencing by sally

“The Sentencing Council is updating guidance for courts so that all fraud offences are covered by a consistent set of guidelines that will also deal with corporate offenders.”

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Sentencing Council, 27th June 2013

Source: http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

Fraud sentences could focus on harm – BBC News

Posted June 27th, 2013 in consultations, fraud, news, sentencing, victims by sally

“Sentences for some financial crimes in England and Wales could be based on the harm to victims, under new guidelines from the Sentencing Council.”

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BBC News, 27th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘This is astonishing stuff’: Split over legal aid shake-up goes right to the top – The Independent

Posted June 24th, 2013 in barristers, budgets, consultations, law firms, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

“The Government’s plans to shake up legal aid have received a chilly response from its most senior law officer, signalling deep divisions among ministers over the controversial moves.”

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The Independent, 21st June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bar chief calls for royal commission – Law Society’s Gazette

“More than two decades after the Runciman Commission was set up following high-profile miscarriages of justice, the chairman of the Bar Council has called for a royal commission to conduct a root-and-branch review of the criminal justice system.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 24th June 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK government proposes “streamlining” regulatory and competition appeals – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

Posted June 20th, 2013 in appeals, competition, consultations, courts, news, tribunals by sally

“The UK government on Wednesday published a consultation on streamlining regulatory and competition appeals. The press spin was that the proposals are all about preventing ‘armies of lawyers’ from blocking consumer-friendly measures. In reality, although it is true that the proposals are designed in part to put a lid on litigation, the consultation contains a series of thoughtful suggestions – many of which are likely to attract widespread support.”

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 20th June 2013

Source: www.competitionbulletin.com

Legal powers plan for families of missing people – BBC News

Posted June 20th, 2013 in consultations, families, guardianship, missing persons, news by sally

“The families of missing people will get more power to handle legal and money problems after the disappearance, under government proposals.”

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BBC News, 19th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

DPP publishes final guidelines for prosecutions involving social media communications – Crown Prosecution Service

“The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, has today published final guidelines for prosecutors on the approach they should take in cases involving communications sent via social media.”

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Crown Prosecution Service, 20th June 2013

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Government to consult on whether to make imprisonment potential sanction for data protection offences – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 19th, 2013 in consultations, data protection, enforcement, imprisonment, news by sally

“The Government is to consult on whether to introduce new laws that would make it possible for judges to send individuals to jail for offences under the Data Protection Act (DPA).”

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OUT-LAW.com, 19th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Short Cuts – London Review of Books

“A fundamental shift in the relationship between the government and the governed is taking place: by restricting access to the law, the state is handing itself an alarming immunity from legal scrutiny. There are several aspects to this: the partial or total withdrawal of state financial support for people who lack the means to pay for legal advice and representation; and for those who can pay, a restriction on which kinds of decision by public bodies can be challenged. In the area in which I work, criminal law, defendants who receive legal aid will lose the right to choose who represents them in court. Meanwhile, the misleadingly named Justice and Security Act, passed earlier this year, enables the government to conceal evidence from litigants by using national security as a trump card. All this is accompanied by an unbending hostility to human rights law, tainted by its association with Europe, even though this legislation at least offers the weak the possibility of redress for abuses by public authorities.”

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London Review of Books, 6th June 2013

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

Extending Police Retention of Biometric Material – Criminal Law and Justice Weekly

“The first Biometrics Commissioner, Mr Alastair MacGregor QC, has issued a consultation paper asking for views about how he should act in relation to the retention and use of biometric material obtained from persons who have been arrested but not charged.”

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Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 15th June 2013

Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk

CPS publishes guidelines on prosecutors’ approach to Child Sexual Abuse cases – Crown Prosecution Service

“Ground breaking new guidelines for prosecutors on how to tackle cases involving child sexual abuse have today been issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions and will take immediate effect. At the same time, the College of Policing has issued guidance for investigators and both documents are now open to a three month public consultation.”

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Crown Prosecution Service, 11th June 2013

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Warning: CPS keep victim appeals in house – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

“There is a new independent Assessor (Stephen Shaw) for non-legal complaints made about the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) but not for the legal ones – how very odd! It was recently reported that victims of crime will be able to ‘win the right’ to appeal against decisions by the CPS not to charge suspects and there is a consultation which is open until the 5th of September 2013. It has a mnemonic ‘VRR’ which stands for a ‘Victim’s Right to Review’.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 12th June 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

The Chagossian Wikileaks cable judgment, fishing rights and a dose of EU law – UK Human Rights Blog

“The Divisional Court has now dismissed the claim by Mr Bancoult on behalf of the Chagossian islanders. He had challenged the designation of the waters around the islands as a ‘no take’ Marine Protected Area, i.e. one which could not be fished.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th June 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Copyright law changes outlined by the Government – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 10th, 2013 in bills, consultations, copyright, intellectual property, news by sally

“Media outlets will have a new right to make limited use of quotes published by rival news organisations under changes to copyright law proposed by the Government.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

145 specially appointed Government barristers demand rethink on Legal Aid plans – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 6th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, judicial review, legal aid, news by sally

“145 barristers on the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel have signed a letter seeking that the Government to rethink its plans for reform of Legal Aid. I was one of the signatories. The letter is reproduced on the Legal Aid Changes blog.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th June 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Lawyers block road outside Ministry of Justice in protest against legal aid cuts – The Guardian

“Lawyers waving placards and chanting blocked the road outside the Ministry of Justice on Tuesday evening in protest over proposals to slice a further £220m out of criminal legal aid and remove defendants’ ability to choose a solicitor.”

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The Guardian, 4th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Inner Temple’s Response to Legal Aid Consultation – The Inner Temple

Posted June 5th, 2013 in barristers, consultations, inns of court, legal aid, news by sally

“In response to the Ministry of Justice consultation paper Transforming Legal Aid: Delivering a more credible and efficient system the Inner Temple has submitted the following response that can be viewed here.”

The Inner Temple, 5th June 2013

Source: www.innertemple.org.uk

HMRC consults on strengthening big banks’ tax Code of Practice – OUT-LAW.com

“Plans to strengthen the Code of Practice on tax governance, adopted by the 15 largest banks in 2010, have been published for consultation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).”

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th June 2013

Source: www.out-law.com