“Major changes to Britain’s antiquated defamation laws will be outlined by ministers today with the publication of a bill to provide greater protection for free speech and an end to ‘libel tourism’.”
The Independent, 15th March 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Joseph v Spiller [2010] UKSC 53; [2010] WLR (D) 310
“The defence in defamation proceedings of fair comment – to be renamed ‘honest comment’ – did not require that the comment had to identify the matters on which it was based with sufficient particularity to enable readers to judge for themselves whether it was well founded. The comment did, however, have to identify at least in general terms what it was that had led the commentator to make the comment”
WLR Daily, 2nd December 2010
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
“Men and women facing domestic violence could argue they were forced to kill their tormentor under a new murder law which comes into force today.”
The Independent, 4th October 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Few people seem to have noticed that the law of murder in England and Wales changes on Monday. With only a few days to go, the Ministry of Justice had not published the circular it normally issues in good time to inform ‘public and stakeholders’ – in this case, killers and courts – about changes in legislation and their commencement dates.”
The Guardian, 30th September 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“As the legal establishment gears up for the new legal term starting at the end of next week, two of its leading figures must decide whether to do anything about a case that caused widespread concern during the summer.”
The Guardian, 23rd September 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Companies should have the power to defend themselves against employees’ criminal actions by proving that they took every measure to stamp out illegal practices, the Law Commission has proposed in a radical blueprint for reform.”
Daily Telegraph, 25th August 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“News this week that veteran media lawyer Alastair Brett has parted company with the Times so soon after the court of appeal ruled against the newspaper in the Flood case comes just as I am mulling over the impact of this significant libel judgment.”
The Guardian, 21st July 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“An article published by The Times did not meet the standards of responsible journalism required for a total defence against a defamation claim, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”
OUT-LAW.com, 15th July 2010
Source: www.out-law.com
“Significant parts of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 took effect during the spring of this year. On 1 February section 59 was brought into force amending the Suicide Act 1961. For the old offence under section 2, there is now substituted a provision that ‘a person (D) commits an offence if (a) D does an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide or attempted suicide of another person and (b) D’s act was intended to encourage or assist suicide or an attempt at suicide’.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 1st July 2010
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“Five activists who caused £180,000 damage to an arms factory were acquitted after they argued they were seeking to prevent Israeli war crimes.”
The Guardian, 30th June 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Activists claim they were legally justified in causing £180,000 damage to an arms factory as they were seeking to stop what they believed were Israeli war crimes in Gaza, a court heard today.”
The Guardian, 7th June 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“There will be no swift law change to give people greater rights to defend themselves against burglars, Justice Minister Nick Herbert has suggested.”
BBC News, 6th June 2010
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Liberal Democrat peer and barrister Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC has introduced a private member’s bill to reform the country’s ‘archaic’ libel laws.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd June 2010
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
“We have published a report and draft Bill, recommending statutory reform of the illegality defence as it applies to trusts law.”
Law Commission, 17th March 2010
Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk
“Media organisations hope judgment will clear away tangle of legal complexities around defence of fair comment.”
The Guardian, 7th February 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“New laws preventing people accused of murder from using sexual jealousy, so-called ‘honour’ killing and revenge as partial defences will make little difference in practice, lawyers say.”
The Guardian, 19th January 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The government has been conducting a review into the law on homicide. The first part of the review was conducted by the Law Commission. This paper now sets out the government proposals for reforms on:
Ministry of Justice, 29th July 2008
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Related link: Murder, manslaughter and infanticide: proposals for reform of the law (PDF)
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