Whistleblowing judges: protected by human rights? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The UK Supreme Court has unanimously granted an appeal by a district judge against the Court of Appeal’s decision that she did not qualify as a “worker” under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (the “1996 Act”), and therefore could not benefit from the whistleblowing protections it conferred.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th October 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

All Hale Parliament: Responding to the Reith Lectures – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Lady Hale has thrown her wig into the debate on whether the law, represented by the courts, is gaining power while politics in Parliament is losing it. She is not the first to critique Lord Sumption’s Reith Lectures, as they were covered at ALBA’s Annual Conference too (see Law Pod UK episodes 88, 89, and 91).’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th October 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

New Judgment: Gilham v Ministry of Justice [2019] UKSC 44 – UKSC Blog

‘The issue in the appeal was whether a District Judge qualifies as a ‘worker’ or a ‘person in Crown employment’ for the purpose of the protection given to whistle-blowers under Part IVA of the Employment Rights Act 1996. If not, was this discrimination against her in the enjoyment of her right to freedom of expression, protected by article 14 taken together with article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights?’

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UKSC Blog, 16th October 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

‘Whistleblowing’ judge wins landmark appeal at Supreme Court – BBC News

‘A judge, who says she was bullied and had a breakdown after speaking out about government cuts, has won a landmark appeal at the Supreme Court.’

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BBC News, 16th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Case Preview: Gilham v Ministry of Justice Part Two – UKSC Blog

‘Ms Gilham appealed on all three grounds. She also appears to raise the distinct but related question whether she can bring her claim as a ‘Crown employee’ within the meaning of the ERA, s191.’

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UKSC Blog, 9th October 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Case Preview: Gilham v Ministry of Justice Part One – UKSC Blog

‘Claire Gilham is a district judge. She claims that she was subjected to various detriments as a result of making complaints about her judicial workload and the poor management of the courts.’

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UKSC Blog, 9th October 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Carl Beech: Judge suggests he was ‘misled’ over VIP abuse search warrants – BBC News

‘A judge who granted search warrants in the Met’s discredited VIP paedophile inquiry has agreed with a report that concluded he was “misled” by police.’

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BBC News, 9th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Obscenity judge’s copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover to stay in UK – The Guardian

‘The copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover used by the judge in the landmark 1960 obscenity trial is to remain in the UK, after the University of Bristol stepped forward to augment the money raised by a crowdfunding campaign backed by writers including Neil Gaiman and Stephen Fry.’

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The Guardian, 1st October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

First 100 Years podcast – An Evening in Conversation with Dame Janet Smith DBE and Dame Caroline Swift DBE – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted September 27th, 2019 in diversity, equality, gender, judges, judiciary, legal profession, podcasts, sex discrimination, women by tracey

‘Dame Janet Smith and Dame Caroline Swift can be heard in a First 100 Years podcast talking about their life on the Northern Circuit, their friendship and their distinguished judicial careers.’

Podcast

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 27th September 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Barrister’s latest complaint over Briggs ruling rejected – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has refused a barrister permission to challenge a decision by the Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman over a complaint she made about Supreme Court justice Lord Briggs.’

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Legal Futures, 18th September 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Peter Herbert becomes first judge to sue MoJ over race discrimination – The Guardian

‘A prominent judge has told an employment tribunal that race discrimination is a “significant problem” in the judiciary that it is causing “deep distress” to black and minority ethnic lawyers. Peter Herbert, the chair of the Society of Black Lawyers who sits as a crown court recorder and an immigration judge, is suing the Ministry of Justice for race discrimination after he was disciplined for a speech he gave in 2015.’

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The Guardian, 12th September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Albanian crime boss who ran multi-million pound drugs racked ordered to pay only £14,380 – Daily Telegraph

‘An Albanian drugs kingpin who ran a multi-million pound cocaine racket only has to pay back £14,380 after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) requested a “risible” sum, a judge has complained.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th September 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge refuses to halt Parliament suspension plans ahead of full hearing – BBC News

Posted August 30th, 2019 in brexit, injunctions, judges, news, parliament, prerogative powers, royal prerogative by sally

‘A Scottish judge has refused to order a temporary halt to Boris Johnson’s plan to shut down the UK Parliament.’

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BBC News, 30th August 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge rejected asylum seeker who did not have gay ‘demeanour’ – The Guardian

Posted August 22nd, 2019 in asylum, homosexuality, immigration, judges, news by sally

‘A UK immigration judge rejected the asylum claim of a man from a country where homosexuality is illegal in part because he did not have a gay “demeanour”, a lawyer has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 21st August 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Former top judge lambasts Grayling and Truss in memoir – The Guardian

‘The former lord chancellor Chris Grayling “never believed access to social justice” was important while Liz Truss was a “disaster” in the same role, according to a highly revealing memoir by one of the country’s most senior, recently retired judges.’

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The Guardian, 21st August 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

CA orders retrial after High Court judge’s “inadequate” ruling – Litigation Futures

Posted August 13th, 2019 in appeals, Commercial Court, documents, evidence, judges, news, retrials by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has “reluctantly” ordered the retrial of a Commercial Court case after finding that the judge failed to address all the evidence before him.’

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Litigation Futures, 13th August 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Wise counsel: Lady Black – Counsel

Posted August 9th, 2019 in barristers, family courts, judges, news, Supreme Court by tracey

‘Running from the Bar (and back again), the dynamics between bench and counsel, and why family law is no poor relation. Sagacious yet self-effacing, the second-ever female Supreme Court judge agrees to a rare interview.’

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Counsel, August 2019

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Another judge wrongly views ‘without prejudice’ offer – Litigation Futures

Posted August 5th, 2019 in costs, disclosure, judges, news, tribunals, without prejudice communications by tracey

‘The First-tier Tribunal (FTT) wrongly took into account a “without prejudice” offer when deciding on the costs of a case when there was no reason to believe that it was “save as to costs”, the Upper Tribunal has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 5th August 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Are there principles that trump democracy? The Reith Lectures, 2019: Lord Sumption’s Lecture and Responses – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 30th, 2019 in constitutional law, human rights, judges, news, rule of law by sally

‘Are there principles that trump democracy? This was one of a number of profound philosophical and legal questions addressed by former UK Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption in his recent and controversial Reith Lectures, which addressed subjects such an law’s expanding empire, the challenges posed by human rights, and the advantage of an unwritten constitution.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th July 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

UK’s top judge calls for donations to legal support charity – The Guardian

Posted July 29th, 2019 in budgets, charities, family courts, judges, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

‘The UK’s most senior judge has appealed for people to give money to a charity whose volunteers support those who become embroiled in civil court cases but cannot afford a lawyer.’

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The Guardian, 28th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com