Black and Muslim lawyers plan breakaway regulator – The Times

Posted October 16th, 2007 in minorities, news, race discrimination, solicitors by sally

“Black and Muslim solicitors have accused Britain’s legal watchdog of racial discrimination and want to break away to establish their own watchdog body.”

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The Times, 16th October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Sex attacker preyed on women for four years after blunder – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2007 in DNA, news, police, sexual offences by sally

“A serial sex attacker who remained free to terrorise women for four years because of a police DNA blunder was jailed for life yesterday. Mark Campbell, 38, from Chichester, West Sussex, was convicted of six attacks, including two rapes, which began in February 1998 and ended in August 2004.”

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The Guardian, 16th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Spot fines for thieves ‘stupidity in practice’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 16th, 2007 in fines, news, theft by sally

“A judge has branded Government policy to give thieves on-the-spot fixed penalties as ‘stupidity in practice’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th October 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK lawyers attempt to stop American execution – The Times

Posted October 16th, 2007 in death penalty, news by sally

“A team of leading UK lawyers has intervened to halt the execution by lethal injection this week of America’s longest-serving prisoner on ‘death row’ — pending a US Supreme Court decision on whether the method is ‘cruel or unnecessary’. ”

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The Times, 15th October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Divorce lawyers ‘put fees before clients’ – The Independent

Posted October 16th, 2007 in divorce, fees, legal profession, news by sally

“Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills are the latest celebrity couple to find out the hard way that divorce often ends in a long, acrimonious and expensive court battle. But many costly annulments could be avoided if alternative and less hostile means of separation were explored first, new research suggests.”

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The Independent, 16th October 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New Bar Quality Panel ‘Will Raise Standards’ – Vos – The Bar Council

Posted October 16th, 2007 in barristers, legal services, news, quality assurance by sally

“A new advisory panel being launched by the Bar Council today will help maintain the Bar’s reputation for excellence in legal advice and representation, it said.”

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The Bar Council, 15th October 2007

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Children’s tsar attacks youth justice policy – The Guardian

Posted October 15th, 2007 in children, criminal justice, news, young offenders by sally

“The children’s tsar today attacked the government’s youth justice policy, which he warned is enraging and alienating young people.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Son wins battle to stop Tories inheriting £10m – The Times

Posted October 15th, 2007 in news, wills by sally

“The Conservatives today lost a High Court battle over a multimillion pound bequest from a mentally deluded man who believed that only Margaret Thatcher could save him from an international satanic conspiracy.”

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The Times, 15th October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Red tape driving UK disputes teams, finds poll – Legal Week

Posted October 15th, 2007 in law firms, news by sally

“Regulatory work has become an increasingly significant stream of work for the litigation departments of UK and US firms over the last year, according to new research.”

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Legal Week, 15th October 2007

Source: www.legalweek.com

Newspapers challenge anonymity for child porn offender – The Guardian

Posted October 15th, 2007 in anonymity, children, news, pornography by sally

“A five-judge panel in the Court of Appeal is to be asked to decide whether a man who admitted 20 charges of making and possessing indecent pictures of children should have his identity protected because his two daughters might be harassed or bullied at school.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Abortion inquiry asks scientists to disclose links to faith groups – The Guardian

Posted October 15th, 2007 in abortion, news by sally

“An influential inquiry into the future of Britain’s abortion laws will begin today amid controversy over an apparent attempt by faith-based organisations to skew the balance of evidence presented to the committee of MPs.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Parents waiting five years for child support – The Guardian

Posted October 15th, 2007 in child support, news by sally

“Almost 35,000 single parents have been waiting more than five years for the Child Support Agency to resolve their claims, it has emerged.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bill to regulate solicitors ‘risks another miners’ compensation fiasco’ – The Times

Posted October 15th, 2007 in consumer protection, legal services, news, solicitors, trade unions by sally

“Plans for a shake-up of the legal profession, to be debated by MPs today, could lead to another fiasco like the miners’ compensation scheme, because trade unions would be exempt from consumer safeguards, Conservative MPs say.”

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The Times, 15th October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Legalise all drugs: chief constable demands end to ‘immoral laws’ – The Independent

Posted October 15th, 2007 in drug offences, news by sally

“One of Britain’s most senior police officers is to call for all drugs – including heroin and cocaine – to be legalised and urges the Government to declare an end to the ‘failed’ war on illegal narcotics.”

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The Independent, 15th October 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Plan to put prisoners in court cells – The Observer

Posted October 15th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“The Ministry of Justice has drawn up emergency plans to house prisoners in court cells in what the Conservatives last night claimed was ‘a cynical attempt’ to manage the jails crisis and buy Gordon Brown more time after a week of bad news.”

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The Observer, 14th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Armed police call-outs ‘rising’ – BBC News

Posted October 15th, 2007 in firearms, news, police by sally

“The number of call-outs of armed police has increased by more than 50% in a decade, figures show.”

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BBC News, 14th October 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Royal Mail wins court injunction to stop strikes planned for next week – The Guardian

Posted October 15th, 2007 in industrial action, injunctions, news, postal service by sally

“Royal Mail last night won an high court ruling outlawing two one-day strikes planned by postal workers next week.”

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The Guardian, 13th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘No corruption’ in Lawrence case – BBC News

Posted October 15th, 2007 in corruption, news, police by sally

“Claims that the first police probe into the murder of black 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was hindered by a corrupt officer are unfounded, a watchdog says.”

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BBC News, 13th October 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk  

Lubbock father claims over death – BBC News

Posted October 15th, 2007 in criminal injuries compensation, news by sally

“A £10,000 compensation claim is being brought by the father of a man found dead by a swimming pool at the former home of entertainer Michael Barrymore.”

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BBC News, 12th October 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk  

Grieving families call for legal aid to fight MoD – The Independent on Sunday

Posted October 15th, 2007 in Afghanistan, armed forces, inquests, Iraq, legal aid, news by sally

“Families of British service personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are being obstructed by the MoD in their efforts to discover how their children died, it was claimed yesterday.”

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The Independent on Sunday, 14th October 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk