Senior police officer raises doubts about the use of Asbos – The Independent

Posted June 25th, 2007 in ASBOs, news by sally

“A senior police officer has delivered a damning attack on Asbos. Chief Superintendent Neil Wain is believed to be the most senior serving police officer to break ranks and criticise the Government’s flagship crime-fighting policy.”

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The Independent, 25th June 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Alzheimer’s sufferers have their day in court over NHS drug veto – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2007 in medicines, news by sally

“People with Alzheimer’s disease and their carers will today protest outside the high court at the start of a major legal challenge to the body that decides which drugs people may be given on the NHS.”

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The Guardian, 25th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Magistrates’ jailing powers to be slashed – The Observer

Posted June 25th, 2007 in magistrates, news, sentencing by sally

“The Government will this week spark a new war with the judiciary by stripping England and Wales’s 30,000 magistrates of powers to hand out suspended jail terms, in a fresh bid to ease the prisons crisis.”

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The Observer, 24th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Law Lords leave elderly out in cold – The Observer

Posted June 25th, 2007 in care homes, elderly, human rights, news by sally

“A ruling leaves elderly and vulnerable people in private care homes with no protection from eviction or ill-treatment, writes Jon Robins.”

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The Observer, 24th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New law will see 3,000 more being sent to jail – Sunday Times

Posted June 25th, 2007 in criminal justice, news, violent offenders by sally

“Thousands more criminals will be sent to prison as a result of laws expected to be announced this week, Whitehall officials have privately admitted.”

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Sunday Times, 24th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Victim families get say in court – BBC News

Posted June 25th, 2007 in homicide, news, victims by sally

“Families of murder and manslaughter victims will be able to describe their grief and loss in court under a scheme being rolled out in England and Wales.”

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BBC News, 24th June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sentencing change leads to £10m jail backlog – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Ministers seriously underestimated the huge numbers of inmates who would clog up prisons under the new indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs) and will not be able to process them through the system for at least another two years, officials admitted yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 23rd June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘Change law to let nurses do abortions’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 25th, 2007 in abortion, news by sally

“Nurses and midwives should be allowed to perform early abortions, doctors will say next week.”

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Daily Telegraph, 23rd June 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Appeal court judges clear navy officer jailed for rape – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2007 in armed forces, news, rape by sally

“A Royal Navy chief petty officer who was jailed for five years for the rape of a female colleague on board a warship at sea had his conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 23rd June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Goldsmith steps down days before Brown becomes PM – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2007 in attorney general, news by sally

“Lord Goldsmith dramatically announced his resignation as attorney general last night, days before he was expected to be ousted when Gordon Brown takes over as prime minister. The departure makes it easier for Mr Brown to look afresh at the role of attorney general, a job which many consider to have inbuilt conflicts of interest.”

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The Guardian, 23rd June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Roll-call of ‘lenient’ judges – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 25th, 2007 in judges, news, sentencing by sally

“More than 100 criminals, including murderers and sex offenders, had their sentences increased last year because judges were “unduly lenient”, figures showed yesterday.”

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Daily Telegraph, 23rd June 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Related link: Statement by Sir Igor Judge: Unduly Lenient Sentence statistics

Cherie to challenge smoking ban – BBC News

Posted June 25th, 2007 in news, smoking by sally

“Cherie Blair has been hired by an erotic nightclub to challenge the smoking ban about to come into force in enclosed public places in England.”

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BBC News, 22nd June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Negative advertising harder to block, lawyers warn – The Times

Posted June 25th, 2007 in advertising, freedom of expression, news by sally

“Businesses will find it harder to protect brands from the negative effects of comparative advertising – in which one company promotes its products by drawing comparisons with rivals – after a landmark ruling this week, lawyers have warned.”

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The Times, 22nd June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Legal aid reform is about helping as many as possible – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 25th, 2007 in legal aid, news, press releases by sally

“Lord Falconer today (22 June) said legal aid reform would ensure as many people as possible were helped within the resources available by encouraging efficient working practices in the legal profession.”

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Ministry of Justice press release, 22nd June 2007

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Related link: Government’s response to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee’s report of May 2007

Vos issues BSB warning for legal disciplinary practices – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) should not regulate legal disciplinary practices (LDPs) when the Legal Services Bill is enacted, the chairman of the Bar Council has told the Gazette.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 21st June 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Profession hits back at complaints verdict – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 22nd, 2007 in complaints, news, solicitors by sally

“The leaders of the solicitors’ profession hit back at the Legal Services Ombudsman (LSO) this week after she branded the Legal Complaints Service’s (LCS) performance as ‘still well short of where a modern, customer-focused organisation should be’.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 21st June 2007

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Badge designs are protected by copyright, says High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 22nd, 2007 in copyright, news by sally

“Protection for unregistered designs may be stronger than previously thought, following a ruling by the High Court that found the designs of novelty badges had been infringed.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 22nd June 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

‘Purity’ ring case in High Court – BBC News

Posted June 22nd, 2007 in news, religious discrimination by sally

“A teenager is due in the High Court to accuse her school of discriminating against Christians by banning the wearing of ‘purity rings’.”

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BBC News, 22nd Juen 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Iraq deaths ‘unlawful killings’ – BBC News

Posted June 22nd, 2007 in armed forces, inquests, Iraq, news by sally

“Five British armed forces personnel were unlawfully killed when their helicopter was shot down in Iraq, a coroner has ruled.”

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BBC News, 22nd June 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyers step up lobbying on legal services reform – Financial Times

Posted June 22nd, 2007 in legal services, news by sally

“Leading lawyers will step up their lobbying over controversial legal reforms, after the Treasury gave a cool response to claims that the changes could threaten £2bn of annual legal services exports.”

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Financial Times, 22nd June 2007

Source: www.ft.com