Witnessing Wills During a Pandemic: “You’re on mute” – No. 5 Chambers

Posted January 22nd, 2021 in chambers articles, coronavirus, news, telecommunications, wills, witnesses by sally

‘The Wills Act 1837 (Electronic Communications) (Amendment)(Coronavirus) Order 2020 (SI 2020 No 952) means that it is now possible to witness a will via a video call. These temporary changes are much needed to allow those who want to make or update a will during the Covid-19 pandemic to do so safely and legally.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 21st January 2021

Source: www.no5.com

One day late acceptance of part 36 offer puts costs in play – Legal Futures

‘An automatic entitlement to costs under part 36 only arises if the offer is accepted within the “relevant period”, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 21st January 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

BT faces £600m lawsuit over ‘overcharging’ – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2021 in compensation, consumer protection, elderly, news, telecommunications by sally

‘BT is facing a class action lawsuit over claims it failed to compensate elderly customers who were overcharged for landlines for years.’

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BBC News, 18th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Marketing company fined £250k for personal injury nuisance calls – Legal Futures

Posted December 17th, 2020 in fines, news, nuisance, personal injuries, telecommunications by sally

‘The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined a marketing company £250,000 for making over 365,000 nuisance calls asking people about accidents and pretending to be from their insurer.’

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Legal Futures, 17th December 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

CA: Judge was wrong not to order all of part 36 enhanced awards – Litigation Futures

Posted November 18th, 2020 in appeals, costs, indemnities, interest, news, part 36 offers, telecommunications by sally

‘Making one of the four enhanced awards of beating a part 36 offer does not “in any way” undermine or lessen entitlement to the others, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 18th November 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Cell Site Evidence: Expert or Not? – St Philips Barristers

Posted November 10th, 2020 in conspiracy, drug trafficking, evidence, expert witnesses, news, telecommunications by sally

‘In R v Andrew Turner [2020] EWCA Crim 1241 the Court of Appeal considered the issue of when a professional witness crosses the line and gives expert evidence, in the context of mobile telephone analysis. The appeal concerned a conspiracy to supply class A drugs, the prosecution relied on mobile telephone and surveillance evidence. The appellant was said to be a driving force behind the conspiracy and that various incriminating mobile telephone numbers could be attributed to him.’

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St Philips Barristers, 5th November 2020

Source: st-philips.com

UK mobile phone firms to be banned from selling locked handsets – The Guardian

Posted October 28th, 2020 in consumer protection, news, ombudsmen, sale of goods, telecommunications by sally

‘Mobile phone companies are to be banned from selling devices that are locked into specific networks to make it easier for customers to switch providers.’

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The Guardian, 27th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Individual privacy versus national security: where is the line? – Lamb Chambers

‘Oscar Davies discusses the recent Privacy International case and its wider implications, in which the CJEU held that UK law went too far in permitting “general and indiscriminate” access of bulk communications data to MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.’

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Lamb Chambers, October 2020

Source: www.lambchambers.co.uk

Ombudsman report finds council wrongly accused woman of using abusive language, stopped Care Act assessment – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Royal Borough of Greenwich has been told by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that it need not compensate a woman it wrongly accused of using abusive language to a staff member.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

How smart devices are exploited for domestic abuse – BBC News

‘The number of domestic abuse cases has increased dramatically since the UK’s Covid lockdown – and tech has played a role.’

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BBC News, 18th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drivers to be banned from picking up mobile phones – BBC News

‘It will become illegal for anyone to pick up and use their mobile phone while driving, under new legislation to be enacted next year.’

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BBC News, 17th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Supreme Court’s decision in Unwired Planet – what comes next? – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

‘The UK Supreme Court has handed down its long-awaited judgment in Unwired Planet. Its decision has profound implications for patent owners and implementers alike and is likely to lead to heavily contested jurisdictional disputes going forward.’

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 15th September 2020

Source: competitionbulletin.com

The Supreme Court’s decision in Unwired Planet – what comes next? – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers

‘The UK Supreme Court has handed down its long-awaited judgment in Unwired Planet. Its decision has profound implications for patent owners and implementers alike and is likely to lead to heavily contested jurisdictional disputes going forward.’

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Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 15th September

Source: competitionbulletin.com

Greater protections for victims of online abuse proposed by Law Commission – Law Commission

‘The Law Commission has today published proposals to better protect victims from harmful online behaviour including abusive messages or emails, cyberflashing, and pile-on harassment. Reforms to tackle the malicious sharing of information known to be false have also been proposed.’

Full press release

Law Commission, 11th September 2020

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Mother sues MoJ over child’s lack of access to father in jails lockdown – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2020 in children, families, human rights, news, prisons, telecommunications by sally

‘A mother who fears her 19-month-old child will forget their father if prison visits do not resume soon has begun preliminary legal action against the Ministry of Justice.’

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The Guardian, 31st August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Fair and reasonable’ telecom IP ruling is boost for UK courts – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Long-awaited Supreme Court rulings on mobile phone patents will boost the UK’s position as a forum for resolving global IP licensing disputes, specialist lawyers said today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th August 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New Judgment: Unwired Planet International Ltd and another) v Huawei Technologies (UK) Co Ltd and another [2020] UKSC 37 – UKSC Blog

‘This appeal discusses whether the English court has the power or jurisdiction, or is it a proper exercise of any such power or jurisdiction without the parties’ agreement:

– to grant an injunction restraining infringement of a UK SEP unless the defendant enters into a global licence under a multinational patent portfolio;
– to determine the rates/terms for such a licence; and
– to declare that such rates/terms are FRAND?’

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UKSC Blog, 26th August 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Former police chief convicted over child abuse video granted court of appeal hearing – The Guardian

‘A decorated former police chief has won two key battles in her fight to overturn her conviction for possessing a child abuse video and get her job back, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 2nd August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

One in 70 recorded rapes in England and Wales led to charge last year – The Guardian

‘Fewer than one in 70 recorded rapes resulted in a charge last year, as tens of thousands of victims did not support demands from police and prosecutors and withdrew from the process.’

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The Guardian, 17th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

The 4 Principles Applicable to Telephone Disclosure by Giles Bridge – Broadway House Chambers

‘You are the witness to or the victim of a crime. The police officer says that they need you to hand over your mobile phone. The officer says it will be examined and all of the contents may be downloaded. The officer cannot say when you will get your phone back. There is a long backlog of phones waiting to be downloaded, it could be a couple of months. It’s your phone, you really rely upon it. Like most people, your average screen time has rocketed during lockdown. There is so much detailed and very personal information on that phone. You ask the officer, ‘Do you really need to take my phone?’ You are very reluctant to hand it over. The officer says, if you do not hand it over the case probably will not go any further. Discussions like this take place every day across the United Kingdom.’

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Broadway House Chambers, 29th June 2020

Source: broadwayhouse.co.uk