Headlines – Page 1339
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From crooks to books
Obiter was intrigued to read in the Guardian’s education section last week that those who have had a brush with the law are often inspired to go on and study the subject during their stay at Her Majesty’s pleasure. Apparently an increasing number of prisoners ...
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Will Darts miss target?
Traditionalist Obiter was saddened to learn this week that court stenographers are to be the latest victim of advances in technology. The Ministry of Justice has revealed that stenographers will be phased out in courts next year in favour of a new system known as ...
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It's a frame up
Many law firms like to make a show of putting a nice piece of art on the wall, in an attempt to look highbrow. But it’s fair to say Sussex firm Burt Brill & Cardens has paid more than lip service to the local arts ...
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High Society
Later this month the erstwhile chief executive of the Bar Council, David Hobart, takes up his new role as chief executive of the City of London Law Society. The Society may not have realised that it is gaining not only a former bar bigwig, and ...
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Financial regulation
Financial Services Authority - Payment protection insurance - Financial Ombudsman R (on the application of British Bankers Association) (Claimant) v (1) Financial Services Authority (2) Financial Ombudsman Service (Defendants) and Nemo Personal Finance Ltd (Interested Party): QBD (Admin) (Mr ...
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Intellectual Property
Media and entertainment - Information technology - European Union R (on the application of (1) British Telecommunications Plc (2) Talktalk Telecom Group Plc) (Claimants) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Defendant) and BPI (British Recorded Music ...
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Presumption of death; intestacy and polygamous marriages
There have been some rather unusual recent cases that invite comment. In Bayes-Walker and another v Bayes-Walker and others [2010] EWHC 3142 (Ch) the High Court made a declaration that a missing RAF sergeant was to be presumed dead for the purposes of rights to a ...
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Solicitors facing ABSs must review their options
The profession is at a crossroads and facing some of the most difficult challenges for generations. None are greater than the challenges facing small firms. The pressure exerted by financial institutions, whether professional indemnity insurers, lenders or before-the-event insurers, means ...
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Correction
Our News Focus of 7 April contained the statement: ‘Unlike Jackson, Kenneth Clarke does use figures.’ We are happy to make clear that Lord Justice Jackson’s report included extensive figures in support of its recommendations. We apologise if this sentence ...
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Stop the slaughter
Like many others, I am concerned about the government’s proposals on civil litigation costs. But I felt your call to arms, Join clients in the fight – Slaughter to be a step too far. Perhaps we should try negotiating first? ...
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A law unto itself
I fully endorse the comments of Michael Freeman, regarding the county court system failure in London. Under the Civil Procedure Rules, trial dates are supposed to be sacrosanct, yet my day-long case scheduled for the end of April was cancelled, causing additional expense and anxiety for ...
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Absolute truth
I read with interest Andrea Minichiello Williams’s article on the victimising of Christians. With the exception of the Johns case, which was appallingly reported by the BBC, I agree entirely with everything she says. It may not seem important to many that Christians in this country ...
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Moral high ground?
In 2011, it is frankly crazy for Andrea Minichiello Williams to be making statements such as ‘without Christianity, there can be no morality’ and ‘law cannot be divorced from Christianity’. Furthermore, it is offensive to suggest that secularism is a variant of fascism, as Ms ...
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Domestic violence courts to close
More than one in six specialist domestic violence courts are set to close as part of the government’s nationwide court closures plan, it has emerged. Shadow justice minister Andy Slaughter has tabled a series of parliamentary questions to justice secretary Kenneth Clarke on the impact of ...
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Barristers' chambers will be 'attractive alternative' for litigation
Barristers’ chambers will become an ‘attractive alternative’ to law firms for litigation work, a leading industry commentator suggested this week, after the bar’s regulator decided to remove its ban on barristers conducting litigation. The move will permit barristers to offer a ‘one-stop shop’ service, including both ...
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Insurers 'discriminate' against black and ethnic law firms
Black and minority ethnic (BME) law firms are over-represented in the assigned risks pool – but almost twice as likely as their white counterparts to secure market insurance and leave the ARP, according to research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The ARP is the insurer ...
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Persecution claims are undermined by religious privileges
I’ve known for a while that my BBC licence fee is used for religious proselytising in the shape of ‘Thought for the day’, and now I fear my practising certificate fee awaits a similar fate (Andrea Minichiello Williams, ‘Equality law is victimising Christians’). Ms Williams believes ...
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Law firms set to reclaim Legal Services Commission family fees
Law firms may seek to claim back ‘substantial’ sums from the Legal Services Commission following a clarification of its rules governing family fees, solicitors suggested this week. In private law cases involving a ‘significant family dispute’, the LSC’s unified contract with providers requires firms to carry ...