UK: Allocation of costs in Banks v Cadwalladr sets chilling precedent for public interest journalism
https://rsf.org/en/uk-allocation-costs-banks-v-cadwalladr-sets-chilling-precedent-public-interest-journalism
<< UK libel actions do what UK libel actions do: protect the rich from criticism.

They are long overdue a total overhaul.

London is, and looks to retain for the near future, its shameful reputation as the “libel capital of the world".

#SLAPP #BadLaw #UK #legal

Incidentally, if anyone wants to hear the #EU Commisioner spin the worst #IPR proposal in living memory right now, you can do so here:

audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/

#patent #law #badlaw

Man who repeatedly raped sister in 'house of horrors' jailed for 3½ years
https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/man-who-repeatedly-raped-sister-in-house-of-horrors-jailed-for-three-and-half-years-1464030.html
<< 3.5 years for multiple rapes of a nine year old! Some truly appaling logic by the Judge E.g., [the rapist was] "regarded by the court as having led a life free of serious crime up to and after raping his sister." so not a rapist if you discount the raping.

#ireland #justice #legal #badlaw

A great article from the IPkat on the mess at the EPO on claim construction - a mess entirely due to some appeal boards not following the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Basically, some boards tried to justify decisions that clearly extend beyong the EPC by pretending there must be an accordance between the extent of the description and claim scope (despite other boards, and the actual evidence, showing this to be wrong).

#badlaw #epo #epc #patent #ipr #legal

https://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2023/04/construing-claims-to-include-technical.html?m=1

Arron Banks loses two of three challenges to failed libel action against Carole Cadwalladr
https://amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/feb/28/arron-banks-loses-two-of-three-challenges-to-failed-libel-action-against-carole-cadwalladr
<< but wins one and, as his lawsuit was directly personally at the journalist (Cadwalladr), this one win will financially wreck her and take up all her time.

But, I am sure that is just an unfortunate side effect of a billionaire's targeting a lawsuit at the least resourced of all those he could have sued.

Sadly predictable by the #uk #courts.
#legal #badlaw #defamation #libel

History won't be kind on such judges, nor should it be.

Quite clearly, this is a perversion of procedure, and richer defendents would have been able to counter it.
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/activists-jailed-for-seven-weeks-for-defying-ban-on-mentioning-climate-crisis/

#badlaw #legal #UK #InsulateBritain #climatechange

@TeaJunkie it’s easy to identify positive images of LGBT+ people - sometimes prohibited in UK and elsewhere- but what is a positive image of a refugee? One showing them happy and healthy (and not prompting help and support) or wretched and miserable (encouraging people to help and support them)? #Conundrum #BadLaw

Dublin OAP (88) who reversed over pedestrian walking behind her car avoids jail term
https://m.sundayworld.com/crime/courts/dublin-oap-88-who-reversed-over-pedestrian-walking-behind-her-car-avoids-jail-term/1241335738.html
<<
I can't really imagine a custodian sentence helping here. However, a judge stating " [the OAP] had made a bad mistake and people make mistakes when driving" is wild.

There is meant to be a responsibility associated with driving. People shouldn't be excused acknowledged careless driving on the basis "accidents happen".

#badlaw #Ireland #dublin #stillorgan #driving