Simmering rant on the coalition's legal reform proposals that I've kept off this LJ since last winter is now building up a terrifying head of steam and needs to escape into the real world, but anger and disbelief keep getting me to the spluttering and spitting heat stage so fast I'm rendered inarticulate or too ranty to type before I can actually ( Read more... )

http://libelreform.org/our-report case for reform of Libel Law.

Further to my earlier entries (available via http://a-llusive.livejournal.com/138962.html) there have been some promising judgements but the overall framework is still broken - defence is prohibitively protracted and ( Read more... )

I couldn't share the Facebook post of the person who alerted me to the Manchester rape trial outcome reported http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8455161.stm and commented on Read more... )

http://a-llusive.livejournal.com/138962.html updated with link to judge's proposals from today's Guardian.

Sliding criminal justice

Jury-less criminal trials http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8453318.stm
and acquitted defendants paying some of their court fees.
I feel another rant brewing, though no time for it now.

Oh, academia is screwed too

Russell Group warning article
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Ben Goldacre on the launch of the campaign to reform libel law to avoid hampering public scientific dialogue.

I was sued by a pill salesman called Matthias Rath last year in a case which took 19 months to resolve, and cost the Guardian £535,000 to defend. We got £365,000 reimbursed: that means the cost of winning was £170,000, slightly less than ( Read more... )

Please look at the web page with full background info and consider signing the petition -
http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/333/

'The use of the English libel laws to silence critical discussion of medical practice and ( Read more... )

This (long) NYT article is a must read.

Hmm al-fruitbat believes this is the way of the future: thoughts anyone?