11th January 2019
This week, the Justice Beat covers a major redaction blunder, calls to sack an Oxford law professor, period poverty and undercover policing.
Unredacted
1. Next time you're redacting a sensitive document, spare a thought for lawyers acting for Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Paul Manafort's counsel learned the hard way that it's well worth checking redactions are properly applied; their failure to do so revealed that prosecutors apparently believe Manafort shared Trump polling data with a suspected Russian spy during the 2016 Presidential campaign, the Atlantic reports.
Sackable offence?
2. An Oxford law Professor should be sacked for expressing "homophobic" views, according to a petition signed by 400 people, the Guardian reports. Legal philosopher John Finnis stands by his writings, which include an assertion that homosexuality is “never a valid, humanly acceptable choice and form of life”. The University has stated that it promotes an inclusive culture but also protects academic freedom of speech.
Let girls learn
3. Does the Government have a duty under the Equality Act to provide free menstrual products in schools? Amika George believes that it does. The 19-year-old activist is leading the campaign against ‘period poverty’ - where a person is unable to afford basic sanitary products such as tampons and pads, the Independent reports. Period poverty causes many girls to miss school when they are on their period, which negatively impacts their education. Amika is raising funds on CrowdJustice to cover the legal costs of the campaign.
Spycop slip up
4. An undercover police officer apparently misled a public inquiry about sexual relationships he had with two women while spying on them, the Guardian reports. The officer initially denied having relations with two women while he infiltrated animal rights groups in the early 2000s, but later admitted having intimate relationships with both women. Three victims of police spying are raising funds on CrowdJustice to participate in the undercover policing inquiry.
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This week on CrowdJustice, anti-fracking campaigners are raising funds for representation at a hearing on North Yorkshire’s plan for unconventional oil and gas, the family of Tim McComb, who took his own life in mental health supported housing, are crowdfunding for representation at an inquest into his death, and climate activists are raising funds to protect against adverse costs while challenging the expansion of Heathrow Airport.
Learn more about how crowdfunding can support your practice.
Image Credit: Twitter / Amika George