Law Weblog

“Blaney’s Blarney Order” injunction through Twitter

Sunday 11 October 2009 at 11:59 am | In News | Post Comment In the High Court this week, Mr Justice Lewison granted an order allowing the service of an injunction using Twitter, this is the first time such an order has been granted.

The subject matter was a blog called Blaney’s Blarney (donalblaney.com) and the order is likely to become known as a “Blaney’s Blarney Order”.

The order requires an unknown Twitter user, anonymously posting under the same name, to stop posting and immediately identify themselves.

Anonymous breaches of the law on Internet sites now have a precedent and this is a huge step forward in preventing anonymous abuse of the internet.

Donal Blaney, the victim of the anonymous impersonation and the principal of Griffin Law, said: “This is an important step in dealing with online bullying.

Thursday 1 October 2009 at 6:49 am | In News | Post Comment Today, The Supreme Court for the United Kingdom opens, replacing the House of Lords Judicial Committee as the final court of appeal. Today is the start of the Michaelmas term and the former Law Lords will become Justices being sworn in at a ceremony in the new building near Parliament.

The court is independent of Parliament and the new court is the final court of appeal in all matters other than criminal cases in Scotland, as was the House of Lords

The Ministry of Justice has spent £59m separating the court from the House of Lords legislative body and Lord Phillips will be the first President of the Supreme Court, sitting with 10 other Justices who were until last month the Law Lords.

Its first case today will be a relatively minor issue relating to legal costs, but next week will decide a case concerning terrorist suspects whose assets have been frozen.

Some commentators have criticised the change, arguing that it is largely a cosmetic exercise and completely unnecessary, decided on a whim by Tony Blair.