BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted February 17th, 2026 in law reports by michael

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

James & Anor v HSBC UK Bank PLC (Rev1) [2026] EWCA Civ 88 (17 February 2026)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Nilsson & Anor v Jones [2026] EWHC 319 (Ch) (17 February 2026)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Brightwaters Energy Ltd v Eroton Exploration and Production Company Ltd [2026] EWHC 296 (Comm) (17 February 2026)

High Court (Patents Court)

Parsons v Convatec Ltd [2026] EWHC 325 (Pat) (16 February 2026)

High Court (King’s Bench Division)

California State Teachers’ Retirement System & Ors v Boohoo Group Plc [2026] EWHC 320 (KB) (10 February 2026)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Lloyds Developments Ltd v Accor S.A [2026] EWHC 232 (TCC) (13 February 2026)

Source: www.bailii.org

Students in England and Wales launch legal action over Covid-hit studies – The Guardian

Posted February 17th, 2026 in news by sally

‘Dozens of universities are facing legal action from more than 170,000 students seeking compensation after their studies were moved online during Covid-19.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th February 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family win £700k inheritance fight with mum’s boyfriend over forged will and fake wedding – The Independent

Posted February 17th, 2026 in news by sally

‘The family of a tragic mum have won a £700,000 court fight with her “toxic” boyfriend after he used a forged will and a fake wedding in a bid to get his hands on her fortune.’

Full Story

The Independent, 17th February 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Parental responsibility and confinement – the need for appellate authority continues (and a Gillick conundrum) – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

Posted February 17th, 2026 in news by sally

‘Whilst the Supreme Court considers the Attorney General for Northern Ireland’s reference, I am being cautious about commenting about cases concerning deprivation of liberty, given my role in the case. However, I think that I can properly say that the decision of Henke J in East Riding of Yorkshire Council v The Mother & Ors [2026] EWCOP 11 (T3) is another in a line of first instance decisions which reinforce how badly the question of the scope of parental responsibility relating to confinement for those under 16 requires consideration by the appellate courts. The case was a little different to some of those which I have commented on previously, in that there was active argument as to the scope of the ability of the parents in question to consent to the confinement of their child (but I do not understand that there is likely to be any appeal).’

Full Story

Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 16th February 2026

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Girl, 16, and, boy, 15, found guilty over killing of man pelted with rocks in Kent – The Guardian

Posted February 17th, 2026 in news by sally

‘Two teenagers have been found guilty of killing a man they believed was a paedophile by luring him to a beach where another teenager threw rocks at him.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th February 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

Disability and LGBT hate crimes set to become aggravated offences – BBC News

Posted February 17th, 2026 in news by sally

‘Hate crimes which target people on the grounds of their sexuality or gender identity, or a disability, are set to become aggravated offences under a proposed new law.’

Full Story

BBC News, 16th Februry 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fertility patients win high court battle to save embryos after consent error – The Guardian

Posted February 17th, 2026 in news by sally

‘More than a dozen fertility patients have won a high court battle to save their embryos, eggs and sperm from destruction after errors meant they did not renew consent to store them within the 10-year window required by law.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th February 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

BAILII: Recent Decisions

Posted February 16th, 2026 in law reports by michael

High Court (Administrative Court)

Singh v London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Rev2) [2026] EWHC 295 (Admin) (13 February 2026)

High Court (Chancery Division)

The Imaging Centre Assets Ltd v Canon Medical Systems Ltd [2026] EWHC 311 (Ch) (13 February 2026)

High Court (Technology and Construction Court)

Baltimore Wharf SLP v Ballymore Properties Ltd [2026] EWHC 312 (TCC) (16 February 2026)

Source: www.bailii.org

Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted February 16th, 2026 in legislation by sally

Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Court orders on sibling contact – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘The principles that govern a child’s post-adoption contact with his or her birth family have developed from a position that there should be a complete break at the point of adoption. The Adoption Act 1976 outlawed private adoption agreements, making adoptions the responsibility of local authorities. It also allowed for ‘letterbox contact’ – the exchange of letters, cards and photographs via the local authority (LA).’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 13th February 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Secure 16 to 19 Academies Act 2026 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted February 16th, 2026 in legislation by sally

Secure 16 to 19 Academies Act 2026

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Licensing Hours Extensions Act 2026 – legislation.gov.uk

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

Licensing Hours Extensions Act 2026

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Fundamental dishonesty – the requirement for notice, and the need to look again at the law – Exchange Chambers

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘Imagine the scene. You have been injured in an accident, and you have brought a claim for compensation. You hope that the claim will settle, but it turns out the other side are arguing about who was to blame for the accident, or about how much compensation you should receive. The claim ends up going to court. You feel quite nervous. You have never done anything like this before, and the thought of standing there being questioned is stomach-churning. But your solicitors and barrister do their best to prepare you, and so you head to court. The barrister representing the other side asks you some questions. Some of the questions are quite tough – they are saying that you are not right about how the accident happened, or that some of the injuries were less serious than you have said. But you get to the end of the questioning and everything seems quite straightforward. You sit down, and listen to the barristers doing their closing speeches.’

Full Story

Exchange Chambers, 29th February 2026

Source: www.exchangechambers.co.uk

Peers back widening eligibility to become Crown prosecutors – Legal Futures

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘The House of Lords last week backed government plans to expand eligibility to become Crown prosecutors to CILEX lawyers and other non-solicitors and barristers.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 16th February 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Katie’s story: her abusive ex-partner said ‘kill yourself’. When she did, police dropped domestic violence inquiry – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘After her death, police dropped a case examining Katie Madden’s former partner, despite evidence he had repeatedly told her to kill herself.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th February 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

The High Court’s judgment in the Palestine Action case – Public Law for Everyone

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘The High Court has ruled that the government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 was unlawful, holding that the decision contravenes the government’s own policy on proscription as well as breaching the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. This post examines the legal reasoning that led the court to those conclusions.’

Full Story

Public Law for Everyone, 13th February 2026

Source: publiclawforeveryone.com

Employment Tribunal Whistleblowing Claims – Confusion Reigns – Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘A recent Court of Appeal judgment in the important whistleblowing cases Wicked Vision and Barton Turns highlights the need for employment law reform.’

Full Story

Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog, 12th February 2026

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

Publication of DEFRA Policy Paper: “PFAS Plan: building a safer future together” – Henderson Chambers

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘On 3 February 2026, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (“DEFRA”) published a policy paper titled “PFAS Plan: building a safety future together” (the “Policy Paper”). The foreword by the Minister for Water and Flooding notes that “Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called ‘forever chemicals’, represent one of the most pressing chemical challenges of our time.”’

Full Story

Henderson Chambers, 4th February 2026

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

High Court: Proscription of Palestine Action unlawful – Administrative Court Blog

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘The High Court has upheld the judicial review against the Home Secretary’s proscription of Palestine Action on two grounds. First, the Home Secretary exercised the discretion to proscribe taking account of a consideration inconsistent with her own policy, namely the criminal offences consequent on proscription. Second, it constituted a disproportionate interference with the rights to freedom of expression and assembly under articles 10 and 11 of the ECHR. The case is R (Ammori) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWHC 292 (Admin).’

Full Story

Administrative Court Blog, 13th February 2026

Source: administrativecourtblog.wordpress.com

Revealed: The true toll of female suicides in UK with domestic abuse at their core – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2026 in news by sally

‘The number of women who are driven to suicide by domestic abusers is being under-reported, and their cases overlooked by police, in what has been described by experts as a “national scandal”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th February 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com