‘The Sentencing Council has published a new guideline for offences related to hare coursing which will come into effect on 1 June 2026.’
Sentencing Council, 14th May 2026
Source: sentencingcouncil.org.uk
‘The Court of Appeal (Newey, Edis and Whipple LJJs) has allowed the appeal in R (on the application of O’Brien) v HM Assistant Coroner for Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens [2026] EWCA Civ 499. It quashed the coroner’s decision on scope, and remitted the matter to a different coroner for reconsideration of scope, jury, and Article 2 issues. The key takeaway is that coroners must not pre‑determine causation on the basis of incomplete material. Where there is a realistic evidential pathway to a causal finding, the scope of the inquest must accommodate it.’
Quarterly Medical Law Review, 14th May 2026
Source: 1corqmlr.com
‘Generative AI can offer a host of benefits to members of the public when interacting with public bodies, particularly to individuals who may previously have faced difficulties in composing formal correspondence, such as a complaint or request for information. However, the increasing use of generative AI is placing strain on public bodies, who are under legal duties to properly consider, verify and meaningfully respond to complaints and requests. The challenge for public bodies is in maintaining fairness, consistency and transparency when handling increasing volumes of AI-generated submissions.’
Local Government Lawyer, 13th May 2026
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘The King’s Speech yesterday was notable as much for what was not in it as what was included.’
Legal Futures, 14th May 2026
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘New figures published by Cafcass show a significant increase in demand across the family justice system, with private law children cases rising sharply during the 2025–26 financial year and reaching their highest monthly level in five years.’
Family Law, 11th May 2026
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
‘The Government has published its long-awaited post-legislative scrutiny memorandum on the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, setting out its assessment of the landmark legislation five years after it received Royal Assent.’
Family Law, 11th May 2026
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
‘Today, however, I do not want to deliver a general lecture on the constitutional foundations of open justice. I want to talk about something more specific and more practical: access to documents – because in modern civil justice, if open justice does not follow the documents, it risks becoming an illusion rather than a reality.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 13th May 2026
Source: www.judiciary.uk
‘The Bar Council is calling on the UK Government to ratify the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer (the Luxembourg Treaty) on the anniversary of its launch.’
Bar Council, 13th May 2026
Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk
‘The UK asylum system has changed a lot in recent years. New rules and policies have affected how asylum claims are made, how they are decided, and what people seeking protection may face during the process.
‘For asylum seekers, advisers and those working in immigration law, it is important to understand what these changes may mean in practice.’
EIN Blog, 13th May 2026
Source: www.ein.org.uk
‘A high-profile victim of the Post Office scandal has won a preliminary argument about his own civil claim in the Court of Appeal. Former sub-postmaster Lee Castleton challenged the court’s decision from earlier this year that his claim against the Post Office should be broken into split trials.’
Law Society Gazette, 14th May 2026
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘The government of embattled prime minister Sir Keir Starmer today signalled its intention to proceed with reforms to the criminal justice system. As widely expected, the King’s speech also included a promise of legislation to reform leasehold, including the capping of ground rents.’
Law Society Gazette, 13th May 2026
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2026