Lucy Letby murder convictions: what did the expert panel find? – The Guardian

Posted February 5th, 2025 in children, evidence, hospitals, murder, news, nurses, reports by sally

‘Group concludes babies died due to natural causes or errors in medical care, saying there was no evidence of deliberate harm.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK court shuts door on ‘second medical use’ SPCs – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 5th, 2025 in EC law, medicines, news, patents by sally

‘Pharmaceutical companies cannot obtain UK supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) for medicinal products for which a second medical use has been found where those products have already been the subject of a marketing authorisation issued by regulators, the Court of Appeal in England and Wales has confirmed.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 4th February 2025

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

High Court refuses application for deprivation of liberty order regarding disabled 15-year-old subject to care order – Local Government Lawyer

‘A judge has refused an application by a local authority for a declaration from the High Court that it is lawful and in the best interests of a 15-year-old boy with “profound enduring disabilities”, who is the subject of a care order, to be deprived of his liberty.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 4th February 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Carr floats formal mediation council for civil and commercial work – Legal Futures

Posted February 5th, 2025 in dispute resolution, international courts, lectures, news, rule of law, treaties by sally

‘The Lady Chief Justice has suggested that a new mediation council should be set up for civil and commercial matters to bolster England and Wales’s status as a leading international mediation centre”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 5th February 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

High Court approves merger of schemes in winding-up – Pensions Barrister

Posted February 5th, 2025 in mergers, news, pensions, winding up by sally

‘In Arcadia Group Pension Trust Ltd v Smith [2025] EWHC 11 (Ch), Master Marsh (sitting in retirement) has approved the merger of the Staff and Executive Schemes of Arcadia Group, both of which were in winding-up after the principal employer went into administration and then into liquidation. The need to seek the Court’s approval arose because of the proposed exercise of the amendment power of the Staff Scheme during the winding-up. The Master was satisfied that the amendment power was wide enough to enable it to be exercised. The power expressly provided that it continued until the scheme had been wound up and that it could be exercised by the trustee without the need for principal employer consent where the employer was in liquidation. There was accordingly no scope to imply any fetter on the use of its operation in the circumstances of the case. The Master was also satisfied that the merger was a proper exercise of the power, even though adding members of the Executive Scheme to the Staff Scheme would enable the members of the former scheme to benefit from the surplus in the latter scheme.’

Full Story

Pensions Barrister, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

‘Watershed moment’ as three-year time limit on child rape claims scrapped in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted February 5th, 2025 in child abuse, children, limitations, news, rape by sally

‘Hundreds of child rape survivors, including those targeted by grooming gangs, are expected to pursue their abusers in the courts after ministers scrapped a three-year time limit on compensation claims.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 5th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Autonomy and assisted dying / suicide – an important judicial light shed from an unexpected corner – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

Posted February 5th, 2025 in assisted suicide, bills, consent, electronic commerce, gambling, news by sally

‘Individual decision-making and its complexities was very much in the spotlight this week in the context of the oral evidence sessions held by the Public Bill Committee considering the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. The decision of Collins Rice in ‘RTM’ v Bonne Terre Ltd [2025] EWHC 111 (KB), handed down on 23 January 2025, is an important reminder of just how complex the idea of autonomy is in real life.’

Full Story

Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 2nd February 2025

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

‘Basic lack of decency’ driving self-harm in women’s prisons, report says – The Guardian

Posted February 5th, 2025 in criminal justice, news, prisons, statistics, women by sally

‘Women in prison are resorting to self-harm because of “astonishing gaps” in basic services including strict time limits when contacting their children and bans from using washing machines for dirty underwear, according to a watchdog’s report.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 5th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Immigration rules keep changing, and the confusion can cause real problems for migrants – EIN Blog

Posted February 5th, 2025 in computer programs, documents, government departments, immigration, news by sally

‘A nationwide plan to digitise immigration documents recently came into force. Since January 1, millions of foreign nationals who live in the UK must now use digital-only status documents, as all biometric residence permits expired at the end of 2024.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 3rd February 2025

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Man jailed for trying to kill PC with scissors – BBC News

Posted February 5th, 2025 in attempted murder, imprisonment, news, police, sentencing by sally

‘A man has been jailed for 30 years for trying to kill a police officer by stabbing him in the head with a pair of scissors.’

Full Story

BBC News, 4th February 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Thousands to sue Johnson & Johnson in UK over alleged talc link to cancer – The Guardian

Posted February 5th, 2025 in asbestos, cancer, class actions, health & safety, news by sally

‘Lawyers representing 3,500 claimants are preparing to sue the pharmaceutical firm Johnson & Johnson (J&J) over alleged links between talcum powder and cancer, in what is expected to be one of the largest pharmaceutical product group actions in English and Welsh legal history.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th February 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com

Injuries to a baby: Part 2 – the court’s decisions – Transparency Project

Posted January 30th, 2025 in care orders, child cruelty, children, families, family courts, local government, news by sally

‘The local authority threshold statement at this stage detailed the injuries and submitted that the fractures were caused by excessive force or shaking; the bruises and abrasions caused by grabbing or squeezing. The parents had not been honest about the cause of the injuries and if one of them had caused them, the other had failed protect to Claire from being injured. Additionally, the local authority relied on an injury that had occurred earlier in the summer but had at that time not been deemed a child protection matter. The statement set out a list of concerns relating to David’s drug use and to Amy’s failure to protect Claire from the consequences. There were also references to David’s inappropriate handling of Claire although eventually this particular point was not included in the judge’s findings.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 29th January 2025

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Man jailed for 13 months for ‘brutal’ death of woman he ran over – BBC News

‘A man who killed an 83-year-old great-grandmother when he repeatedly ran over her with his van has been jailed for 13 months.’

Full Story

BBC News, 29th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Experts in mediation – a case study – Kingsley Napley Family Law Blog

Posted January 30th, 2025 in dispute resolution, divorce, expert witnesses, financial advice, news, pensions by sally

‘When dealing with the arrangements following separation, sometimes individuals need more than just the advice of a solicitor. Experts are frequently brought in to advise on specialist areas, such as taxation and pensions. The court process is adversarial in nature, and as such can easily become a breeding ground for polarised views and distrust. Expert opinions relied on by one party can be viewed with suspicion by the other, leading to lengthy (and costly) questions about, or submissions in respect of, those opinions. Each person may feel it necessary to seek their own expert advice in the background…double the experts usually means double the costs, reducing the total resources left to be shared.’

Full Story

Kingsley Napley Family Law Blog, 29th January 2025

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

Teen jailed for life for mobile phone park murder – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2025 in murder, news, robbery, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘A teenager has been given a life sentence for murdering a 17-year-old boy in a mobile phone robbery.’

Full Story

BBC News, 29th January 2025

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Litigation Friends in the Immigration Tribunals – EIN Blog

Posted January 30th, 2025 in immigration, litigation friends, news, tribunals by sally

‘Barrister Adam Pipe explains the role and appointment of litigation friends in the Immigration Tribunals following December’s new Joint Presidential Guidance No. 1 on the appointment of litigation friends in the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber).’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 28th January 2025

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Injuries to a baby: Part 1 – a mystery to be solved by the family court – Transparency Project

Posted January 30th, 2025 in care orders, child abuse, children, evidence, family courts, news, personal injuries by sally

‘One evening in autumn 2023, a young couple took their five month old baby to an emergency hospital where she was diagnosed with numerous physical injuries (some very serious) which the parents couldn’t explain. Local authority children’s services were called in and care proceedings began. The baby went into foster care under an interim care order when she left hospital. Fortunately, she soon fully recovered from the injuries. More than a year later, a full care order was made.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 29th January 2025

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Sir Brian Leveson’s review of the courts – Kingsley Napley Criminal Law Blog

Posted January 30th, 2025 in criminal justice, Crown Court, delay, news by sally

‘Whatever its cause, a backlog of over 73,000 Crown court cases is not acceptable. Delays for complainants, defendants and witnesses all impede justice. In the third quarter of 2024, the Crown court received over 31,683 new cases and disposed of 29,502. The passage of time will not solve the problem. Change is inevitable.’

Full Story

Kingsley Napley Criminal Law Blog, 27th January 2025

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

Judge dismisses claim by US TV actor that his house was not liable for council tax – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 30th, 2025 in council tax, jurisdiction, news, rates, striking out, tribunals, valuation by sally

‘The High Court has rejected an attempt by American actor Mercer Boffey to argue that his house in Richmond is not liable for council tax.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 29th January 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ex-supreme court judge says high court signoff for assisted death unnecessary – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2025 in assisted suicide, bills, judiciary, news by sally

‘A former supreme court judge has told MPs that applications for assisted dying should not need high court approval.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th January 2025

Source: www.theguardian.com