‘I struggled to do my mum justice at her inquest’ – BBC News

‘Every year, mental health trusts spend millions of pounds employing lawyers to represent them at inquests, where they could be found to be at fault. The relatives of those who have died, however, often get no legal aid and have to stand up and face those lawyers alone. Becky Montacute describes her bid to ensure that the lessons from her mother’s death were learned.’

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BBC News, 1st October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Widow’s fight to get partner’s name on birth certificate- BBC News

Posted September 27th, 2019 in bereavement, birth certificates, children, cohabitation, equality, families, news, paternity, widows by tracey

‘A woman whose partner died while she was pregnant has said she suffered “emotional trauma” fighting through the courts to put his name on their child’s birth certificate.’

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BBC News, 27th September 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inquisitorial inquests and barrister-blaming – Counsel

‘Families have no automatic right to legal aid at inquests where the state may be implicated and legal aid is means tested. Thus at many such hearings, the family fends for itself while culpable public bodies are represented at taxpayers’ expense.’

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Counsel, September 2019

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Mavis Eccleston, 80, cleared of murdering husband was ‘hung, drawn and quartered’ by police, family say – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 23rd, 2019 in assisted suicide, bereavement, families, murder, news, police, suicide by sally

‘The family of an 80-year-old cleared of murdering her husband in a failed suicide pact claim she was “hung, drawn and quartered” by police who said they would make an example of her.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd September 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Battle between stepsisters in ‘who died first’ dispute comes to an end – Family Law

Posted September 9th, 2019 in bereavement, families, financial dispute resolution, intestacy, news, wills by tracey

‘The “Commorientes Rule” is (meaning “simultaneous deaths”) found in Section 184 of the Law of Property Act 1925. This rule states that if two or more people die in circumstances where it is not possible to determine who died first, the younger is deemed to survive the elder.’

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Family Law, 6th September 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Jamie Bulger’s father urges Parole Board to prevent Jon Venables from ‘harming children again’ ahead of killer’s release – Daily Telegraph

‘The father of murdered child James Bulger has urged the Parole Board to prevent one of his son’s killers from having the chance to “harm young children again” ahead of his impending release.’

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Daily Telegraph, 19th August 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court upholds ‘older died first’ principle in inheritance dispute – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 15th, 2019 in bereavement, expert witnesses, families, housing, news, wills by tracey

‘An inheritance dispute between two stepsisters hingeing on which of their parents died first has been resolved by the High Court, which ruled that the younger parent legally outlived the older.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 14th August 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Capita to challenge payment ordered to family of woman who died after benefits were wrongly stopped – The Independent

‘A private company which was instrumental in stopping the benefits of a disabled woman who later died is going to court in a bid to avoid paying £10,000 awarded in damages to the family.’

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The Independent, 6th August 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court finds for landlord over possession of under-occupied property – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court Of Appeal has clarified the law over when a council should serve a notice seeking possession from a resident who has succeeded to a tenancy.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st August 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Appeal allows stand-still agreement on claim 17 months out of time – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Court of Appeal has overturned a decision to throw out a widow’s delayed application to claim from her late husband’s estate.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 1st August 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Army criticised for ‘organisational failings’ over death of soldier – The Guardian

Posted July 26th, 2019 in armed forces, bereavement, families, health & safety, inquests, news, standards by tracey

‘The father of a soldier who collapsed and died during a fitness test on a hot summer’s day has said there were organisational failings in the way the exercise was run.’

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The Guardian, 25th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Deepcut inquests: Campaign ends for James Collinson hearing – BBC News

Posted July 26th, 2019 in armed forces, bereavement, families, inquests, news, suicide by tracey

‘The parents of a recruit shot dead at Deepcut Barracks 17 years ago have dropped their bid for a new inquest.’

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BBC News, 26th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Woman wins right to late partner’s military pension in landmark ruling – BBC News

‘A woman has won the right to her late partner’s military pension in a landmark ruling for unmarried couples.’

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BBC News, 17th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coroners link eleven deaths to glitches in NHS 111 and 999 systems – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 16th, 2019 in bereavement, children, coroners, hospitals, inquests, news, telecommunications by tracey

‘The deaths of eleven patients, including two young children, have been linked to glitches in the algorithms used by the NHS 111 and 999 services.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th July 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Helen’s Law: Killers who conceal victims’ remains face parole refusal – BBC News

Posted July 8th, 2019 in bereavement, disclosure, families, murder, news, parole, victims by sally

‘Murderers who refuse to reveal the location of their victims’ bodies could be denied parole under a new law.’

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BBC News, 6th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Michael Barrymore drops police compensation claim – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2019 in appeals, bereavement, compensation, news, police, wrongful arrest by sally

‘Michael Barrymore has dropped a compensation claim for being arrested over the death of a man at his home.’

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BBC News, 1st July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stepsisters in High Court inheritance battle over which parent died first – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 26th, 2019 in bereavement, families, housing, news, wills by sally

‘The High Court has been asked to intervene in a £300,000 inheritance row between step siblings over which parent died first.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th June 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

New APIL chief: Falling PI damages “an affront to justice” – Litigation Futures

‘Trends in personal injury claims since LASPO, with damages falling, are an “affront to justice”, the new president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has claimed.’

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Litigation Futures, 21st May 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Grenfell families call for major changes to inquiry set-up – The Guardian

Posted May 8th, 2019 in accidents, bereavement, families, fire, inquiries, news, victims by tracey

‘Families have called on the public inquiry into the Grenfell fire which killed 72 people to make major changes to its procedures, amid mounting concerns that their voices are not being heard.’

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The Guardian, 8th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Grenfell Tower inquiry ‘failing to deliver’ as survivors and bereaved families ‘lose faith’, lawyers warn – The Independent

‘The Grenfell Tower inquiry is “failing to deliver” on promises it made to traumatised survivors and the families of victims, who have “lost faith” in the process, lawyers have warned.’

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The Independent, 6th May 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk