‘Proposals to improve protections for victims whose intimate images are taken or shared without their consent have today [26 February 2021] been published by the Law Commission of England and Wales.’
Law Commission, 26th February 2021
Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk/
‘In a judgment handed down on 23 February, Cobb J concluded that a young woman known as HD lacked capacity to engage in sexual relations. He was driven to this conclusion based on the new requirement set out in Re JB that a person with capacity to engage in sexual relations must be able to understand (and retain, use or weigh and communicate) the fact that the other person must have the capacity to consent to the sexual activity and must in fact consent before and throughout the sexual activity.’
Doughty Street Chambers, 24th February 2021
Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk
‘Following the decision in Re H (A Child: Parental Responsibility: Vaccination), it was clarified that where two parents with parental responsibility disagree as to the proper course of action with respect to vaccination, the court becomes the decision maker through the mechanism of a specific issue order made under s8 of the Children Act 1989.’
Garden Court Chambers, 24th February 2021
Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk
‘The High Court was presented with an application for a declaration of nonrecognition of a Muslim marriage and a petition for nullity. The parties were married in Pakistan under Sharia law in June 2013. The applicant sought to argue, relying on two expert reports, that she did not have capacity to consent to marriage at the time. The court had to consider the issue of her capacity and then consider whether to make a declaration of non-recognition, or alternatively annul the marriage. The High Court refused the applications as it considered, on the facts of this case, the applicant had capacity to consent at the relevant time. The marriage was therefore valid under English law at its formation. Even if he had formed the opposite view, Mr Justice Mostyn made clear the court would still not have made a declaration under the court’s inherent jurisdiction as he was prevented by statute. Tahmina Rahman, barrister at 1GC Family, considers the case.’
1GC: Family Law, 16th February 2021
Source: 1gc.com
‘Mrs E was aged 80 and lived in a care home. She had diagnoses of dementia and schizophrenia.’
Garden Court Chambers, 22nd February 2021
Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk
‘A woman in her early 30s, who has Covid and remains in an induced coma after giving birth to a son, should be allowed to die, against the wishes of her family, a judge has ruled.’
The Guardian, 24th February 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The High Court has ordered a defunct Manchester law firm which failed to register a restriction against a house at the Land Registry to pay over £985,000 in damages for professional negligence.’
Legal Futures, 15th February 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘It was just over a month between the first Covid-19 vaccination being administered and the first reported COP decision relating to it. As ever, this decision is fact specific, but there are some important points to take away.’
Pump Court Chambers, 11th February 2021
Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com
‘On 20 January 2021 in the matter of Re E (Vaccine) [2021] EWCOP 7, the Vice-President of the Court of Protection Mr Justice Hayden, delivered the first reported judgement in a vaccination dispute. Mrs E, the 80 year old dementia sufferer at the centre of the dispute (and who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia some 20 years ago), was living in a care home where there had been several cases of COVID-19. On 8 January 2021, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham informed Mrs E’s Accredited Legal Representative that she was to be offered a COVID-19 injection on 11 January, however her son, Mr W, objected to this. Due to the risk of Mrs E succumbing to COVID-19, her legal representatives urgently sought a declaration, pursuant to s.15 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (“MCA 2005”), that it would be lawful and in her best interests to receive the vaccine at the next possible date (the appointment on 11 January having been missed due to the son’s objection).’
Family Law, 3rd February 2021
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
‘A brain-damaged baby has died days after a judge ruled that doctors could stop providing life-support treatment.’
BBC News, 1st February 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A barrister who touched two individuals sexually has been suspended from practice for three months by a Bar disciplinary tribunal.’
Legal Futures, 26th January 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘David Peachey was recently successful in Zash Properties Limited v Landau Medical Consultancy Limited (County Court, HHJ Johns QC), which dealt with the conversion of a shop into two studio flats in breach of lease. The case raises interesting points about whether a determination of breach is required prior to the service of s.146 notices in respect of headleases of multiple dwellings, and whether it is reasonable for a landlord to refuse consent for change of use from commercial to residential use because of the statutory rights applicable to residential long leases.’
Hardwicke Chambers, 18th January 2021
Source: hardwicke.co.uk
‘An NHS trust has been allowed to appeal against a high court decision that barred it from referring under-16s for puberty-blocking treatment.’
The Guardian, 19th January 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘As the vaccinations against COVID-19 begin to be administered, it is worth revisiting recent judicial approaches in vaccination disputes concerning children in both public and private law proceedings.’
Family Law, 6th January 2021
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
‘A case about medical treatment for children experiencing gender dysphoria is bound to evoke strong feelings. So, in early October, when the parties in R (on the application of Quincy Bell and A v Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and others arrived for the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, they found a buzz of press photographers and a throng of campaigners with placards.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 4th December 2020
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘Doctors may have made decisions about “do not resuscitate orders” without consent in the first wave of the pandemic, the care watchdog has warned. The Care Quality Commission said it saw a jump in complaints about such DNR orders between March and September.’
BBC News, 3rd December 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Children under the age of 16 considering gender reassignment are unlikely to be mature enough to give informed consent to be prescribed puberty-blocking drugs, the high court has ruled.’
The Guardian, 1st December 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Lavender J has held that solicitors cannot rely upon CPR 46.9(2) to recover more from a client than could have been recovered between parties in the proceedings, unless they can show that the client provided informed consent. The decision potentially has far-reaching consequences for the use of conditional fee agreements (“CFAs”).’
Parklane Plowden Chambers, 20th November 2020
Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk
‘Dr Haris faced allegations from two patients that he had conducted non-clinically indicated, intimate examinations without consent. He asserted forcefully that the alleged conduct simply never happened – and also called additional evidence to support his position that he was asexual.’
2 Hare Court, 5th November 2020
Source: www.2harecourt.com
‘This judgment, handed down in July 2020, examines the limitations of the meaning of consent within s.74 Sexual Offences Act 2003. It held that a man’s lie about his fertility should not be deemed to be so closely connected to the nature or purpose of sexual intercourse that it is capable of negating consent.’
2 Hare Court, 2nd November 2020
Source: www.2harecourt.com
