Law Society calls for civil legal aid increase over unrepresented parties in family court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 26th, 2024 in families, family courts, fees, Law Society, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

‘The Law Society today expressed its ‘extreme concern’ over the increased number of litigants in person in private family law cases in the decade since the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act came in to force.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 26th April 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Termination of pregnancy and wishes and feelings in the Court of Protection – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 26th, 2024 in abortion, Court of Protection, families, hospitals, mental health, news, pregnancy by sally

‘The decision of the Court of Protection in Rotherham and Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust and NR [2024] EWCOP 17 is the latest in a line of cases where the Court has been asked to determine whether a termination of pregnancy is in a woman’s best interests. Any case about a termination engages the pregnant woman’s Article 8 rights. But where the woman also lacks capacity to decide for herself whether to have a termination, there must be a particularly careful analysis to ensure that her rights are respected. While previous decisions have frequently accorded weight to the wishes and feelings of the pregnant woman at the heart of the case, Mr Justice Hayden’s decision goes further in handing the decision over to the pregnant woman herself.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 25th April 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

UK policy denying visas to children of care workers faces legal challenge – The Guardian

‘An organisation that supports migrant workers has launched a legal challenge against the government’s new policy to bar care workers from bringing children and partners to the UK, warning that it is “tearing families apart”.’

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The Guardian, 26th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court finds Local Authority’s housing policy to be discriminatory against women and girls escaping violence in successful judicial review challenge – Garden Court Chambers

‘The High Court has held that part of Westminster City Council’s Housing Allocation Scheme is unlawful, as it indirectly discriminates against women and girls who need to move borough to escape violence.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 10th April 2024

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

New family immigration visa rules ‘penalise couples’ – BBC News

Posted April 24th, 2024 in families, government departments, immigration, news, remuneration, visas by tracey

‘There are fears that more people will be separated by the introduction of a minimum salary level for those wanting UK family visas.’

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BBC News, 24th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Brighton: Police apology over 1986 schoolgirls murder case – BBC News

‘The families of two schoolgirls murdered in 1986 have received an apology from Sussex Police over mistakes in its investigations.’

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BBC News, 18th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man who murdered grandfather feigned mental illness – judge – BBC News

Posted April 17th, 2024 in families, imprisonment, mental health, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who murdered a grandfather tried to manipulate his psychiatric assessment in order to evade justice, a judge has said.’

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BBC News, 16th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Supreme Court hears appeals over reporting restriction orders in withdrawal of treatment cases – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Supreme Court is this week hearing an appeal over the discharge of reporting restriction orders (RROs) protecting the identity of medical professionals involved in the care of patients in respect of whom an application to withdraw treatment had been made.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th April 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Paedophiles could be stripped of parental rights under new law – BBC News

‘Paedophiles convicted of serious sexual offences could lose parental rights over their children under a new law.’

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BBC News, 17th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Serious care failings were a factor in son killing his father, coroner in Wales rules – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2024 in families, homicide, hospital orders, hospitals, inquests, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘A string of serious failings in the care provided for a man with schizophrenia who killed his father an hour after absconding from a psychiatric ward contributed to the death, a coroner has ruled.’

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Th Guardian, 16th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges allow appeal over flawed reasoning in fact-finding judgment – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal have allowed a challenge by the parents of a young girl to a finding made in care proceedings that, when she was a small baby, she suffered an abusive head injury inflicted by one or other of the parents.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th April 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Changes to legal migration rules for family and work visas in 2024 – House of Commons Library

Posted April 12th, 2024 in families, government departments, immigration, news, parliament, visas by sally

‘On 4 December 2023 the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, announced future changes to visa rules in what he described as a “five-point plan” to reduce immigration. The Home Office released more information on 21 December, including some adjustments to what had initially been announced.’

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House of Commons Library, 11th April 2024

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Judge urges police to “carefully consider” position and role of Family Court when determining bail conditions – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 12th, 2024 in bail, children, families, family courts, fostering, judges, local government, news, police by sally

‘The High Court has ruled that a family court judge was in a “much better position” to determine whether unsupervised contact with a child could be appropriately managed, than were the Police.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th April 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Carers scandal: why are so many being prosecuted by the UK government? – The Guardian

‘George Henderson was convicted of fraud and had to repay £19,500 in carer’s allowance years after ticking the wrong box on the form. He is not alone. The Guardian society editor, Patrick Butler, looks at why thousands are facing prosecution over innocent mistakes.’

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The Guardian, 12th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Carer convicted over benefit error worth 30p a week fights to clear his name – The Guardian

‘A carer who says he was “dragged through the courts” and had to sell his home to pay back almost £20,000 in benefit overpayments is fighting to clear his name after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) acknowledged he made an innocent mistake.’

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The Guardian, 12th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dad jailed for murdering four-week-old baby boy Ollie Davis – BBC News

‘Sentencing Davis, Justice Cotter said: “I have no doubt that during the night you became frustrated and angry and this led to terrible violence.’

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BBC News, 10th April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man jailed for life after breaking baby son’s neck in Leicester – The Guardian

‘A man has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 22 years for murdering his four-week-old son, who was left to die from a broken neck in 2017.’

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The Guardian, 10th April 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rapist who drowned mum is set for release from prison despite whole-life sentence – The Independent

‘The children of a woman killed by a man serving a whole-life sentence have described how the possibility of his release from prison on “compassionate grounds” makes their “blood boil” and would be a “national scandal”.’

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The Independent, 9th April 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Strange Case of the Seven Year Child – EIN Blog

Posted April 9th, 2024 in children, families, human rights, immigration, news, young persons by tracey

‘The Private Life immigration route was introduced along with many other changes to the rules in July 2012 to implement the government’s view of its obligations under Article 8 ECHR. These rules have been amended several times since then, often in response to judicial findings and particularly in relation to children and young adults, by which we mean those under 18, and those aged between 18 and 24.’

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EIN Blog, 9th April 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

City council wins appeal over offer of accommodation with one bedroom to father of four – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 9th, 2024 in appeals, families, family courts, housing, local government, news by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by Cambridge City Council over whether it was justified in offering the claimant/respondent accommodation with one bedroom despite him wanting a home large enough for his children to stay overnight when visiting.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th April 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk