Jacob Rowbottom: Cakes, Gay Marriage and the Right against Compelled Speech – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘In the high-profile decision in Lee v Ashers, the Supreme Court had to consider a customer’s rights against discrimination along with the baker’s right to freedom of expression. In its finding for the baker, the Supreme Court took an important step in developing a domestic doctrine against ‘compelled speech’. While the outcome of the case divides opinion, the reasoning of the Court requires further consideration of when a person has a right not express a particular view.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 16th October 2018

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Conscience and cake: the final chapter – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Lee v. Ashers Baking Company Ltd. On Wednesday the Supreme Court handed down its much-anticipated judgment in the ‘gay cake’ case. The Court unanimously held that it was not direct discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or political opinion for the owners of a Northern Irish bakery to refuse to bake a cake with the message ‘Support Gay Marriage’ on it, when to do so would have been contrary to their sincerely held religious beliefs.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 15th October 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Baker’s refusal to bake gay marriage cake not direct discrimination – OUT-LAW.com

‘A Christian bakery’s refusal to bake a cake iced with a message supportive of same sex marriage was not direct discrimination, the UK’s highest court has ruled.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 11th October 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Teacher banned for life after marrying 13-year-old girl – Daily Telegraph

‘A physics teacher has been banned from the classroom for life after travelling abroad to marry a 13-year-old girl.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 9th October 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Gay cake’ row: Supreme Court rules in favour of Ashers – BBC News

‘The Christian owners of a Northern Ireland bakery have won their appeal in the so-called “gay cake” discrimination case.’

Full Story

BBC News, 10th October 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Divorce & Financial Remedy Update, October 2018 – Family Law Week

‘Naomi Shelton, Associate, Mills & Reeve LLP considers the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during September 2018.’

Full Story

Family Law Week, 2nd October 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Government announces civil partnerships for mixed-sex couples – Family Law

‘The Government has announced its intention to introduce civil partnerships for heterosexual couples in England and Wales as an alternative to getting married, saying that the move will provide greater security for unmarried couples and their families.’

Full Story

Family Law, 2nd October 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

“Prenup, postnup, catnup, dognup, petnup” – why? – Family Law

Posted September 25th, 2018 in enforcement, marriage, news, prenuptial agreements by sally

‘Behind the scenes there are many considerations for couples and their families. With the preparation of the happy joining of lives of two people with marriage, also comes financial considerations going forward.’

Full Story

Family Law, 24th September 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

“No pain, no drain” divorce? – Family Law

Posted September 17th, 2018 in divorce, marriage, news by sally

‘It is official. The Justice Secretary David Gauke has now confirmed that proposals are under way to make the divorce process less confrontational.’

Full Story

Family Law, 15th September 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Financial Remedies and Divorce Update, September 2018 – Family Law Week

‘Rose-Marie Drury, Senior Associate, Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during August 2018.’

Full Story

Family Law Week, 6th September 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Akhter v Khan: Islamic marriages and will disputes – Family Law

Posted September 3rd, 2018 in islamic law, marriage, news, wills by sally

‘A recent family law case has highlighted a hole in the legal protection of Islamic couples whose ‘marriage’ may be considered a void marriage in English law, or may not be a marriage at all.’

Full Story

Family Law, 30th August 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Speech by Dr Victoria McCloud, Master of the Senior Courts: Rainbow Lives, Monochrome Laws – Reflections on law and identity – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Speech by Dr Victoria McCloud, Master of the Senior Courts: Rainbow Lives, Monochrome Laws – Reflections on law and identity.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 21st August 2018

Rise in deathbed weddings prompts call to protect cohabiting couples – The Guardian

Posted August 20th, 2018 in civil partnerships, cohabitation, marriage, news by sally

‘The government is being urged to provide legal protection to millions of cohabiting couples as evidence emerges of an increase in the number of civil partnerships and deathbed weddings.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Does Akhter v Khan mean that English Law now recognises Shariah marriages? – Family Law

Posted August 8th, 2018 in divorce, marriage, news by sally

‘At first glance, it might appear from the reported case of Akhter v Khan [2018] EWFC 54 that we have now finally arrived at the stage where English civil law has recognised an Islamic marriage (Nikah) which has been performed in England and Wales.’

Full Story

Family Law, 7th August 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Supreme Court decision in Steinfeld and Keidan v Secretary of State for International Development: The Civil Partnership Act is incompatible with Articles 14 and 8 of the ECHR – Zenith Chambers

‘The Supreme Court issued a unanimous landmark judgement declaring that the provisions in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 preventing opposite sex couples from entering into a civil partnership is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.’

Full Story

Zenith Chambers, 29th June 2018

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Void, Valid and Very Confusing – what is the status of Sharia Marriages in the UK? – Transparency Project

Posted August 6th, 2018 in islamic law, marriage, news by sally

‘The High Court here in London has recently considered the status of an islamic marriage, that did not comply with all the usual formalities required in England & Wales. It has generated a lot of confused and confusing headlines – the marriage has been reported as both valid and void, as ‘covered by’ English law (but not necessarily all islamic marriages) and as the first example of our courts recognising sharia law.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 3rd August 2018

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Akhter: legal consequences of an unregistered nikah ceremony – Law and Religion UK

Posted August 6th, 2018 in divorce, islamic law, marriage, news by sally

‘In Akhter v Khan [2018] EWFC 54, the couple had had a nikah ceremony in 1998 but had not registered the marriage under civil law. They had four children together. The petitioner, Nasreen Akhter, sought a divorce from Mohammed Shabaz Khan in November 2016. The husband (so called for convenience) defended the divorce on the basis that the parties had not entered a marriage valid according to English law; the wife (ditto) argued that the presumption of marriage arising out of cohabitation and reputation applied so as to validate the marriage. In the alternative, she averred that the marriage was a void marriage within section 11(a)(iii) of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. There were two central questions: whether the parties were to be treated as a validly married under English law by operation of a presumption of marriage and, if not, was the marriage a void marriage susceptible to a decree of nullity.’

Full Story

Law and Religion UK, 3rd August 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

The ‘behaviour’ petition in divorce – as seen in the therapist’s consulting room – Family Law

Posted August 3rd, 2018 in divorce, marriage, news by sally

‘In the context of Resolution’s and the Family Matters campaign for no fault divorce, I hope to offer a perspective from my work as a couple therapist to show one aspect of the emotional fall-out that I see in my consulting room from the current system of fault based divorce. In particular I shall focus on the impact of the “behaviour” petition which in the wake of the case of Owens v Owens [2018] UKSC 41 has, of course, found itself in the limelight.’

Full Story

Family Law, 2nd August 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

English law applies to Islamic marriage, judge rules in divorce case – The Guardian

Posted August 2nd, 2018 in divorce, financial provision, Islam, islamic law, marriage, news by sally

‘A high court judge has decided that a couple’s Islamic marriage falls within the scope of English matrimonial law, in a ruling that could have implications for thousands of Muslims in the UK.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st August 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Celebrity divorce lawyer backs reform of ‘archaic’ laws – BBC News

Posted August 1st, 2018 in divorce, marriage, news, solicitors by sally

‘One of the UK’s most famous divorce lawyers has backed a change in the law – but urged couples to be more practical about marriage.’

Full Story

BBC News, 30th July 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk