Category: news

‘The Divisional Court (Holgate LJ, Farbey J) has held, in the judicial review challenging the Met’s policy governing the use of life facial recognition (“LFR”), that the mere fact of a discretionary power being broad is insufficient to make that power not “in accordance with the law” (“IAWL”) or “prescribed by law” (“PBL”) for Article 8/10/11 ECHR purposes. It was this finding on the law against the claimants that mainly contributed to the claim being dismissed. I will argue in this post that there are arguments based primarily on authority, but also on principle, suggesting that the Divisional Court’s conclusion on this central legal issue is wrong.’

Full Story

Administrative Court Blog, 22nd April 2026

Source: administrativecourtblog.wordpress.com

‘Personal injury firms have been put on high alert that any instances of fee inflation to reach the 25% cap will not be tolerated and could end up resulting in a regulatory probe.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 22nd April 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘A High Court judge has appealed for clarification on the issue of whether parties can amend claim forms that have already been served. Mrs Justice Heather Williams opted to uphold the decision of Senior Master Cook in Beckett v Graham & Anor to rule that an amended claim form was validly served.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 23rd April 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘The Metropolitan police has held talks with Palantir that could lead to the London force buying the US spy-tech company’s AI technology to automate intelligence analysis for criminal investigations, the Guardian has learned..

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Black children are eight times more likely to be strip searched by police than their white peers in England and Wales, a new report by the Children’s Commissioner says.’

Full Story

BBC News, 22nd April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘A woman has lost an attempt to undo her adoption of two sisters after judges said to do so would go against the long held principle that adoption is “final and permanent”.’

Full Story

BBC News, 22nd April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Environmental Impact Assessments in the UK increasingly resemble We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. In Michael Rosen’s story, every obstacle presents the same catch phrase: “We can’t go over it. We can’t go under it. Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!” The Supreme Court’s judgment in Finch insists on the same approach. It makes clear that public authorities cannot avoid the environmental consequences of their decisions by narrowing the scope of what counts as an “effect” or by adopting technical interpretations of their obligations. They cannot “go over” or “go under” those consequences. They must go through them: legality requires a full and realistic evidential picture (see Lord Leggatt when talking about the meaning of the legislation, at paras [59][60]; causation in law, at paras [79]– [81] and the council’s approach, at paras [101]– [103]).’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 22nd April 2026

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

‘The High Court has allowed a judicial review claim brought by commercial providers of residential adult care homes in the area of Swansea, finding that the council did not comply with the National Framework for the Commissioning of Care and Support in Wales when setting a new rate for care home fees.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 21st April 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘The Law Society has decided against trying to appeal last month’s Court of Appeal ruling in Mazur, it has confirmed to Legal Futures.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 22nd April 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) regime allows true “opt-out” claims – in other words where a representative claimant pursues a claim on behalf of a class of others who do not need to take any positive steps to join the claim – but this procedural regime is only currently available in cases involving competition law breaches.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 21st April 2026

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

‘A recent decision by the UK Pension Ombudsman (PO) highlights the need for clear and obvious delineation between administrator and trustee roles when advising on high-risk investments.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 22nd April 2026

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

‘A consumer group is planning a legal challenge to a scheme designed to compensate millions of drivers who were mis-sold motor finance agreements.’

Full Story

BBC News, 22nd April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘A serial sperm donor, who claims to have fathered more than 180 children globally, has failed in his High Court bid to be declared the legal father of a child conceived after he received a £150 Amazon gift card for his donation.’

Full Story

The Independent, 21st April 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘The victims’ commissioner has made a formal complaint to the chair of an influential group of MPs after a highly charged evidence session carried out by the public bill committee for the courts and tribunals bill about controversial changes to jury trials.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘The offence, part of new measures to curb Channel crossings, only came into force weeks prior under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act.’

Full Story

The Independent, 21st April 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Perry Allen-Thomas, Amir Salem, Shaquille Sutherland and Tahjin Sommersall were all accused of murder and attempted murder over their alleged involvement in the shootings, with Sommersall also charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. All four denied all of the charges.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘A High Court challenge against the Metropolitan Police’s use of live facial recognition (LFR) technology in London has been dismissed.’

Full Story

The Independent, 21st April 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘A law firm that collapsed suddenly is being investigated over a “sophisticated suspected fraud” involving the “improper removal and misuse” of £39.5m of client funds, a regulator has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 21st April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Both the Commons and Lords have settled on a final draft of the legislation, which is designed to stop people aged 17 or younger from ever taking up smoking.’

Full Story

The Independent, 21st April 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk