Law Commissions looks to future with self-driving vehicles – Law Commission

‘Law Commissions publish proposals on the regulation of highly automated vehicles that operate without a driver (or “user-in-charge”).’

Full press release

Law Commission, 16th October 2019

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Does the legal definition of a ‘mother’ suit modern society? – Family Law

‘We recently saw the High Court decide that a transgender man who gave birth with the help of fertility treatment cannot be legally registered as the father (or parent) of his child. The case has also provided the first legal definition of a mother.’

Full Story

Family Law, 16th October 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Law Society speech by Chancellor of the High Court, Sir Geoffrey Vos: Civil Procedure Rules – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted October 18th, 2019 in case management, civil procedure rules, speeches, witnesses by sally

‘The Chancellor of the High Court, Sir Geoffrey Vos, spoke at the Law Society’s annual Civil Litigation conference on 9 October 2019 about 20 years of the Civil Procedure Rules – and whether the original reforms went too far, or not far enough.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 15th October 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Speech by the Master of the Rolls: Law, Procedure and Language – Civil Justice and Cymru – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Speech by the Master of the Rolls: Law, Procedure and Language – Civil Justice and Cymru.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 16th October 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Government revokes Brexit regulation after judicial review threat – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The government has pledged to not use Henry VIII powers to make Brexit legislation after a public law charity threatened legal action.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 17th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Push for tougher line on witness statements – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 18th, 2019 in drafting, evidence, news, reports, witnesses by sally

‘Initial proposals for the reform of witness statements are due to be considered by the senior judiciary in November, a High Court judge said this week. Mr Justice Baker, a member of the Witness Evidence Working Group, told delegates at the Law Society’s Commercial Litigation Conference on Tuesday that the group has now completed its report, which is due to be considered by judges at a “higher pay grade” next month.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 18th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Children: Private Law Update (Autumn 2019) – Family Law Week

‘Alex Verdan QC of 4 Paper Buildings reviews recent important judgments in private law children cases.’

Full Story

Family Law Week, 13th October 2019

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Home Office overturns NHS eye doctor’s visa refusal – The Guardian

Posted October 18th, 2019 in doctors, immigration, news, visas by sally

‘The Home Office has overturned its ban on an NHS eye doctor returning to Britain after the Guardian highlighted his case. Dr Chan, 38, who does not want to reveal his first name or exact Asian country of origin, was initially refused a new visa after he made a small error in his application, but he was told on Thursday that he would be allowed to re-enter the country.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Equalities watchdog ‘calls time’ on discrimination gagging orders – Daily Telegraph

‘Non-disclosure agreements must not prevent employees bringing discrimination cases against their employer, new guidance from the equalities watchdog says.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 17th October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK couple ‘had 11-year-old son stabbed to death to claim £150,000 insurance payout’ – The Independent

Posted October 18th, 2019 in adoption, children, extradition, India, insurance, murder, news by sally

‘A couple are facing attempts to extradite them to India over claims they arranged the murder of their 11-year-old adopted son so they could claim a life insurance payout.’

Full Story

The Independent, 17th October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Women bullied and harassed at ‘toxic’ British Medical Association, scathing report into sexism says – The Independent

Posted October 18th, 2019 in bullying, harassment, news, women by sally

‘Women face sexual harassment and bullying at the British Medical Association, a scathing report has found.’

Full Story

The Independent, 17th October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Barristers urge government to launch new policies on sexual harassment at work – The Independent

Posted October 18th, 2019 in barristers, harassment, news, sexual offences by sally

‘The Bar Council, which represents all 16,500 barristers in England and Wales, has lent its backing to a number of proposals the government has outlined in its recent consultation on sexual harassment at work.’

Full Story

The Independent, 17th October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Suzanne Brown killing: Essex Police cleared of wrongdoing – BBC News

Posted October 18th, 2019 in complaints, delay, domestic violence, murder, news, police by sally

‘A police force that took nearly three hours to respond to a 999 call in the case of a man who stabbed his partner 173 times has been cleared of wrongdoing by the watchdog.’

Full Story

BBC News, 17th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police prosecute man for throwing paint over a carpet aged 12, 10 years after the offence was committed – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 18th, 2019 in children, criminal damage, DNA, guilty pleas, news, prosecutions by sally

‘Police prosecuted a man for throwing paint over a carpet, 10 years after the offence which he committed aged 12.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 17th October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Watchdog endorses police use of tactical force against moped thieves as legitimate – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 18th, 2019 in motorcycles, news, police, theft by sally

‘Police watchdogs have endorsed the tactic of knocking moped thieves off their motorbikes as a “legitimate use of force” for officers with specialist training.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 17th October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Drayton Manor to be prosecuted over Evha Jannath’s death – BBC News

Posted October 18th, 2019 in health & safety, homicide, news, prosecutions by sally

‘The operator of a theme park where an 11-year-old girl died after falling from a water ride is to be prosecuted under health and safety laws. Evha Jannath, from Leicester, was on a school trip in 2017 when she fell from Splash Canyon at Drayton Manor. Staffordshire-based Drayton Manor Park Ltd will face a charge under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act.’

Full Story

BBC News, 17th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child slavery victims being lured back into exploitation due to lack of support amid surge in cases – The Independent

‘Child victims of modern slavery are being lured back into exploitation and falling into homelessness as cash-strapped local authorities struggle to cope with a surge in cases, charities have warned. Thousands of young people who have been trafficked and exploited, often by county lines gangs or through international criminal networks, are being left to navigate complex legal, education and immigration systems alone because austerity-hit services cannot adequately support them.’

Full Story

The Independent, 18th October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Aid agencies accused of failure to make good on Oxfam abuse scandal pledges – The Guardian

Posted October 18th, 2019 in charities, news, sexual offences, whistleblowers by sally

‘MPs have accused aid organisations of “dragging their feet” over combating sexual exploitation and abuse in the sector, despite safeguarding pledges made in 2018 after the Oxfam abuse scandal. Work to improve protection and support for whistleblowers has “stalled”, and more needs to be done to protect survivors, a report by the UK international development committee (IDC) has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Heathrow expansion violates climate rights of children, say lawyers – The Guardian

‘The multibillion-pound expansion of Heathrow violates the rights of children and future generations, who will face the greatest impact of the climate crisis, lawyers will argue at the court of appeal in London.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Developer fails in bid to rely on planning permission granted in 1967 – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 17th, 2019 in housing, local government, news, planning by sally

‘A developer cannot rely on a 52-year-old planning permission now physically incapable of completion, a High Court judge has ruled.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 16th October 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk