Family law: plus ça change? – New Law Journal
‘Reform is a constant feature of the family justice system—Geraldine Morris questions whether the underlying issues are being addressed.’
New Law Journal, 5th January 2018
Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk
Michal Hain: Past is Prologue – The Role of History in the Law of Equality – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘The legal institution whereby couples express their mutual commitment, which is recognised, protected and regulated by the state – marriage – touches the most intimate parts of people’s lives. Its recent transformation raised profound questions of personal morality, human dignity, and religious doctrine. As the tide of public opinion turned, Parliament repealed section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 (which had prohibited the “promot[ion] of homosexuality” and the “teaching in any maintained school the acceptability of homosexuality”) in 2003, passed the Civil Partnerships Act the following year, and enacted the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2013. The result is that same-sex couples can currently choose between entering a civil partnership or marriage, whereas different-sex couples cannot.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 9th January 2018
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
Brexit Custom Laws Could ‘Slash Human Rights’ – Rights Info
‘New trade laws, which could allow ministers to water down or repeal equality laws altogether, are being debated in the House of Commons today.’
Rights Info, 8th January 2018
Source: rightsinfo.org
Appeal judges reject Saudi prince’s bid to halt claim due to unpaid costs order – Litigation Futures
‘The Court of Appeal has rejected an application by a son of the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia that one of his father’s former wives pay an outstanding £250,000 costs order or have her £15m claim stayed or struck out.’
Litigation Futures, 9th January 2018
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Pre-action disclosure of insurance policies – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Peel Port Shareholder Finance Company Ltd v Dornoch Ltd [2017] EWHC 876 (TCC) serves as a reminder of the court’s approach to the rules on pre-action disclosure and the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010 (the 2010 act).’
Law Society's Gazette, 8th January 2018
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Independent Office for Police Conduct – UK Police Law Blog
‘The IOPC today replaces the Independent Police Complaints Commission Commission.’
UK Police Law Blog, 8th January 2018
Source: ukpolicelawblog.com
SDT orders solicitor who failed to overturn £2,000 fine to pay £54,000 in costs – Legal Futures
‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has ordered a solicitor who tried to overturn a fine of £2,000 from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to pay £54,000 in costs following her unsuccessful appeal.’
Legal Futuresm 9th January 2018
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Clerical abuse of spiritual power and authority – Law & Religion UK
‘On Monday 8th January, the Church of England reported the findings of the Bishop’s Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese of Oxford in the matter of a complaint under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 against The Reverend Timothy Davis, Vicar of Christ Church Abingdon, (‘TD’), in respect of the mentoring he provided to a 15/16 year old schoolboy (‘W1’) whose family were members of his congregation. The BBC reports that Church of England officials believed that this was the first occasion on which a tribunal had convicted a priest of spiritual abuse.’
Law & Religion UK, 9th January 2018
Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com
Murdered woman was left without phone by police investigators – BBC News
‘A woman who was murdered by her ex-lover was left without means of calling for help because police had seized her phone days earlier, a report has said.’
BBC News, 8th January 2018
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Animals to be banned from English circuses – The Independent
‘Wild animals will be banned from circuses in England under plans reportedly due to be announced by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.’
The Independent, 9th January 2018
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Couple guilty of homemade bomb terror attack plot – BBC News
‘A man and woman have been found guilty of plotting a “devastating” terror attack in the UK using a homemade bomb.’
BBC News, 8th January 2018
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Watching porn at work – what are the legal consequences? – The Guardian
‘In a four month period in 2017, there were 24,000 attempts to access pornographic websites in the Houses of Parliament. Westminster may be a special case, but should it be a sackable offence in regular offices?’
The Guardian, 8th January 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
Consumer panel warns SRA that latest Handbook reforms are recipe for “consumer confusion” – Legal Futures
‘The Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP) has warned that the second phase of reforms to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Handbook would “compound existing complexities” and could further confuse consumers.’
Legal Futures, 9th January 2018
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
2018 and beyond: Our legal futures… – Legal Futures
‘It’s that time of year again. Thinking about what’s gone before us and planning for the future – looking at what we do, how we do it, and more importantly, who we do it for.’
Legal Futures, 9th January 2018
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Beach huts: chattels, leases, estoppel – Nearly Legal
‘Gilpin and ors v Legg [2017] EWHC 3220 (Ch) is a gift (at least to land law examiners) that is going to keep on giving. This is not just because of the claims discussed – whether beach huts were fixtures or chattels, whether a lease had been granted to the owners of the huts, whether the landowner was estopped from obtaining possession, and even certain pleadings issues (the pleadings do seem to have been a little, erm, jejeune) – but also because HHJ Matthews (who I’m ashamed to say I haven’t come across) added his tuppenies to a couple of controversies, not least making some important observations on the correctness of the Supreme Court judgment in Berrisford v Mexfield. Part of the problem in the case was that the events which underpinned the various claims happened over many years, were oral, and, in some cases, involved transfers of title (the issues of which were neatly stepped over by the judge who referred to bona fide purchasers, so we might be dealing with unregistered land, a point not made clear).’
Nearly Legal, 8th January 2018
Source: nearlylegal.co.uk
Self-proclaimed Nazi found guilty of stirring antisemitism in UK – The Guardian
‘A self-proclaimed Nazi who claimed Britain took the wrong side in the second world war has been convicted of stirring racial hatred against Jewish people.’
The Guardian, 8th January 2018
Source: www.theguardian.com
Abingdon vicar guilty of ‘spiritually abusing’ boy – BBC News
‘A Church of England vicar has been convicted by a tribunal of spiritually abusing a teenage boy.’
BBC News, 8th January 2018
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Rape victim who overdosed on diet pills did not receive appropriate care because A&E was overcrowded, inquest hears – Daily Telegraph
‘A rape victim who sent a final text about overdosing on diet pills did not receive appropriate care because A&E was overcrowded, an inquest heard.’
Daily Telegraph, 8th January 2018
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Wales smacking ban plan goes to public consultation – BBC News
‘Plans to outlaw smacking children in Wales are going out to a three-month consultation.’
BBC News, 9th January 2018
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
