Woman living in UK for 22 years faces deportation – BBC News
‘A woman who has been living in the UK for 22 years said she has been left “traumatised” after being told she could be deported.’
BBC News, 18th October 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Upper Tribunal remits rent repayment order case for fresh hearing amid claims of misinformation on council website about HMOs – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) has held that potentially inaccurate information on a local authority’s website about houses in multiple occupation (HMO) might give a landlord a reasonable excuse for not having a license in defending a rent repayment order application.’
Local Government Lawyer, 17th October 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Wife of Tory councillor jailed for stirring racial hatred after Southport attack – The Guardian
‘A childminder married to a Conservative councillor has been jailed after calling for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set on fire after the Southport attacks.’
The Guardian, 17th October 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Deaths in police custody reach 17-year high, figures reveal – The Independent
‘The number of people to die in police custody last year is the highest in almost two decades, new figures have revealed.’
The Independent, 17th October 2024
Source: www.independent.co.uk
A Comparative Analysis of Devolved Judicial Review: A Summary – Judicial Review
‘Statistical analysis of judicial review is notoriously difficult, in part due to the inconsistency in what is published by official sources which results in a ‘partial account of [judicial] activity’.’
Judicial Review, 16th September 2024
Source: www.tandfonline.com
LASPO 2012: ten years and beyond – a socio-legal study of the impact of legal aid cuts on service providers in England and Wales – Legal Ethics
‘Major reforms via the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012 and subsequent reforms have reduced the legal aid budget and the scope of eligibility in criminal as well as civil cases. According to Mansfield et al., the principles of justice that embody the legal aid provision has been neglected by governments for over a decade and as such; created a gap that emasculates the most vulnerable in society, such as recipients of legal aid. This study employs an interview-based approach to investigate alternative perspectives in terms of the cuts and widespread impact on service providers in England and Wales, such as barristers, and solicitors. Detailed qualitative data were collected to provide insights into the diminishing legal aid scheme through the lived experiences of both civil and criminal legal aid providers. The study examines the concerns of service providers regarding their future as public defenders and the future of the judicial system post-LASPO 2012, focusing on safeguarding the rights of individuals facing litigation and ensuring that newly qualified lawyers are not deterred from public defence roles due to the long-term effects of ongoing legal aid cuts.’
Legal Ethics, 10th September 2024
Source: www.tandfonline.com
‘Don’t panic, don’t panic’: an analysis of a purported pro-eating disorder website/online content moral panic and legal and policy responses
‘It has been argued that newspaper responses to pro-eating disorder websites, within the United Kingdom (UK), constitute a moral panic. It is feared that moral panics may spur rash legal/policy responses. My analysis indicates that the consideration of pro-eating disorder websites by British newspaper journalists and others does not constitute a moral panic. I argue that the misuse of the moral panic concept exemplifies the dominance of emotivism within contemporary culture and may trivialise potential online harms and serve as an apologia for surveillance/digital capitalism. I contend that pro-eating disorder websites are potentially harmful and assess legal and policy responses, such as the Online Safety Act 2023 and the advancement of the digital commons. I also contend that the increase in the number of people suffering with eating disorders within the UK should be addressed by devoting more resources for research into, and the prevention and treatment of, eating disorders.’
Information & Communications Technology Law, 18th September 2024
Source: www.tandfonline.com
Coroner raises concerns over new drivers taking passengers after north Wales crash – The Guardian
‘A coroner has raised concerns about young, newly qualified drivers being allowed to carry passengers, during an inquest into the deaths of four teenagers who drowned after a crash in north Wales.’
The Guardian, 16th October 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Sex and the erasure of legal parenthood: P v Q and F (child: legal parentage) [2024] EWCA civ 878 – Journal of Scial Welfare and Family Law
‘Imagine a scenario in which a same sex female married couple, P and Q, decide to become parents together. They find a sperm donor (F) online, and after two unsuccessful attempts at insemination, P conceives and gives birth to a daughter, X. Happily for P and Q, the law in the UK was changed in 2008 in order to enable both of them to be registered as X’s parents on her birth certificate, P as her mother and Q as her second legal parent. Three years later, P and Q’s relationship breaks down. While we are used to the law stepping in to resolve questions about money and the child’s living arrangements, in relation to a same sex female couple, UK law also does something completely extraordinary. It enables the mother to have the second legal parent’s name removed from the birth certificate, and replaced with that of the sperm donor.’
Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 16th October 2024
Source: www.tandfonline.com
Housing Ombudsman issues report on 100 cases of severe maladministration involving damp and mould – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Housing Ombudsman has found severe maladministration for how a housing association failed to deal with damp and mould in a home for two years, which left the resident unable to sleep in her bedroom.’
Local Government Lawyer, 16th October 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Ministers to give magistrates in England and Wales more sentencing powers – The Guardian
‘Ministers will announce plans within days to give magistrates in England and Wales fresh powers to hand down longer custodial sentences to help reduce the backlog in crown courts and prisons, the Guardian understands.’
The Guardian, 17th October 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Health, Welfare and Deprivation of Liberty Report – October 2024 – 39 Essex Chambers
‘In the Health, Welfare and Deprivation of Liberty Report: what to do where there is no reliable evidence of P’s wishes and feelings.’
39 Essex Chambers, 1st October 2024
Source: www.39essex.com
Anti-Zionism as a protected belief: final judgment in Miller v University of Bristol – Law & Religion UK
‘In February, we posted Anti-Zionism as a protected belief: Miller, which commented on the case of Dr David Miller v University of Bristol [2024] ET 1400780/2022. Dr Miller had been appointed Professor of Political Sociology at the University from 1 September 2018, but in 2019 there were complaints about his conduct, including what was said to be his use of antisemitic language. The Community Security Trust charity said that a lecture he had given had been a “false, vile, anti-Semitic slur”. The University appointed an independent barrister to investigate this as part of its internal complaints procedure, who concluded on 4 December 2020 that there was no formal case to answer in connection with any of the matters investigated.’
Law & Religion UK, 16th October 2024
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Attorney General to issue amended guidance for government lawyers on legal risk – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Attorney General, Lord Hermer KC, has announced he is to issue amended guidance for assessing legal risk across government that will seek to “raise the standards for calibrating legality”.’
Local Government Lawyer, 16th October 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
England and Wales assisted dying bill formally launched in House of Commons – The Guardian
‘A bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales has been formally introduced in the House of Commons, triggering what is expected to be intense discussion over the coming weeks and months on an emotionally charged and controversial issue.’
The Guardian, 16th October 2024
Source: www.theguardian.com
Social media faces big changes under new Ofcom rules – BBC News
‘Social media companies will face punishments for failing to keep children safe on their platforms, communications watchdog Ofcom has warned.’
BBC News, 17th October 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Supreme Court
McAleenon, Re Application for Judicial Review (Northern Ireland) [2024] UKSC 31 (16 October 2024)
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
BFE, R. v [2024] EWCA Crim 1198 (15 October 2024)
High Court (Administrative Court)
Ashby v The County Court In Sibenik, Croatia [2024] EWHC 2613 (Admin) (16 October 2024)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Hersov v Energy Research Lab Ltd [2024] EWHC 2604 (Ch) (15 October 2024)
Schneider Electric It Corporation v Northamber Plc [2024] EWHC 2552 (Ch) (15 October 2024)
High Court (Commercial Court)
Standard Chartered PLC v Guaranty Nominees Ltd & Ors [2024] EWHC 2605 (Comm) (15 October 2024)
High Court (Family Division)
Mainwaring v Bailey [2024] EWHC 2614 (Fam) (16 October 2024)
W and E (Habitual Residence), Re [2024] EWHC 2596 (Fam) (15 October 2024)
V (Appeal: Relocation), Re [2024] EWHC 2600 (Fam) (15 October 2024)
Source: www.bailii.org
Court orders parties to engage in ADR over costs – Legal Futures
‘A ruling that a former Conservative MP and a national newspaper must engage in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) before their argument over costs can be heard is a landmark that could herald the start of a new era, the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) has said.’
Legal Futures, 16th October 2024
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Major report rejects regulation of third-party litigation funding – Legal Futures
‘There should only be a move to regulate third-party litigation funding (TPLF) in the event of “an identifiable problem or market failure”, a major report has concluded.’
Legal Futures, 16th October 2024
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Final report into Care Quality Commission identifies “significant internal failings” – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Government has pledged further action to strengthen patient safety after a final report identified “significant internal failings” at the Care Quality Commission (CQC), hampering the regulator’s ability to identify poor performance at hospitals, care homes and GP practices.’
Local Government Lawyer, 15th October 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
