First hijab-wearing UK court judge hopes to be ‘trailblazer’ – BBC News
‘A woman who is the first UK deputy district judge to wear a hijab said she hoped to be a “trailblazer”.’
BBC News, 27th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Sally Challen can inherit controlling husband’s estate, rules judge – The Guardian
‘A woman who won an appeal over her conviction for murdering her controlling husband can inherit his estate, a judge has ruled.’
The Guardian, 27th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
London Borough of Hackney v Okoro [2020] EWCA Civ 681 (27 May 2020)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Challen v Challen & Anor [2020] EWHC 1330 (Ch) (27 May 2020)
Boyse (International) Ltd v Natwest Markets Plc & Anor [2020] EWHC 1264 (Ch) (27 May 2020)
TMO Renewables Ltd v Reeves & Anor [2020] EWHC 789 (Ch) (26 May 2020)
Property Protea Holdings Ltd v 119 Molyneux Road Ltd & Ors [2020] EWHC 1322 (Ch) (26 May 2020)
Brake & Ors v Lowes & Ors [2020] EWHC 1324 (Ch) (26 May 2020)
Satfinance Investment Ltd v Inigo Philbrick & Ors [2020] EWHC 1261 (Ch) (26 May 2020)
High Court (Commercial Court)
Ridley v Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC [2020] EWHC 1213 (Comm) (26 May 2020)
High Court (Technology and Construction Court)
Platform Interior Solutions Ltd v ISG Construction Ltd [2020] EWHC 1310 (TCC) (27 May 2020)
Boygues (UK) Ltd v Sharpfibre Ltd [2020] EWHC 1309 (TCC) (27 May 2020)
Source: www.bailii
Can urns be buildings? Supreme Court rules in landmark listing dispute – Law Society’s Gazette
‘A landowner who sold two 18th century lead urns he had inherited with his home without realising that they were subject to a listing order has had his appeal against an enforcement notice backed by the Supreme Court. Today’s ruling in Dill v Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government could help clarify the definition of “building” on the statutory list.’
Law Society's Gazette, 20th May 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
TCC decides adjudicator did not stray off course – Practical Law Construction Blog
‘This was a case about the enforcement of an adjudicator’s decision (as so many are) and involved many of the usual arguments (as so many do), such as did the adjudicator have jurisdiction to reach the decision and was there a breach of the rules of natural justice? Unusually, the judge also had to consider an application to serve proceedings out of the jurisdiction, something I’m not really familiar with but, luckily, Helena White has already talked about that in her blog. That means I don’t need to mention whether enforcement proceedings should have been started in England or Northern Ireland, and leaves me to look at the jurisdiction and natural justice issues in more detail.’
Practical Law Construction Blog, 13th May 2020
Keeping families together: the role of the court in child reunification – Family Law
‘On May 11th the first meeting of a newly formed sub-group of the Public Law Working Group took place to review practice, guidance, regulations and the effectiveness of the law on supervision orders. Authorised by the President of the Family Division, the working party will be led by Professor Judith Harwin, Centre for Child and Family Justice, Lancaster University and Mr. Justice Keehan. It is the first review of the legislation since its enactment in the Children Act 1989.’
Family Law, 26th May 2020
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
Illusory Open Justice: A Kafkan Attempt to Observe Magistrates Courts in the Time of COVID-19 – Transparency Project
‘COVID-19 has taken a hammer to the already fragile transparency in our justice system. Open justice means that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. While journalists and court reporters can bring what happens in court to houses around the country, public access to our courts ensures judges and lawyers are sufficiently scrutinised. The coronavirus pandemic and the transition to virtual courts has all but severed public access to magistrates’ courts, risking the routine occurrence of miscarriages of justice with little prospect of correction.’
Transparency Project, 27th May 2020
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
New Judgment: Dill v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Anor [2020 UKSC 20] – UKSC Blog
‘This appeal concerns the correct treatment of a pair of early 18th century lead urns resting on limestone pedestals. It raised important questions about the correct interpretation and application of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, namely, whether the items were “buildings” for the purposes of the Act. The Courts below concluded that the items were “buildings” and the applicant appealed to the Supreme Court.’
UKSC Blog, 27th May 2020
Source: ukscblog.com
Costs settlement offer didn’t end at the door of the court, High Court rules – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The High Court has ruled that a costs settlement offer did not lapse when the detailed assessment had started – and the claimant was entitled to accept it mid-hearing.’
Law Society's Gazette, 26th May 2020
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Patents – Rockwool International A/S v Knauf Insulation Ltd – NIPC Law
‘This was an appeal from the refusal of the hearing officer, Mr Huw Jones, to revoke British patents GB2451719 (“719”) and GB2496951(“951”) (see Rockwool International A/S and Knauf Insulation Limited BL 0/291/19 28 May 2019).’
NIPC Law, 23rd May 2020
Source: nipclaw.blogspot.com
New Judgment: Cardtronics UK Ltd & Ors v Skyes & Ors (Valuation Officers) – UKSC Blog
‘These appeals concern the treatment for rating purposes of ATMs situated in supermarkets or shops owned and operated by the retailers. The issues raised by the case were whether the sites of the ATMS are to be properly identified as separate hereditaments from the stores and if so who was in rateable occupation of the separate hereditaments. Hereditament is defined in the General Rate Act 1967, s 115 (1) as “property which is or may become liable to a rate, being a unit of such property which is, or would fall to be, shown as a separate item on the valuation list”.’
UKSC Blog, 26th May 2020
Source: ukscblog.com
AS v CPW: The Court retrospectively grants a time limited relocation of a child wrongly removed to, and retained in Sierra Leone – Family Law
‘In short, the case concerns three children but the judgement largely deals with the eldest child, B, a 14-year-old boy who was wrongly removed and retained by the mother in Sierra Leone. The younger two children remain in England with the mother. The father applied in wardship for a summary inward return order for B. Ten months ago, the mother took B to Sierra Leone and left him there with her mother (who is highlighted in the case, to be a police officer in Sierra Leone). The father also applied for Child Arrangement Order for contact with the children. The mother then cross-applied for an order permitting her retrospectively relocating B to Sierra Leone until the summer of 2022 to enable him to conclude his GCSEs at a school in Sierra Leone.’
Family Law, 22nd May 2020
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
COVID-19 and Corporate Insolvency – Initial Indications on the Ban on Statutory Demands and Winding Up Petitions – 3 Hare Court
‘The economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are putting incredible pressures on companies of all kinds and sizes. The UK Government has been at pains to signal its support for business during the COVID-19 pandemic, most notably the furloughing scheme and company loans announced by the Chancellor, and further announcements by the Business Secretary seeking to reduce the burden on businesses and keep companies running.’
3 Hare Court, 11th May 2020
Source: www.3harecourt.com
Has coronavirus changed the UK justice system for ever? – The Guardian
‘The pandemic has led to big changes in trials, many of of which are likely to be permanent.’
The Guardian, 24th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Gassa & Anor, R (on the application of) v Richmond Independent Appeals Service & Anor [2020] EWHC 957 (Admin) (22 April 2020) – 3PB
‘This case concerned an application for judicial review of a decision by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (“the Council”) not to treat the Claimants’ rented address in East Sheen as their permanent home for the purposes of a school admissions application for their son. This was because the Claimants also owned a property in Barnes.’
3PB, 6th May 2020
Source: www.3pb.co.uk
New Judgment: Fowler v Commissioners for HMRC [2020] UKSC 22 – UKSC Blog
‘Mr Fowler is a qualified diver who is resident in the Republic of South Africa. During the 2011/12 and 2012/13 tax years he undertook diving engagements in the waters of the UK’s continental shelf. HMRC stated that he is liable to pay UK income tax for this period. Whether he is liable depends on the application of a Double Taxation Treaty between the UK and South Africa. Article 7 of the Treaty provides that self-employed persons are taxed only where they are resident (i.e. South Africa), whereas article 14 provides that employees may be taxed where they work (i.e. the UK). For the purposes of this appeal, the parties have assumed that Mr Fowler was an employee. Mr Fowler claims he is nevertheless not liable to pay tax in the UK. His case centres on a “deeming provision” in section 15 of the UK’s Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005 (“ITTOIA”). This provides that an employed seabed diver is “treated” as self-employed for the purposes of UK income tax.’
UKSC Blog, 26th May 2020
Source: ukscblog.com
Brian Christopher Jones: A single written UK constitution may only make things worse – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘Arguments for and against a single written (or “codified”) UK constitution often revolve around flexibility versus rigidity or transparency versus opacity. Recently, another common objection is that it would just be inconvenient, or impossible given the current levels of polarisation. These objections are reasonable and legitimate, but they are hardly the full extent of the story. In fact, much room exists for a more principled stance: that implementing a single written constitution may just be unwise, and ultimately lead to a number of democracy-hindering downsides.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 25th May 2020
Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org
Ricky Tomlinson’s criminal convictions to be re-examined – The Guardian
‘The criminal convictions of actor Ricky Tomlinson, who starred in the TV comedy the Royle Family, are to be re-examined by appeal court judges after an official body suggested he may have been unjustly jailed.’
The Guardian, 26th May 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
