Five key takeaways from Supreme Court ruling – BBC News
‘The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex.’
BBC News, 16th April 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
The no substantial difference test in the Court of Appeal – Administrative Court Blog
‘The Court of Appeal has today (16 April 2025) handed down two important judgments on the operation of the “no substantial difference test” (“the NSD test”) in judicial review, provided by s.31(2A) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 (“the 1981 Act”). They are R (Greenfields (IOW) Limited) v Isle of Wight Council [2025] EWCA Civ 488 and Bradbury v Brecon Beacons National Park Authority [2025] EWCA Civ 489. Lead judgments in both cases are written by Lewis LJ.’
Administrative Court Blog, 16th April 2025
Teacher awarded five-figure payout after pupil threw laptop at her head – The Independent
‘A teacher has been awarded a five-figure settlement after a pupil threw a laptop at her head, union figures show.’
The Independent, 17th April 2025
Source: www.independent.co.uk
BAILII: Recent Decisions
Supreme Court
For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16 (16 April 2025)
Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
Nigeria LNG Ltd v Taleveras Petroleum Trading DMCC [2025] EWCA Civ 457 (16 April 2025)
O (Children: Fact-Finding) [2025] EWCA Civ 479 (15 April 2025)
Kington SARL & Ors v Thames Water Utilities Holdings Ltd & Anor [2025] EWCA Civ 475 (15 April 2025)
Johnstone v Fawcett’s Garage (Newbury) Ltd [2025] EWCA Civ 467 (15 April 2025)
WTGIL Ltd v Revenue and Customs [2025] EWCA Civ 399 (11 April 2025)
Laidley v Metropolitan Housing Trust Ltd [2025] EWCA Civ 448 (11 April 2025)
Ahmad & Anor v Faraj [2025] EWCA Civ 468 (10 April 2025)
High Court (Administrative Court)
Director of Public Prosecutions v Stephenson [2025] EWHC 950 (Admin) (16 April 2025)
SLP v Prosecutor General of the Republic of Latvia [2025] EWHC 925 (Admin) (15 April 2025)
Comaneci v Romania [2025] EWHC 946 (Admin) (15 April 2025)
Hebda v District Court in Krakow, Poland [2025] EWHC 860 (Admin) (15 April 2025)
Croft v Devon County Council & Ors [2025] EWHC 881 (Admin) (15 April 2025)
Croft, R (On the Application Of) v Torridge District Council [2025] EWHC 880 (Admin) (15 April 2025)
High Court (Chancery Division)
Tedford v Clarke & Ors [2025] EWHC 816 (Ch) (14 April 2025)
High Court (Family Division)
S v O [2025] EWHC 951 (Fam) (15 April 2025)
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust v MC [2025] EWHC 920 (Fam) (15 April 2025)
Walsall MBC v A Mother & Ors [2025] EWHC 929 (Fam) (11 April 2025)
P & Anor v S & Anor [2025] EWHC 944 (Fam) (10 April 2025)
S (A Child) : Refusal of Summary Return to UAE, Re [2025] EWHC 892 (Fam) (10 April 2025)
S & T, Re (Children: Return to Italy) [2025] EWHC 835 (Fam) (08 April 2025)
High Court (King’s Bench Division)
Alesayi v Bank Audi SAL [2025] EWHC 919 (KB) (15 April 2025)
Bridgen v Hancock [2025] EWHC 926 (KB) (14 April 2025)
Butler v Ward [2025] EWHC 877 (KB) (10 April 2025)
Source: www.bailii.org
Serious medical treatment cases and naming clinicians – the Supreme Court decides – Mental Capacity Law and Policy
‘In the conjoined appeals of Abbasi and Haastrup [2025] UKSC 15, the Supreme Court has grappled with the questions of (1) the jurisdiction of the High Court to grant injunctions providing for the anonymity of professionals involved in treating children involved in serious medical treatment cases; and (2) the circumstances under which such injunctions should continue after the death of the child. Whilst the decisions under challenge in the two cases related to proceedings relating to children, the same broad principles apply in relation to proceedings before the Court of Protection in respect of adults unable to make their own decisions about medical treatment.’
Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 16th April 2025
‘Safety’ v autonomy – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The Commons committee stage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has concluded. Now extensively amended, is the legislation fit for purpose? Eduardo Reyes reports.’
Law Society's Gazette, 11th April 2025
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
The New Right to Neonatal Care Leave and Pay – What Employers Need to Know – Knigsley Napley Employment Law Blog
‘From 6 April 2025, the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 introduces statutory rights for employees whose babies require neonatal care. With around 1 in 7 babies admitted to neonatal care after birth, the government estimates these rights will support 60,000 parents annually.’
Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog, 16th April 2025
Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk
Local authority nature conservation works – Old Square Chambers
‘Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (NERC Act) provides in section 40(3) that:
“The action which may be taken by the authority to further the general biodiversity objective includes, in particular, action taken for the purpose of—
(a) conserving, restoring or otherwise enhancing a population of a particular species, and
(b) conserving, restoring or otherwise enhancing a particular type of habitat.”
This gives local authorities a function in respect of conservation works. In addition, Local Nature Recovery Strategies will “Take action – local partners work together with landowners and managers to create and enhance habitat for nature and environment and take other biodiversity-positive actions.”’
Old Square Chambers, 11th April 2025
Source: oldsquare.co.uk
Court of Protection Case Review by Khadim Al’Hassan: W v P (acting by his litigation friend, the Official Solicitor) – Park Square Barristers
‘An interesting case which serves as a reminder that in privacy-sensitive contexts, even procedural defaults like transparency orders can be overridden where substantial and compelling reasons are shown.’
Park Square Barristers, 15th April 2025
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
Tommy Robinson loses appeal bid after claiming prison is ‘making him ill’ – The Independent
‘The far-right figure, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is being held in segregation at HMP Woodhill where he is allowed four hours of social phone calls each day.’
The Independent, 16th April 2025
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Administrative Court quashes closure order under section 80 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, holding that the refusal to grant an adjournment was unfair and irrational – No. 5 Chambers
‘In the case of R (on the application of Ford) v Warwick District Council [2025] EWHC 843 (Admin) (26 March 2025), the Administrative Court considered whether the decision of Coventry Magistrates’ Court not to adjourn the hearing for the Claimant to obtain legal representation was unreasonable and/or constituted a breach of her Article 6 rights, holding that it was unfair and irrational.’
No. 5 Chambers, 11th April 2025
Source: www.no5.com
Gender critical campaigners win at UK supreme court over definition of woman – The Guardian
‘Five judges from the UK supreme court ruled that the legal definition of a woman in the Equality Act 2010 does not include transgender women who hold gender recognition certificates (GRCs).’
The Guardian, 16th April 2025
Source: www.theguardian.com
Fairmont Property Developers UK v Venus Bridging Ltd & Ors – a curtailment of the s.91 Law of Property Act 1925 power in the context of commercial property? – Lamb Chambers
‘The High Court in Fairmont Property Developers UK v Venus Bridging Ltd & Ors (25/2/2025) was concerned with an application by a defaulting mortgagor under s.91 Law Property Act 1925 whereby it sought the opportunity to market for sale a commercial warehouse property (“the Property”) over which the mortgagee had appointed receivers (“the Receivers”).’
Lamb Chambers, April 2025
Source: www.lambchambers.co.uk
Challenging the suitability of expert witnesses in the Coroner’s Court: R (Gamesys Operations Ltd) v HM Senior Coroner Inner London South [2025] EWHC 659 – Parklane Plowden
‘In this judicial review claim, the Administrative Court considered the extent of the coroner’s discretion to call expert evidence and whether expressing an opinion on a matter renders an expert unsuitable due to bias.’
Parklane Plowden, 14th April 2025
Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk
High Court: Badly drafted will shows dangers of unqualified writers – Legal Futures
‘A badly drafted will which has caused “untold anguish” to relatives of the deceased shows the dangers of using unqualified will-writers, the High Court has warned.’
Legal Futures, 16th April 2025
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Brazilian butt lift ads banned by UK regulator – BBC News
‘Adverts from six companies selling liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) have been banned in the UK for trivialising the risks and exploiting women’s insecurities around body image.’
BBC News, 16th April 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
The Investigatory Powers Tribunal explained – Computer Weekly
‘The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) is an unusual semi-secret judicial body based London, but also capable of sitting in Scotland or Northern Ireland. It carries out many of its functions secretly, including “closed” hearings from which the public and the press can be completely excluded.’
Computer Weekly, 15th April 2025
Source: www.computerweekly.com
Navigating the Green Frontier: Clinicians’ Role in the Prescription of Medical Cannabis – Kingsley Napley Regulatory Blog
‘The landmark introduction of The Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis and Licence Fees) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2018 [1]paved the way for legalised access to medicinal cannabis in the UK. Medicinal cannabis was subsequently defined as a special medicinal product which could be used in accordance with a prescription.’
Kingsley Napley Regulatory Blog, 15th April 2025
Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk
PODCAST: Why companies have human rights, and how they can use them – OUT-LAW.com
‘Companies in the UK and Europe are entitled to a surprising range of human rights protections for everything from freedom of speech to privacy. David Thorneloe explains how firms can turn the rights to their advantage.’
OUT-LAW.com, 15th April 2025
Source: www.pinsentmasons.com
Mastermind of ‘one-stop shop’ fraud website with one million victims jailed – BBC News
‘The ringleader of a website that promised to provide a “one-stop shop for phishing” has been jailed for eight and a half years.’
BBC News, 15th April 2025
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
