‘This project examined published reports from journalists and legal bloggers attending private family law proceedings in England and Wales. This pilot analysis explores issues in private and public family law proceedings with a focus on abuse allegations, use of ‘parental alienation,’ the role of journalists in enhancing transparency, and the involvement and impact of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Services (Cafcass) or experts on contact outcomes. A mixed methods analysis was used to outline overarching themes (Thematic Analysis) positioned alongside percentages and common statistical tests on variable relationships. Initial findings align with existing literature in suggesting there is a theme of abusive fathers alleging ‘parental alienation’ against victim-mothers, a theme of pro-contact culture influencing contact maintenance with abusive parents, a theme of power held by Cafcass and experts in determining contact, and a serious pattern of administrative delays in cases concerning highly vulnerable individuals. Initial recommendations based on preliminary findings, aligned with existing literature, are to prohibit allegations of ‘alienation’ and ensure protections are in place for abuse survivors in the Family Court. A prior recommendation was to repeal the presumption of contact, but the government announced commitment to this change during the course of this work.’

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Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 26th April 2026

Source: www.tandfonline.com

‘On 18 March 2026 the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill became the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act 2026. Following one final vote on the evening of the 10th of March 2026 in the House of Lords , and after having offered additional life peer appointments to Conservative peers, the Labour government has succeeded in finalising both what Tony Blair had started in 1999 with the House of Lords Act 1999, as well as one of its own manifesto pledges (at p. 108) by the end of the first Parliamentary session. With the remaining hereditary peers leaving the House of Lords, the House will be comprised solely of lifetime-appointments when peers and MPs gather for the State Opening of Parliament and the King’s Speech on 13 May.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 5th May 2026

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

‘Slavery in the UK is at record levels and is expected to worsen over the next decade, the government’s independent anti-slavery commissioner has warned.’

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The Guardian, 5th May 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘The family of a “vulnerable” teenager who took her own life after saying she had been raped at work has called the closure of the police investigation a “huge miscarriage of justice”.’

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BBC News, 5th May 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Bristol City Council v CC & Ors [2026] EWCOP 19 (T3) is both an important and an interesting decision. It is important because Theis J set out a clear set of expectations instructing experts, and interesting because it is an example of what is now a rare beast, a contest as to whether circumstances gave rise to a deprivation of liberty. It also includes what is now an increasingly standard reminder that dividing care and residence decisions can frequently be artificial.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 2nd May 2026

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

‘More than 7,000 Just Eat couriers are taking legal action against the food delivery company in an attempt to gain better employment rights including the minimum wage and holiday pay.’

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The Guardian, 4th May 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘More and more young people are being drawn into the world of violent extremism, a senior police officer has warned after a young neo-Nazi caught in an undercover MI5 sting was convicted of planning a mass gun attack.’

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The Guardian, 30th April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘A rapist who had a “fascination” for forced sexual abuse has been jailed for 17 years for dragging a young woman into woods and assaulting her.’

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BBC News, 30th April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Solicitors say they have been inundated with requests to serve last-minute section 21 no-fault eviction notices before they are banned when the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force in England on Friday.’

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The Guardian, 30th April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘An inspector was right to reject a planning application for an orthodox Jewish school on grounds of intolerable noise nuisance to neighbours, and also to refrain from considering the London Borough of Hackney’s record in providing school places.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th April 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘The High Court has concluded that the Office for Students (OfS) erred in law when it made a decision that the University of Sussex was in breach of two registration conditions.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th April 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘A High Court judge has condemned “Freeman of the land” theories used by litigants in person to try and get themselves out of legal difficulties as “offensive to the rule of law”.’

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Legal Futures, 30th April 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is relaunching the Public Legal Education (PLE) Committee to raise the profile of public legal education and support more strategic, coordinated delivery across the sector.’

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Attorney General’s Office, 28th April 2026

Source: www.gov.uk

‘This post examines questions of accountability, transparency and oversight in the context of the UK government’s proposal for a new Independent Appeals Body for immigration and asylum decisions, replacing the existing First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) (hereafter, FtT).’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 30th April 2026

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

‘It has been more than five years since the Courts last discussed the use of AI in public decision-making.  That was in R (Bridges) v Chief Constable of South Wales Police (Information Commissioner and others intervening) [2020] 1 WLR 5037).  In the universe of AI, five years is a mind-bendingly long time. Can we even remember a time before hallucinated authorities and lonely teenagers falling in love with chatbots?   Many of us have been waiting with bated breath for the next word on how the Administrative Court will constrain public authorities’ use of AI.

‘After that long wait, we have been given R (Thompson and Carlo) v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis [2026] EWHC 915 (Admin).’

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Panopticon, 28th April 2026

Source: panopticonblog.com

‘Summaries to the four consistory court judgments reviewed during April 2026 are listed below, with links to the L&RUK review.’

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Law & Religion UK, 30th April 2026

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

‘On 31 March 2026, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) published its Report, “Recruitment Rewired: an update on the ICO’s work on the fair and responsible use of automation in recruitment”, setting out its findings and regulatory expectations for employers using AI‑enabled or automated tools in recruitment.’

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Kingsley Napley Employment Law Blog, 28th April 2026

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

‘Written by Afifa T. Khan Waheed. Exploring how superficial diversity initiatives and ambiguous definitions create invisibility rather than inclusion in the legal profession.’

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Neurodiversity in Law, 28th April 2026

Source: neurodiversityinlaw.substack.com

‘This post contains a recap of the second of two days (29 April) of OPEN hearings in the Court of Appeal’s hearing in the Palestine Action appeal.’

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Administrative Court Blog, 30th April 2026

Source: administrativecourtblog.wordpress.com