‘Taser (conducted energy weapon) use has expanded in England and Wales, making police workforce perceptions relevant to training and implementation. However, little is known about how officers view Taser, or how attitudes and experiences differ between Taser-authorized and non-authorized officers. Using the National Officer and Staff Safety Survey (2019)—the largest survey of the police workforce conducted in England and Wales—this study compares Taser-authorized and non-authorized police officers across demographics, roles, experiences, and attitudes. Taser authorization is concentrated among officers in frontline roles—roles that typically involve greater exposure to confrontational incidents. Authorized officers report a higher prevalence of self-reported assault—a pattern consistent with concentration in higher-risk work. Notably, authorized officers express lower confidence that Taser reduces assaults and show more polarized views about their effectiveness. Frontline policing is the strongest correlate of authorization, and both frontline status and authorization are associated with reported assaults (net of each other). Findings frame Taser as a marker of risk allocation rather than a uniform protective equalizer. Policy should target rollout, refresher training, supervision, and routine monitoring in high-exposure roles, incorporating user feedback.’

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Policing, 16th April 2026

Source: doi.org

‘Sarah Finch’s fight against drilling led to a landmark ruling on fossil fuel emissions – and a leading environmental prize.’

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The Guardian, 20th April 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘In R v ABJ [2026] UKSC 8 a unanimous Supreme Court ruled that the offence of expressing support for a proscribed organisation, as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000, is not a disproportionate interference with the right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights. The Court’s verdict was no surprise: the Court of Appeal had reached the same conclusion ([2024] EWCA Crim 1597) and the case sits alongside earlier appeal court rulings upholding the compatibility with Convention rights of other Terrorism Act offences relating to proscribed organisations: notably, R v Choudary [2016] EWCA Crim 61 (on inviting support for a proscribed organisation) and Pwr v DPP [2022] UKSC 2 (on carrying or displaying an article supportive of a proscribed organisation).’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th April 2026

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

‘The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court ruling that had threatened to unsettle long-established models of supervised legal work. In Julia Mazur & Ors v CILEX & Ors [2026] EWCA Civ 369, the court held that unauthorised staff do not ‘carry on the conduct of litigation’ merely by performing tasks that fall within the statutory definition, provided they act under the supervision of an authorised person.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th April2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Oath-taking ceremonies are common spiritual practices in some African regions. Oath-taking can be exploited as a means of psychological control within human trafficking. This study conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 West African women living in the UK who had experienced oath-taking when being trafficked to the UK. Thematic analysis generated four themes: Exploiting Fear of the Oath, Shifting of Power, Loss, and Living Alongside the Oath’s Impact. Survivors described factors influencing the oath’s ongoing impact on their lives. Findings highlight the need for greater recognition and targeted training regarding oath-taking within trafficking, plus recommendations for holistic, culturally sensitive clinical care.’

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Journal of Human Trafficking, 19th April 2026

Source: doi.org

‘Amendment of applications to the employment tribunals is usually a matter for the discretion of the tribunal and raises no point of law for appeal. Rarely have two cases (Rice v Wicked Vision [2025] EWCA Civ 1466) about an amendment of applications caused so much controversy and finished up in the Supre me Court, soon to be heard. The key question in both cases, however, was whether section 47B Employment Rights Act 1996 can found a claim against an employer arising from a co-worker’s act amounting to a dismissal and thus whether the amendment so to plead should be allowed to proceed. The detriment relied on in these cases is usually by way of instruction or pressure to dismiss exerted by a co-worker as a co-worker cannot himself actually dismiss anyone. The controversy engendered by these two cases involved considering in depth the status and meaning of the controversial Court of Appeal decision in Timis v Osipov [2019] ICR 655 (“Osipov”).’

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UK Labour Law, 20th April 2026

Source: uklabourlawblog.com

‘The vast majority of clients expect their lawyers to update them “at least” weekly and also provide same-day responses to queries, research have found.’

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Legal Futures, 20th April 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘The UK Government has now published its March 2026 Report on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, following its 2024–25 consultation on the use of copyright‑protected works in AI training. The outcome is significant – not for what it introduces but for what it postpones.’

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Kingsley Napley Corporate and Commercial Law Blog, 16th April 2026

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

‘This article examines when and how a person’s desire to tell their own story should affect the application of the English misuse of private information tort. It urges caution in cases where one party is trying to dictate retrospectively the terms on which a shared encounter occurred – especially when there is a significant power imbalance between the parties. The article argues, first, that courts determining reasonable expectations of privacy in respect of a shared experience should consider both parties’ attitude towards it. When it comes to the privacy/freedom-of-expression balancing at stage II, it suggests a defendant’s desire to make limited disclosures to family and friends should almost always prevail. A genuine desire to talk about one’s own shared experience should also help justify disclosures about shared experience to the public at large, at least when there is a wider public interest in the storyand privacy damage is minimised.’

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Journal of Media Law, 7th April 2026

Source: doi.org

‘Nine universities have begun legal action against the government in a row over students being asked to repay loans as soon as possible.’

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BBC News, 16th April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘A former churchwarden jailed for murdering a university lecturer has had his conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal.’

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BBC News, 16th April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘This article will reflect on the impact of Brexit and of the introduction of the SQE on comparative law teaching in UK universities. Drawing on a 2025 survey by the British Association of Comparative Law (BACL) on how comparative law is currently taught in UK universities, it will examine the place of comparative law in the law school curriculum. In so doing, it will identify changes since the last BACL teaching survey of 2002. Has Brexit, with EU law potentially demoted to an optional part of the law degree curriculum, discouraged interest in studying comparative law? What has been the impact of the introduction of the SQE on law school curricula? Having been given exclusive access to the findings of the 2025 BACL teaching survey, I will examine the challenges and choices universities and comparative law academics face. Is comparative law teaching an interesting but ornamental addition to a crammed curriculum or an important part of the UK university response to globalisation and the internationalisation of legal education?’

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The Law Teacher, 16th April 2026

Source: doi.org

‘Victims of major UK scandals including Post Office Horizon IT, Windrush and infected blood are owed an estimated £15 billion in compensation, a new report reveals.’

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The Independent, 17th April 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘The mother of a 14-month-old boy who died after being restrained and put face down to sleep at a nursery, says in her son’s final moments he was “alone, scared and in pain”.’

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BBC News, 16th April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘The Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) initiative was developed to ensure appropriate professionals respond to mental health crises, redirecting calls from police to specialised services. While early evaluations focused on operational success, this paper examines how incidents are managed within an English police force implementing RCRP. Using interviews with strategic and operational police staff, policy and strategy document analysis, and real-time observations, we explore the step-by-step processes officers follow, from initial contact to case resolution. This mapping serves as a conceptual framework to highlight the tensions police face in balancing their roles as law enforcers and caregivers. Findings reveal that while RCRP offers a structured approach, officers still intervene in some cases due to service gaps, risk concerns, and practical constraints, underscoring ongoing challenges in fully transitioning mental health response away from policing. Practical implications for improving support and ensuring crisis care from the right professionals are discussed.’

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Policing & Society, 15th April 2006

Source: doi.org

‘In an earlier article, we argued that post-mortem privacy is not sufficiently protected in England and Wales. In this article, we draw from Boonin’s posthumous harm thesis and posthumous wrong thesis to develop a framework and rationale for justifying the recognition and enforcement of a privacy right post-mortem. Essentially, our theoretical framework suggests that, just as a living person can be harmed by an act that does not have any effect on their conscious experience, such as the frustration of their desires, the dead can also suffer unfelt harm. We test and illustrate the analytical and explanatory power of this theoretical framework with a USA post-mortem privacy case and five relevant practical examples. Furthermore, we examine some important cases in England and Wales, and some cases from the ECtHR, to show how the use of our framework could lead to the recognition and justification of a privacy right post-mortem.’

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The Journal of Media Law, 15th April 2026

Source: doi.org

‘Employers operating in Britain should not underestimate the cultural and operational shift that complying with new laws providing trade unions with rights of access to workplaces will entail when they take effect, expected in October, experts have said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th April 2026

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

‘The High Court has widened legal advice privilege to all internal documents created by the client where the dominant purpose is to seek legal advice, even if they would not actually be sent to a lawyer.’

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Legal Futures, 17th April 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘A man who murdered his wife and has never revealed where her body is can be released from prison, the Parole Board has decided.’

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BBC News, 16th April 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Mani Singh Basi highlights key principles that should guide professionals in practice when it comes to expert evidence in children proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th April 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk