25/01/2024 – Current Awareness

‘David E Grant KC, who is a member of the Pensions Litigation Court Users’ Committee, has written an article about the proposed change to PD57AC (trial witness statements in the business and property courts), which will exempt pensions rectification proceedings from the scope of the PD.’

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Pensions Barristers, 25th January 2024

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

“Sufficient interest” in faculty petitions – II – Law & Religion UK

Posted January 25th, 2024 in ecclesiastical law, faculties, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘Re St. Nicholas Leicester [2023] ECC Lei 3 is the third consideration of an on-going faculty application for the introduction of a new altar frontal in the form of a Progress Pride image with a white cross applied to it. Two potential designs have been provided and the petitioners are seeking to have permission for the frontal to be displayed during Sunday worship and on Saturdays when the church is open to the public, Re St. Nicholas Leicester [2023] ECC Lei 1 (28 January 2023).’

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Law & Religion UK, 25th January 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

High Court refuses leave to appeal $11bn arbitration ruling – Legal Futures

Posted January 25th, 2024 in appeals, arbitration, barristers, fraud, news, privilege, professional conduct, solicitors by sally

‘The potential consequences for two lawyers the High Court has referred to their regulators are not reasons to grant leave for an appeal, the judge has ruled after setting aside a $11bn arbitration award against the Republic of Nigeria.’

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Legal Futures, 25th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Met Police arrest 13 people in two days using ‘dystopian’ facial recognition cameras – The Independent

Posted January 25th, 2024 in facial mapping, London, news, police, privacy by sally

‘London’s Metropolitan Police have arrested over a dozen people in two days using controversial Live Facial Recognition technology in Croydon.’

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The Independent, 24th January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hair strand testing – pitfalls and limitations – Transparency Project

Posted January 25th, 2024 in drug abuse, family courts, forensic science, news by sally

‘When it is disputed whether a person uses drugs, the family court can – and often does – order hair strand testing to determine the issue. This article draws upon the work of lawyer Sarah Branson and drug tester Paul Hunter, who have explored the limitations of hair strand testing and highlighted the need for caution in relying on hair strand test results (See Recent scientific developments in hair strand testing and racial bias in current practices of hair strand testing. I’m going to call this ‘the Fam Law article’). Even so, hair strand testing continues to be the ’go-to’ when there is a question over drug use. Despite an increasing recognition of the possibility of mistakes and errors in the production and reporting of hair strand test evidence, this evidence is still regularly relied upon by the courts as evidence of substance use. These problems are often underestimated, which can have disastrous consequences.’

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Transparency Project, 24th January 2024

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Ombudsman finds “significant delays” in response of council to complaints from vulnerable man left in unsuitable accommodation – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 25th, 2024 in complaints, delay, disabled persons, housing, local government, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has recommended that Peterborough City Council pay more than £2,900 after its delay in revising the housing priority of a vulnerable man.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Prisoners with severe mental health needs spending months in isolation, report finds – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2024 in mental health, news, prisons, reports, self-harm by sally

‘A prisoner who repeatedly self-harmed spent more than 800 days in segregation, according to a damning report that reveals that jails are using isolation to manage severe mental health needs.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com