Judge to rule whether man’s wife has mental capacity to consent to sex – Daily Telegraph

‘A judge is set to rule whether a man can continue to sleep with his wife of more than 20 years amid concerns over her mental capacity.’

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Daily Telegraph, 1st April 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court hears test case on ability of parents to make decisions for children over 18 with learning disabilities – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Protection will this week hear a test case brought by the parents of three young people with learning disabilities over the position under current law which prevents them being able to make best interests decisions on behalf of their children as they are now over 18.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge rules man should lose leg ‘against his wishes’ – BBC News

Posted March 25th, 2019 in consent, Court of Protection, medical treatment, mental health, news by sally

‘A mentally-ill man who could die if his badly-infected left foot is not amputated should have the operation against his wishes, a judge has ruled.’

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BBC News, 24th March 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Capacity to tweet? – Doughty Street Chambers

‘In two judgments (Re A and Re B) Cobb J has confirmed that capacity to make decisions about internet and social media use do not form a “subset” of of a person’s ability to make decisions about care or contact. Capacity to use the internet and social media are “inextricably linked; the internet is the communication platform on which social media operates. For present purposes, it does not make sense in my judgment to treat them as different things. It would, in my judgment, be impractical and unnecessary to assess capacity separately in relation to using the internet for social communications as to using it for entertainment, education, relaxation, and/or for gathering information.”‘

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Doughty Street Chambers, 26th February 2019

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Court of Protection should not summarily dismiss cases where liberty is at stake, says senior judge – Local Government Lawyer

‘Court of Protection judges should not summarily dismiss cases where someone’s liberty is at stake, Mr Justice Hayden, Vice President of the court, has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Not Knowing the Amount of Compensation Award (EXB (A Protected Party by his Mother and Litigation Friend) v FDZ and Others) – 39 Essex Chambers

‘Emily Formby, barrister at 39 Essex Chambers, considers the case of EXB (a protected party by his mother and litigation friend) v FDZ and others concerning the overlap in jurisdiction between the civil courts and the Court of Protection (CoP). Despite the overlap being commonplace in daily practice, reported cases giving guidance on how to navigate issues thrown up by the different procedures are rarer than one might think.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 8th February 2019

Source: www.39essex.com

Amend Mental Capacity Act code of practice to address covert medication, human rights: Bar Council – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 12th, 2019 in codes of practice, Court of Protection, human rights, medicines, news by sally

‘The Mental Capacity Act code of practice must be updated to address issues around covert medication, human rights and social care, the Bar Council has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Capacity to use the internet – Transparency Project

‘Two recent judgments in the Court of Protection sparked the usual inaccurate headlines suggesting that the court had ridden roughshod over the rights of adults with learning difficulties to access the internet, and more specifically social media. In particular this one from The Times stood out: Social workers can stop vulnerable people using social media.’

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Transparency Project, 9th March 2019

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Mental capacity for handling the internet: Court of Protection – UK Human Rights Blog

‘A (Capacity: Social Media and Internet Use: Best Interests) [2019] EWCOP 2. In this case Cobb J was asked to make declarations under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 regarding a learning disabled man’s capacity to use the internet and social media.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 27th February 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Discharging a Court of Protection Security Bond After P Dies – Radcliffe Chambers

Posted February 8th, 2019 in Court of Protection, enforcement, guardianship, news, surety, wills by sally

‘When a court appoints a person, S, to act as a deputy for a protected party, P, it can require S “to give to the Public Guardian such security as the court thinks fit for the due discharge of his functions”. In practice, a court will almost always require S to provide security where (s)he will be managing P’s property and affairs. The purpose of the security is not to punish S, but instead to provide a “speedy and effective remedy” for P if S later defaults. Carefully crafted rules set out how S must provide the security, when S may start to execute their duties and how the Public Guardian can confirm that adequate security has been obtained.’

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Radcliffe Chambers, 4th February 2019

Source: www.radcliffechambers.com

High Court to scrutinise restrictions on areas where P has capacity – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted December 11th, 2018 in autism, consent, Court of Protection, families, learning difficulties, news by sally

‘Mr Justice Hayden has handed down a judgment concerning LC, a young woman with autism and significant learning disabilities. During the course of proceedings which had lasted five years LC was assessed as having capacity to consent to sexual relations, marry, and make decisions about contraception; but to lack the capacity to make other decisions such as to conduct the proceedings, make decisions about her residence and about her contact with men. As a facet of LC’s autism she was preoccupied with seeking out sexual encounters and a care plan was formulated which permitted LC to have unsupervised contact with others. As the judge observed with “the enormous benefit of hindsight” this led to LC’s safety and dignity being compromised and placed an intolerable burden on those supervising her. The plan attracted significant public criticism. LC now resides in a care home but is able to spend time with her husband. In a sensitive judgment Hayden J endorsed LC’s treatment plan and directed a report from a female clinical psychologist, noting the obligation under the Mental Capacity Act to take steps to promote decision making capacity.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 6th November 2018

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

The Advocate and the Expert in the Court of Protection – Expert Witness

Posted November 6th, 2018 in advocacy, barristers, case management, Court of Protection, expert witnesses, news by sally

‘The aim of this article is to explore the practical interface between the advocate and the expert in proceedings before the Court of Protection (‘COP’), and is written for both lawyers and experts. Unless otherwise stated, all statutory references are to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (‘MCA’), and the person over whom the court has jurisdiction is referred to a ‘P’.’

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Expert Witness, 5th November 2018

Source: scoop-cms.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com

Woman with learning difficulties not told she had contraceptive device covertly fitted – Daily Telegraph

‘A young woman with learning difficulties should not be told she was covertly fitted with a contraceptive device as it would ruin her trust in her carers, a court has ruled.’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th October 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Munby troubled by Court of Protection cases being ‘transferred up’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 18th, 2018 in children, Court of Protection, families, family courts, news by sally

‘Desperate parents are persuading less senior judges to transfer Court of Protection cases higher to force public authorities to act – a practice that the former president of the family division finds ‘deeply troubling’.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th October 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Supreme Court to rule on vegetative state case – BBC News

‘The Supreme Court is due to rule on whether it should be easier to withdraw food and liquid to allow people in long-term vegetative states to die.’

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BBC News, 30th July 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Protection approves administration of medication by deception – Family Law

Posted April 19th, 2018 in Court of Protection, medical ethics, medicines, news by sally

‘Private Client analysis: Alex Ruck Keene, barrister, of 39 Essex Chambers, examines the decision of the Court of Protection in Re AB [2016] EWCOP 66 to approve deceiving a person lacking mental capacity in order to administer her medication.’

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Family Law, 19th April 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Forced Marriage: protective measures for children and young people in the family courts and the court of protection – part 1 – Family Law Week

‘Judith Pepper, barrister of 4 Brick Court, examines in the first of two articles the development of the law in relation to forced marriage and the protective remedies available for children and young people, focusing on the protective measures available by utilising the inherent jurisdiction of the court.’

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Family Law Week, 8th April 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

The ‘reasonable citizen’ — Sergei Skripal – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In Secretary of State for the Home Department v Sergei Skripal [2018] EWCOP 6, Mr Justice Williams made a best interests decision that blood samples could be taken by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons from Sergei and Yulia Skirpal in order that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OCPW) could undertake their own analysis to find evidence of possible nerve agents. Both Sergei and Yulia were and remain unconscious and in a critical condition, and were unable to consent to such blood samples being taken.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 26th March 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Court of Protection: SRA regulation allows for immediate approval of trust corporations – Legal Futures

Posted February 13th, 2018 in Court of Protection, news, Solicitors Regulation Authority, trusts by sally

‘Trust corporations wanting to act as property and affairs deputies for incapacitated people must be regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to gain immediate approval, the Court of Protection (CoP) has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 12th February 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Mental Capacity Guidance Note: A Brief Guide to Carrying out Capacity Assessments – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted November 24th, 2017 in consent, Court of Protection, mental health, news by sally

‘The purpose of this document is to provide for social workers and those working in front-line clinical settings a brief overview of the law and principles relating to the assessment of capacity. Its focus is on (a) how to apply the MCA 2005 principles when assessing capacity; and (b) how to record your assessment, primarily in the context of health and welfare decisions.’

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39 Essex Chambers, 17th November 2017

Source: www.39essex.com