Perpetuating Myths: The Need for Review in the Right Areas – Carmelite Chambers

Posted August 26th, 2021 in evidence, news, prosecutions, rape, reports by sally

‘Following the release of the Government’s Rape Review, second-six pupil, Anthony James, looks at the Review itself and recent criticisms of the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences.’

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Carmelite Chambers, 19th August 2021

Source: www.carmelitechambers.co.uk

A closed mind and a failed possession claim – Nearly Legal

‘Tower Hamlets LBC v Ali, County Court at Clerkenwell & Shoreditch. 21 July 2021. Tower Hamlets (“TH”) brought a claim for possession against Mr Ali after his mother, a secure tenant, died. His mother was herself a successor and, accordingly, he was not entitled to succeed under section 87 of the Housing Act 1985. He applied to succeed under TH’s discretionary policy for failed successors which stated that TH would grant a new tenancy to an occupant where they had lived with the tenant for 12 months before the tenant’s death, and they occupied the property as their only or principle home.’

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Nearly Legal, 16th August 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Underwriting on trial – Mills & Reeve

Posted August 3rd, 2021 in causation, disclosure, evidence, inducements, insurance, misrepresentation, news by sally

‘James Thompson and Suzanne El-Safty consider the importance of underwriting evidence for insurers attempting policy avoidance, in the context of Zurich Insurance plc v Niramax Group Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 590 (“the Niramax case”) and Jones v Zurich Insurance plc [2021] EWHC 1320 (Comm) (“the Jones case”).’

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Mills & Reeve, 30th July 2021

Source: www.mills-reeve.com

Removal and substitution of Personal Representatives under s 50 Administration of Justice Act 1985 – Radcliffe Chambers

‘Nathan Wells examines judicial guidance on the appropriate procedure for issuing and hearing claims for the removal/substitution of personal representatives and the preparation of evidence in such claims.’

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Radcliffe Chambers, 21st July 2021

Source: radcliffechambers.com

Lady Rose, ALBA Annual Lecture – Supreme Court

Posted July 13th, 2021 in evidence, speeches, statistics, trade marks by tracey

‘A Numbers Game? Statistics in Public Law Cases’

Full speech

Supreme Court, 5th July 2021

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Rape victims still face police phone trawl, says commissioner – BBC News

‘Proposals for England and Wales mean people who claim to have been raped will still face pressure to hand over their phones to police and prosecutors, says the victims’ commissioner.’

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BBC News, 17th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Manchester Arena Inquiry: Ex-GMP officer investigated over evidence By Daniel De Simone – BBC News

‘A former Greater Manchester Police officer is being investigated by a watchdog over his evidence at a public inquiry into the Manchester Arena bomb.’

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BBC News, 5th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

36 Crime Criminal Updates – The 36 Group

‘We are grateful to the contributors to this Newsletter. Sam Skinner’s case note on the recent decision in R -v- Brecani addresses the consequence of this important shift away from accepting as expert evidence the conclusive decisions made by civil servants within the Home Office on referrals for human trafficking and modern slavery. Kate Kelleher provides a timely reminder that the provisions of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 is in force from 29th June 2021 and provides a commentary on the most notable recent developments in the prosecutions of animal welfare offences. In April and May Catherine Rose and Tom Parker ran a 2-part webinar session on Open-Source Evidence with contributions from a panel of leading experts from the US and UK. Their article is just a taster of the material covered in greater depth in the sessions. A timely warning to apply the basic critical analysis we use in relation to evidence from many scientific fields to all such evidence before relying on it at face value. Mary Prior Q.C. has provided a comprehensive round up in the Crime Bulletin of all the recent decisions of importance in a broad spectrum of procedural and offence-based areas.’

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The 36 Group, 28th June 2021

Source: 36group.co.uk

The role of the surveyor-expert and their evidence in litigation – Falcon Chambers

Posted June 24th, 2021 in chambers articles, evidence, expert witnesses, news, valuation by sally

‘This article considers how the duties imposed on expert witnesses impact upon the functions of expert surveyors giving valuation evidence tendered in Court and in the Upper Tribunal. We will refer to all tribunals as “the Court” by way of shorthand.’

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Falcon Chambers, 8th June 2021

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

TCC debars Defendant during trial from relying on its three technical expert reports following numerous breaches of CPR Part 35 – Henderson Chambers

‘The Claimant made an application on day 7 of a TCC trial to debar the Defendant from relying on any of its three technical expert reports and to debar those experts from giving evidence at the trial.’

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Henderson Chambers, 4th June 2021

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

Malleable memory and the reliability of witness evidence in a digital age – Litigation Futures

Posted June 22nd, 2021 in artificial intelligence, documents, evidence, news, witnesses by sally

‘One of the topics explored by a recent panel of international experts at London International Disputes Week was the malleability (and thus fallibility) of human memory and the resultant impact on reliable witness evidence.’

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Litigation Futures, 22nd June 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Judge throws out expert evidence during trial in excoriating ruling – Litigation Futures

‘The High Court has excluded three expert witness statements during the trial after ruling that their opinions appeared “directly influenced” by the instructing party.’

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Litigation Futures, 2nd June 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Digital forensics experts prone to bias, study shows – The Guardian

Posted June 1st, 2021 in bias, computer programs, evidence, expert witnesses, news by sally

‘Devices such as phones, laptops and flash drives are becoming increasingly central to police investigations, but the reliability of digital forensics experts’ evidence has been called into question.’

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The Guardian, 31st May 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

CPS statement on Hillsborough ruling – Crown Prosecution Service

‘The Nightingale Court at The Lowry Theatre, Manchester, has found there is no case for Peter Metcalf, former Chief Superintendent Donald Denton and former Detective Chief Inspector Alan Foster to answer on the charges of perverting the course of justice in relation to their actions following the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 26th May 2021

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Hillsborough: why has the trial collapsed and what happens next? – The Guardian

‘A judge has stopped the trial of two former South Yorkshire police officers and the force’s former solicitor, who had been charged with perverting the course of justice for amending police statements after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.’

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The Guardian, 26th May 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Times, They Are A-Changin’ [Again] – Carmelite Chambers

‘For those practitioners who thought that a positive decision from the Single Competent Authority as to whether a defendant was a victim of trafficking is admissible, having been settled since early 2020 with the Divisional Court decision in DPP v M [2020] EWHC 344 Admin, well…think again.’

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Carmelite Chambers, 20th May 2021

Source: www.carmelitechambers.co.uk

Pension sharing orders: Finch v Baker – Family Law

Posted May 20th, 2021 in divorce, evidence, financial provision, news, pensions, taxation by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal judgment in Finch v Baker [2021] EWCA Civ 72 was released on 28 January 2021. The judgment provides some useful guidance on not being able to get what are essentially conduct arguments contrary to s25(g) through the back door by making “negative contribution” arguments, and it also highlights the importance of ensuring that you adduce and apply for the most appropriate and necessary evidence in advance of a hearing. Simply arguing that an updated pension report is needed, following an appeal hearing, on the basis that the pension sharing order made would not reflect the judge’s intentions as the CE figures would be significantly out of date, is insufficient and misconceived.’

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Family Law. 14th May 2021

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Rape victims in England and Wales to give video evidence to boost convictions – The Guardian

‘Rape victims in England and Wales will be able to provide their evidence on video prior to a trial to help improve conviction rates, it is understood.’

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The Guardian, 17th May 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lies and Lucas in the Family Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘Andrew Bagchi QC and Anna Lavelle examine an important Court of Appeal ruling on fact-finding hearings and Lucas directions, and considerations of children giving oral evidence in family proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th May 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Alexandra Wilson examines the Court of Appeal ‘Encrochat’ judgment: A, B, D & C v Regina [2021] EWCA Crim 128 – 5SAH

‘The Court of Appeal (“the Court”) were asked to determine whether evidence obtained from the EncroChat application (“the EncroChat material”) can be admitted in evidence in criminal proceedings, or whether it is excluded by the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (“the 2016 Act”).’

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5SAH, 25th March 2021

Source: www.5sah.co.uk