A mediator’s take on the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory’s latest report – Family Law

Posted January 16th, 2023 in children, dispute resolution, divorce, families, family courts, news by tracey

‘Another month, and the publishing of another detailed academic report considering the experiences of parents and their children who have been through a separation. This particular report, “Separating Families: Experiences of separation and support”, was published by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, with research carried out by University of Bristol. When the key findings first landed on my desk, I must say I was keen to delve into the detail having seen that the main focus of the programme of evidence was to increase understanding of private law proceedings in England and Wales, and in particular the types of support that families drew on to manage the process of separation without using the courts.’

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Family Law, 16th January 2023

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Victims and families call for prosecutions as contaminated blood inquiry nears end – The Guardian

Posted January 16th, 2023 in bereavement, blood products, families, inquiries, news, prosecutions, victims by tracey

‘Victims and family members affected by the contaminated blood scandal are calling for criminal charges to be considered as the public inquiry into the tragedy draws to a close. While the inquiry, which will begin to hear closing submissions on Tuesday, cannot determine civil or criminal liability, people affected by the scandal are keen for the mass of documents and evidence accumulated over more than four years to be handed over to prosecutors to see whether charges can be brought.’

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The Guardian, 16th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

A5 Milton Keynes: Flooded road crash victim’s partner agrees pay-out – BBC News

Posted January 13th, 2023 in accidents, bereavement, compensation, damages, families, inquests, news, road safety, roads by tracey

‘The partner of a woman who died in a crash after driving into standing water on a main road has agreed an £850,000 settlement with Highways England, a court heard.’

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BBC News, 12th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Afghan refugees made to move school take UK to court – BBC News

‘A group of Afghan families brought to London after the Taliban took power are taking the government to court because a subsequent move north meant their children had to leave a local school during their GCSE studies.’

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BBC News, 22nd January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal makes “unusual order” allowing appeal over refusal to make person party to care proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal over a Family Court judge’s refusal of an application by an appellant non-relative, Mr B, to become a party to care proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Report Summary – Children and Families Act 2014: A failure of implementation – Spire Barristers

Posted January 10th, 2023 in chambers articles, children, families, news, reports by sally

‘Spire Barristers’ pupils Lauren Gardner and Eleanor Suthern discuss The House of Lords Children and Families Act 2014 Committee published report “Children and Families Act 2014: A failure of implementation” in which Joint Head of Chambers, Sarah Blackmore was called to give evidence as a leading practitioner in the field of Family Law and the author of the practitioner text Family Justice Reformed – Developments since the Children’s & Families Act 2014.’

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Spire Barristers, 9th December 2022

Source: spirebarristers.co.uk

Cambridgeshire County Council to pay compensation over ‘unprofessional’ carer – BBC News

‘Cambridgeshire County Council is to compensate the family of a woman whose carer “wailed” on the floor after she was told of her client’s death.’

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BBC News, 9th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The ‘Syringe Method’ of Surrogacy and the Law – Family Law Week

Posted January 6th, 2023 in artificial insemination, children, families, family courts, news, pregnancy, surrogacy by tracey

‘Nathan Baylis, a pupil barrister at 4 Brick Court, provides a guide to the legal recognition of at-home artificial insemination in surrogacy arrangements.’

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Family Law Week, 15th December 2022

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Case Comment: Khan v Meadows [2021] UKSC 21 – UKSC Blog

‘In this post Rebecca Khan, a Legal Support Assistant at Matrix Chambers, comments on the case of Khan v Meadows [2021] UKSC 21 – handed down on the 18th of June 2021. This appeal raised important questions about the application of the scope of duty principle in clinical negligence cases. The judgment is handed down together with the court’s judgment in Manchester Building Society v Grant Thornton UK LLP [2021] UKSC 20.’

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UKSC Blog, 4th January 2023

Source: ukscblog.com

Domestic Violence Indefinite Leave to Remain (DVILR) of the Immigration Rules breaches Article 14 of the ECHR – EIN Blog

Posted January 4th, 2023 in domestic violence, families, human rights, immigration, judicial review, news by sally

‘In these judicial review proceedings, Lieven J held that Appendix FM, specifically the Domestic Violence Indefinite Leave to Remain (DVILR) of the Immigration Rules, and the differential treatment between victims of spousal abandonment inside and outside the UK is not justified and therefore breaches of Article 14 of the ECHR and the Human Rights Act 1998. The fact that the rules protected victims of spousal abandonment if they were present in the UK when they were abandoned, but not if they were outside the UK having been tricked or coerced by their abusive spouse, severely impacted the article 8 rights of the latter victims and could not be justified by the SSHD. AM, the claimant was a national of Pakistan born in 1991. In 2017 she married IM, a British citizen, and she arrived in the UK in December 2017 on a spouse visa valid until August 2020. In December 2018 she gave birth to a daughter. She was subjected to very severe financial, physical, emotional and sexual domestic abuse and, sitting in the Family Division of the High Court, Theis J made findings of very serious domestic abuse against the father. The violence inflicted by IM on AM had resulted in severe and long-lasting physical harm including the removal of one of her ovaries and also a diagnosis of achalasia type 2, which resulted in a weight loss of over 30 kilos.’

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EIN Blog, 3rd January 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Kaylea Titford: Mother admits manslaughter of obese daughter – BBC News

‘A mother has admitted the manslaughter of her teenage daughter after letting her become morbidly obese.’

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BBC News, 20th December 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Maternity scandal victims join fight against fixed costs – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 19th, 2022 in birth, children, costs, families, hospitals, negligence, news by tracey

‘A powerful new lobby has joined the fight to stop the government capping costs for clinical negligence claims worth less than £25,000. Some 28 families involved in the Shrewsbury and Telford maternity scandal have signed an open letter to health secretary Steve Barclay opposing the proposals.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th December 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Manchester Arena attack: Martyn’s Law for venue security to cover all of UK – BBC News

Posted December 19th, 2022 in crime prevention, families, local government, news, terrorism, victims by tracey

‘New legislation will be introduced to tighten security at venues in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing. The new rules, dubbed Martyn’s Law, will cover all of the UK and require venues and local authorities to have preventative action plans against terror attacks, the government said.’

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BBC News, 19th December 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Naturalisation applications by EU citizens and their family – EIN Blog

Posted December 16th, 2022 in brexit, citizenship, EC law, families, immigration, news by tracey

‘For those who have obtained settlement (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK, the next stage is often to naturalise as a British citizen. Many of those who seek to naturalise are nationals of EU countries, or their family members, who began their residence in the UK prior to Brexit and obtained residence rights on that basis. Issues and uncertainties can arise during a naturalisation application which are specific to EU and EEA citizens, and below we take a look at the most common of these.’

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EIN Blog, 13th December 2022

Source: www.ein.org.uk

F v M: Parental Alienation and Unregulated Experts – Family Law Week

Posted December 16th, 2022 in children, expert witnesses, families, family courts, news by tracey

‘Roshni Popli, barrister at Four Brick Court, considers the lessons of a recent judgment highlighting the need for greater transparency in the instruction of experts.’

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Family Law Week, 14th December 2022

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

The ‘Syringe Method’ of Surrogacy and the Law – Family Law

Posted December 16th, 2022 in artificial insemination, children, families, family courts, news, pregnancy, surrogacy by tracey

‘Nathan Baylis, a pupil barrister at 4 Brick Court, provides a guide to the legal recognition of at-home artificial insemination in surrogacy arrangements.’

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Family Law Week, 15th December 2022

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Moment Anne Sacoolas sentenced for Harry Dunn death – BBC News

‘Anne Sacoolas has been sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months, for the death of motorcyclist Harry Dunn in 2019.’

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BBC News, 9th December 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs back new sanctions against parents failing to meet child support obligations – The Independent

Posted December 9th, 2022 in bills, children, enforcement, families, financial provision, news by michael

‘Parents who fail to pay child maintenance could face swifter punishments under plans backed by MPs.’

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The Independent, 9th December 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ramsgate crash: Drug-driver who killed father and daughter jailed – BBC News

‘A drug-driver who killed a pregnant woman and her father when he mowed them down after mounting a pavement has been jailed.’

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BBC News, 8th December 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What is diplomatic immunity and how does it apply to Harry Dunn death by careless driving case? – The Independent

‘Here, the PA news agency looks at how diplomatic immunity affected the 19-year-old’s case, and why Sacoolas was able to appear in court via video-link from her home country.’

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The Independent, 8th December 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk