Cafcass adopts new policy to protect victims of domestic abuse in court system – Local Government Lawyer

‘Family Court Advisors and Children’s Guardians will no longer use language such as ‘claims’ or ‘alleges’ in reports to court, using instead the words of children and adults who are victims of domestic abuse, in line with a new Domestic Abuse Practice Policy published by Cafcass.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th October 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Children being traumatised at Gatwick deportation centre, finds watchdog – The Guardian

‘Young children are being traumatised while held at a Gatwick airport deportation centre that should be closed down, a watchdog has found.’

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The Guardian, 11th October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Navigating grandparents’ rights on divorce or following the death of a parent – Kingsley Napley Family Law Blog

Posted October 11th, 2024 in bereavement, children, divorce, families, grandparents, news by sally

‘Grandparents have become increasingly involved in their grandchildren’s day to day lives over the last few decades, providing love, support, child care and a sounding board for frazzled parents. A number of studies have highlighted the benefit to children of having positive relationships with their grandparents and the importance of these connections is celebrated each year on Grandparents’ Day. However, as family dynamics shift over time, particularly following a divorce or bereavement, grandparent/grandchild relationships are often impacted.’

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Kingsley Napley Family Law Blog, 10th October 2024

Source: www.kingsleynapley.co.uk

More bereaved parents offered baby-loss certificate – BBC News

Posted October 9th, 2024 in bereavement, children, families, news, pregnancy by sally

‘More bereaved parents in England will now be able to apply for a certificate to formally recognise the loss of their baby.’

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BBC News, 9th October 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Paterson v UK: Parliament and Human Rights in Strasbourg – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 8th, 2024 in families, human rights, immunity, news, parliament, political parties, standards by sally

‘The name ‘Chris Pincher’ has become synonymous with Boris Johnson’s downfall, but it was the case of Owen Paterson that precipitated the unrest in the Conservative Party that ultimately led to the former Prime Minister’s resignation.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 8th October 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Council at fault in consideration of best interests of elderly woman, Ombudsman finds – Local Government Lawyer

‘The woman behind the complaint, Ms Y, complained that professionals failed to understand her mother’s personality and wrongly determined she lacked capacity.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th October 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

GP admits attempted murder of mother’s partner with fake Covid jab – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2024 in attempted murder, coronavirus, doctors, families, news, poisoning, vaccination by michael

‘Thomas Kwan, 53, was on trial at Newcastle crown court and had initially denied attempted murder, but changed his plea after he heard the prosecution open the case against him.’

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The Guardian, 7th October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Deceased solicitor’s partner told to delete posts attacking executors – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has ordered the partner of a leading Birmingham solicitor, who died at the end of last year, to remove social media posts accusing his executors, one of whom is a director of his law firm, of misconduct.’

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Legal Futures, 7th October 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Andrii Koshman: Judicial Accountability in the Digital Justice System of Tomorrow – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘In 2018, Sir Ernest Ryder warned that the future shift to online dispute resolution for most, and in some areas all disputes, risks eroding judicial accountability and fostering a democratic deficit. The pandemic, the £1.3 billion court modernisation program and six years later, the future of resolving the majority of disputes online appears to be much closer. The implementation of a truly holistic Digital Justice System – an integrated system of online advice services, online public and private out-of-court dispute resolution services (mediation and arbitration portals, ombuds services) and online courts – can make this future a reality. In fact, it is expressly intended that the majority of civil, family, and tribunal disputes will be settled or resolved online through the Digital Justice System, in accordance with rules specifically developed by the Online Procedure Rule Committee (OPRC) to cover the online pre-action and action space. It is also notable that such a system of various online private and public portals will have a common data architecture based on the open digital standards developed by OPRC. It is not yet known when this system will become operational, but as we approach such a reality, the potential loss of accountability and democratic deficit needs to be addressed as an extremely urgent threat.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 3rd October 2024

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

The missed chances that led to four small boys dying in a Sutton house fire – The Guardian

‘Deveca Rose’s two sets of twins were seen as well brought up yet their mother, who has been convicted of manslaughter, struggled with her mental health.’

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Woman found guilty over deaths of four home-alone sons in fire – The Guardian

‘A woman has been found guilty over the deaths of her four young sons in a fire at their home in London after she left them alone to go shopping.’

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The Guardian. 3rd October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council left family in B&B accommodation for a year more than maximum allowed period: Ombudsman – Local Government Lawyer

‘Birmingham City Council placed a family in bed and breakfast accommodation for 58 weeks, one year more than the maximum time such accommodation can be used for homeless applicants with family commitments, the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has found.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Limits on anonymity – Law & Religion UK

‘In UK courts and elsewhere, it is sometimes necessary to introduce an element of anonymity into the proceedings and their reporting, as in the consistory court judgment Re St. Margaret Ormesby [2024] ECC Nor 5 where, unusually, one of the petitioners expressed concerns on aspects of the judgment which might become known to the joint applicant. Additionally, the “medical harm” criterion of Re Blagdon was considered.’

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Law & Religion UK, 30th September 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Care proceedings quicker with more disposals within 26 weeks: MoJ – Local Government Lawyer

‘The average time for public law care or supervision cases to reach first disposal was 41 weeks in April to June 2024, down 3 weeks from the same quarter in 2023, according to the latest data published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Fewer complaints about barristers’ use of social media – Legal Futures

The number of reports to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) about barristers’ use of social media has unexpectedly fallen but an increasing proportion relate to “controversial social and political issues”.

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Legal Futures, 30th September 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Labour will have ‘blood on its hands’ if it rejects review of indefinite jail terms – The Independent

‘Families are warning the government will have “blood on its hands” if it turns its back on 3,000 prisoners as Labour is set to reject a review of cruel indefinite jail terms, The Independent has learned.’

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The Independent, 30th September 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Mother wins decade-long battle for more than £10m over botched operation on child at NHS hospital – The Independent

‘A mother has won a 12-year battle for compensation against an NHS hospital after successfully claiming her child suffered brain damage as a result of a botched surgery.’

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The Independent, 25th September 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Keep out! When justice cannot be seen to be done, how do we know it’s been done? – Transparency Project

‘Magistrates’ courts conducting family justice are now part of the Family Court, established in 2014, and subject to the same rules as those presided over by district, circuit and High Court judges. Under those rules, accredited media reporters and ‘legal bloggers’ (see below) are entitled to attend hearings even if they take place in private, though they can’t report anything without the court’s permission.’

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Transparency Project, 24th September 2024

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

‘Hillsborough Law’ on the table by anniversary – PM – BBC News

‘A “Hillsborough law” will be introduced in Parliament before the next anniversary of the 1989 football stadium tragedy, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed.’

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BBC News, 24th September 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ombudsman recommends council review triaging procedures for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards requests – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council at fault for depriving a woman of her liberty without an authorisation, and failing to involve her attorney in a best interests meeting to decide on a new placement.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk