Senior judge authorises giving Covid-19 vaccine to 80-year-old woman in care home despite objections of son – Local Government Lawyer

‘It was lawful and in the best interests of an 80-year-old care home resident with dementia and schizophrenia to be vaccinated against Covid-19 despite the objections of her son, the Vice-President of the Court of Protection has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th January 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Taking Liberties: A simple guide to DOL – Transparency Project

Posted January 28th, 2021 in care homes, children, detention, families, human rights, local government, news by sally

‘This article is about Deprivation of Liberty involving children.’

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Transparency Project, 27th January 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Gurpreet Singh guilty of wife’s murder in Wolverhampton – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2021 in domestic violence, families, imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A “callous” husband who pretended his wife had been killed in a burglary has been found guilty of her murder.’

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BBC News, 27th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Running on Empty: New report finds serious problems with legal help for the public – The Bar Council

Posted January 25th, 2021 in barristers, bereavement, civil justice, families, inquests, legal aid, news by sally

‘A newly published report “Running on Empty” from the Bar Council, which represents all barristers in England and Wales, reveals the severity of problems in the civil legal aid system.’

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The Bar Council, 15th January 2021

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Financial Remedy Update, January 2021 – Family Law Week

‘Naomi Shelton, Associate, Mills & Reeve LLP considers the important news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during December 2020.’

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Family Law Week, 21st January 2021

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Religion, looked-after children and “best interests”: Salford CC – Law & Religion UK

‘Salford CC v W & Ors (Religion and Declaration of Looked After Status) [2021] EWHC 61 (Fam) was about the welfare of five children between the ages of eleven and four: B, C, D, E and F. There were three applications before the court: the first for care orders under s.31 of the Children Act 1989, first issued in December 2018 by Norfolk County Council, the second by their mother, Ms W, for a prohibited steps order pursuant to s. 8 of the Children Act 1989, and the third by the maternal aunt and putative special guardian of the children, Mrs Z, for a declaration under the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court regarding the children’s legal status for the purposes of Part III of the Children Act 1989 [1 & 2]. It is the second application that is the subject of this note.’

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Law & Religion UK, 22nd January 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Family Law Newsletter – Spire Barristers

Posted January 22nd, 2021 in chambers articles, families, family courts, news by sally

‘Issue #42 of Spire Barristers’ Family Law Newsletter: edited by Connie Purdy and Taz Irshad; news and Case Reviews by Francesca Massarella.’

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Spire Barristers, 15th January 2021

Source: spirebarristers.co.uk

Official Solicitor wins appeal over ability of mother and step-father of autistic man to leave homes to provide care during first lockdown – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Official Solicitor has won an appeal on behalf of a 30-year-old with autism and communication difficulties over whether his mother and step-father had a reasonable excuse during the first national lockdown to leave their homes to provide him with care.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 19th January 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Landmark hearing to examine handling of domestic abuse cases by UK courts – The Guardian

‘A landmark hearing in the court of appeal is under way to examine how cases of domestic abuse are handled by judges in the family courts.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges reject Lockerbie bomber’s appeal against conviction – BBC News

‘Scottish judges have rejected a third appeal on behalf of the Libyan man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing.’

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BBC News, 16th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Families of citizens dying after contact with police still await justice – The Guardian

‘Relatives of people who have died after contact with the police have told of their distrust in and dissatisfaction with the ability of the complaints system to help deliver justice.’

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The Guardian, 18th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Remote hearings in family proceedings – how is justice perceived? – Family Law

Posted January 15th, 2021 in coronavirus, families, family courts, news, remote hearings by sally

‘The motion for the recent Kingsley Napley debate: “This House believes remote hearings are not remotely fair” was carried with a fairly balanced 56% in favour and 44% against. With an audience made up of over a hundred family lawyers and barristers, this result was no doubt influenced by their experience of remote court hearings heard either via video link or by telephone over the last six months, since the national lockdown in March.’

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Family Law, 14th January 2021

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Bedford hospital: ‘Risk of baby abduction’ at ‘inadequate’ maternity unit – BBC News

Posted January 15th, 2021 in birth, children, families, hospitals, kidnapping, news, ombudsmen, whistleblowers by sally

‘Maternity services at a hospital have been downgraded to “inadequate” after inspectors found a “potential risk for baby abduction”. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected Bedford Hospital’s maternity services in November following “14 whistle-blower inquiries”.’

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BBC News, 15 January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Covid: Couple fined for seven-mile trip to care home – BBC News

Posted January 13th, 2021 in care homes, coronavirus, enforcement, families, fines, freedom of movement, news, police by sally

‘A couple have been fined £60 for driving 20 minutes to see a relative in a care home.’

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BBC News, 12th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Domestic Abuse Bill and family courts – Transparency Project

Posted January 11th, 2021 in appeals, bills, domestic violence, families, family courts, news by sally

‘As was noted in the “Harm report” published in June last year and the Family Justice Council forum that was held on 14 December, there is mounting concern about the way family courts deal with allegations of domestic abuse that arise in some contact disputes.’

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Transparency Project, 10th January 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

McFarlane tells family judges to curb out-of-hours hearings – Legal Futures

Posted January 11th, 2021 in coronavirus, families, family courts, judges, news, remote hearings by sally

‘The president of the Family Division has told judges and lawyers to stop the increasing practice of holding virtual hearings outside of normal court hours, citing wellbeing concerns.’

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Legal Futures, 8th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Families of people who died deserve a hearing’: Unison boss demands public inquiry into government handling of Covid – The Independent

‘The boss of Britain’s biggest union has called for a pandemic “day of reckoning”, saying he’d been left “heartbroken” over thousands of needless deaths among his members.’

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The Independent, 8th January 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

W (Children): judge’s recusal does not indicate bias – Transparency Project

Posted December 21st, 2020 in appeals, bias, children, contact orders, families, judges, news, recusal by sally

‘Reading the case name W (Children: Reopening/recusal) I assumed that this would be another of those applications by a party, invariably the father, for the recusal of the judge in a children application, on the basis of alleged bias.’

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Transparency Project, 18th December 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Harry Dunn: CPS pursue case against suspect despite immunity ruling – BBC News

‘The Crown Prosecution Service has said there remains a “realistic prospect of conviction” for Harry Dunn’s alleged killer despite a High Court ruling she had diplomatic immunity.’

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BBC News, 20th December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jealous father guilty of murdering wife and daughter in Salisbury – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2020 in coercive & controlling behaviour, domestic violence, families, murder, news by sally

‘A supermarket worker has been found guilty of murdering his wife and teenage daughter after he slit their throats in a jealous rage because he was losing his “controlling” grip on the family.’

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The Guardian, 17th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com