Pressure is being placed on the UK government to make it a legal requirement for Muslim couples to register their marriages civilly before or at the same time as their religious ceremony. This will ensure women’s fundamental rights are preserved upon divorce and Sharia councils operate within the law writes Hilary Lennox, Barrister from Pump […]
It was just over a month between the first Covid-19 vaccination being administered and the first reported COP decision relating to it. As ever, this decision is fact specific, but there are some important points to take away. Mrs E was an 80-year old woman, who had been living in a care home since […]
Heather Platt has won £45,000 compensation for a direct access client who resigned from his job at HMRC after being accused of money laundering and benefit fraud. Heather represented the Claimant, Mr Hussain, in an unusual case of constructive unfair dismissal. Mr Hussain placed £10,000 in cash in the basement of HMRC building where he […]
An important Judgment on the validity of an overseas marriage, and compliance with the significant procedural rules which apply if one wishes to defend divorce petitions, has recently been handed down in the case of N v N (Afghanistan: Validity of an overseas marriage: Procedure) [2020]. Jennifer Lee of Pump Court Chambers acted for the successful […]
We defend fearlessly our clients’ best interests and fight for the underdog every day in court, but neglect to apply that same attitude to ourselves. What is needed to improve the lives of those who seek to stand up for justice and assure the future of the profession? Siân Beaven’s article ‘Fit your own mask: […]
Proprietary Estoppel and the Matrimonial Home on the Death of a Spouse – Anaghara v Anaghara & Ors [2020] EWHC 3091 It is rare that a spouse needs to pursue a claim in proprietary estoppel to secure occupation of a matrimonial home owned by the other spouse on the latter’s death: the Inheritance (Provision for […]
Case Summary Haley v Haley [2020] EWCA Civ 1369 Facts W made an application for financial relief through the normal court process, with an unsuccessful FDR. The parties were unable to settle and the matter was set down for a final hearing. A week before the date of the final hearing, the parties were told there […]
Introduction The quashing of Ceon Broughton’s conviction was met with indignation. The well-publicised tragedy of Louella Fletcher-Michie’s death, and Ceon Broughton’s subsequent trial, has cemented a number of conclusions in the court of public opinion. This article will set out why the Court of Appeal decided to overturn Mr Broughton’s conviction for manslaughter. […]
In R v AD [2020] EWCA Crim 849 the Court of Appeal quashed Mr D’s convictions for sexual assault and assault by penetration after hearing fresh evidence which undermined the medical evidence which had led to the prosecution. The case joins a long list of seemingly water-tight convictions subsequently quashed on appeal after the expert […]
It is no secret that the effects of COVID 19 have had a substantially detrimental effect on the “flow” of cases through the Crown Court. Prior to the lockdown, approximately 39,000 cases were waiting to be heard; now, five months on, there are well over 41,000 by most estimates. Some trials are being listed as […]
John’s Campaign has been fighting for changes to the way our care homes operate since 2014, with the belief that carers should not just be allowed in, but should be welcomed. On September 9th, John’s Campaign launched a legal challenge against the Government’s guidance on care home visits during the coronavirus pandemic. Jennifer Lee, Co-Head […]
From single-parent families to “blended” or extended family units, whether they be same-sex parents or opposite-sex parents, the concept of the “nuclear family” has become less prevalent, and less apt, to describe modern families in the 21st century. Today’s modern family structures include those where children are created through assisted reproductive technologies and encompass sperm/ […]