After decades of campaigning, predominantly by family law practitioners, The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill finally received Royal assent and became an Act of Parliament on 25 June 2020. In the biggest shake-up of divorce laws for 50 years, the move towards “no fault divorce” is long overdue, and a welcome change which is aimed …
Author Archives: spainops
HMCTS chief justifies extended court hours to clear backlog
Extended court hours, Blackstone courts and 1-metre social distancing will still not be enough to get the Crown court backlog to pre-pandemic levels, the chief executive of HM Courts & Tribunals Service has admitted. The backlog reached 40,173 by the end of March, at the height of the coronavirus crisis. It now stands at 41,599. …
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COVID-19 UK: Litigation – Court sentences directors in their absence for breaches of anti-suit injun…
In a judgment dated 2 April 2020, which only recently became available, a Commercial Court judge took the exceptional step of sentencing four absent respondents to prison for contempt of court (Dell Emerging Markets (EMEA) Ltd and others v Systems Equipment Telecommunications Services SAL and others [2020] EWHC 1384 (Comm)). Whilst the decision is fact-specific, …
Dos and don’ts of co-parenting during COVID-19 – The Lawyer’s Daily
Nandishi Bekah Co-parenting can be challenging even in the best of circumstances. Throw in a global pandemic and you get complete disruption in normalcy and routines that parents crave. With increased security measures put in place to ensure public safety, adjustments between households with shared custody and access arrangements have to be made. During this …
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Litigation Finance is Cheaper Than You Might Think! – Litigation Finance Journal
The following was contributed by Matthew Pitchers, Head of Investment Valuation at Augusta Ventures. I was in conversation the other day with a prospective user of our finance – a law firm who will remain nameless. The conversation was going well, very well in fact, until those seven words came up: “what is it going …
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M&S coasters among odd things people fight over in divorce battles
Coasters from Marks and Spencer have been revealed as among the toughest deal breakers in messy divorce proceedings in the UK. According to data from Hawkins Family Law Firm and its clients, M&S coasters have been found to be one of the biggest deal breakers in divorce proceedings! They’ve analysed the most obscure possessions their …
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How COVID-19 is Impacting Healthcare Litigation – Lexology
COVID-19 has placed the world in virtual lockdown. In an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus, the Irish government introduced travel restrictions limiting travel to essential travel only. Attending medical appointments is listed as an exception. We explore how the ongoing travel restrictions might impact the medico-legal examination of plaintiffs which is a …
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Coronavirus: New advice for businesses in England on how to reopen safely
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Cinemas are among the venues which will be allowed to reopen from 4 July Updated guidance has been published on how hairdressers, hotels, pubs and other businesses in England can reopen safely from 4 July. It includes advice to reconfigure seating, minimise self-service, cancel live acts and stagger arrivals. …
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Legislation to abolish some jury trials could be passed within weeks
Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland QC indicated today that legislation to allow trial without jury could be passed within weeks – but the changes would only be temporary. Buckland told MPs on the justice select committee that operating either-way cases without juries is now under serious discussion, as the backlog of cases forces radical change to …
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The Road Ahead: Fairness and the Family Courts in the era of Covid-19
Home > Articles Alex Hodge, barrister at 3PB, considers the fairness of a judicial system in which hearings are conducted remotely, evidence and submissions are limited and cases are managed robustly. Alex Hodge, barrister, 3PB In Revolutionary France, the architects of the Great Terror, Citizens Robespierre and Saint Just, came up with an ingenious way …
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