After years of inquiries, why are victims of gross errors by public bodies still waiting for proper …

How much money should go to those given infected blood in the 1970s and 80s? And how much to the wronged subpost office operators? Such questions surge periodically into the daylight and then subside. Last month it was the subpost office operators’ turn, stirring a burst of public rage. Today, an amendment to a bill …

What to Say in Mediation to Have a Positive Outcome

Wondering what to say in mediation? I have been co-mediating with Brian James for over 16 years and unfortunately, we have heard statements people make to their spouse that are offensive, mean, and that ultimately undermine the mediation process. On a positive note, Brian and I have also heard our clients say wonderful things—things that …

Litigation Funding Agreements (Enforceability) Bill passes through committee stage in House of Lords

The government made two minor changes to plug gaps in its Litigation Funding Agreements (Enforceability) Bill yesterday as it passed through committee stage in the House of Lords. In grand committee, advocate general for Scotland Lord Stewart (Keith Stewart KC) described both changes to the short bill as ‘small technical amendments’. The first amendment remedies a …

Cuts to England’s cycling and walking budget challenged in court | Transport policy

Swingeing cuts to public spending on cycling and walking in England should be overturned as government expenditure was already insufficient to meet legally binding climate targets, the high court has been told. Campaigners are challenging a decision in 2023 to cut more than £200m from Department for Transport’s active travel budget for the following two …

Man who raped his wife tried to convince court he was victim of domestic abuse | Family law

A man who raped his wife and was controlling and threatening towards her and their two children attempted to manipulate the family court into believing he was a victim of domestic abuse, a judge has ruled. In a damning judgment Judge Middleton-Roy found the man’s conduct – which included frequently filming of his family using …

Law Society calls for civil legal aid increase over unrepresented parties in family court

The Law Society today expressed its ‘extreme concern’ over the increased number of litigants in person in private family law cases in the decade since the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act came in to force. In a call to the government, it said civil legal aid fees should be increased ‘so that …

Sex offender banned from using AI tools in landmark UK case | Artificial intelligence (AI)

A sex offender convicted of making more than 1,000 indecent images of children has been banned from using any “AI creating tools” for the next five years in the first known case of its kind. Anthony Dover, 48, was ordered by a UK court “not to use, visit or access” artificial intelligence generation tools without …