Child neglect law – unnecessary tinkering, unintended consequences
By Robert Bryan The Child Maltreatment Bill has barely progressed towards the statute book – and perhaps with good reason. This Private Member’s Bill, presented to the House on the 19th June 2013, is...
View ArticleAbortion counselling – why statutory regulation is needed
By Michelle Heeley Abortion is an emotive subject, regardless of political persuasion. It is one of the few issues that genuinely has the ability to polarise opinion, with neither side likely to be...
View ArticleReoffending reforms – no refinement of relevance
By Lucy Corrin The Government has today announced their long-awaited reforms to disclosure of previous convictions for rehabilitated offenders. If someone is asked to disclose convictions, an unspent...
View ArticleStatutory backing for pre-nups – a welcome proposal
By Collette Bailey The Law Commission began in 2009 to examine the status and enforceability of marital property agreements, which we refer to as pre-nups. Pre-nups do not currently have statutory...
View ArticleMental Capacity Act 2005 – a damning report
By Alexander Ruck Keene The House of Lords Select Committee appointed to undertake post-legislative scrutiny of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) has now reported. After a mammoth evidence...
View ArticleRight to privacy: can we really trust Google Glass?
By David Cook It is difficult to have missed the hype surrounding Google Glass (referred to simply as “Glass”), not only because of its futuristic technological capabilities and design, but also the...
View ArticleNo maternity rights for surrogate parents?
By Samantha Ellaby In the recent cases of CD v ST and Z v A Government Department and the Board of Management of a Community School, the ECJ clarified the EU position regarding the protections and...
View ArticleBar calls off action – views from the profession
By Rebecca Carter In a turbulent week for criminal lawyers, the profession, until recently so united in protest against legal aid fee cuts, has voiced strong and mixed reaction to the Criminal Bar...
View ArticleCriminal Justice and Courts Bill – new criminal offences
By Dan Bunting Another year, and yet more criminal justice legislation. The Criminal Justice and Courts Bill 2013-14 is going through Parliament at the moment, and it will come as no surprise that it...
View ArticleTackling child abuse: is mandatory reporting the answer?
By Declan O’Dempsey Former Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, has called for an overhaul of the law concerning safeguarding children. In a previous post I considered the current...
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