It is no secret that the British criminal justice system is under extreme pressure with huge court backlogs, overcrowded prisons, court closures and repeated cuts to legal aid and other funding. It is arguably a surprise that the criminal justice system doesn’t appear to be a priority in the run up to the General Election. […]
The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University have co-published a report suggesting the special measures can be improved upon in terms of the support for vulnerable witnesses they provide in the family and criminal courts. The report examines the impact of the ‘special measures’ introduced following the introduction of a Bill proposed by the […]
Prenuptial agreements or, as they’re more commonly known, prenups have been around for years but were historically the preserve of celebrities and the very rich. This may be why ‘normal’ people are still not comfortable with prenups. However, over the last few years solicitors have reported a big increase in demand for prenups. In fact, […]
Arranging school holidays when you are divorced or separated isn’t easy. As parents you want to make sure they have the best possible time. This may not be easy if you are still not communicating as well as you’d like to or if work is making it challenging for one or both parents to share […]
Grey divorce – the term now being used to describe separations that occur later in life – is on the rise. There is also increasing evidence to suggest grey divorce impacts women more than men and also takes a toll on the adult children involved. Why is grey divorce on the rise? There are several […]
The last significant update to the planning system occurred in 1947. However, the government has recognised planning red tape needs to be cut if housing stock is going to be created at the required rate. This has triggered a range of planning law reforms – some of which are already in force, others are expected […]
An inquest must be held as part of an investigation into any death in which there is a suspicion it was either not from natural causes or it happened in prison or another state institution. Four questions are answered in an inquest: It is also important to note that an inquest is not a trial […]
If you or the previous owner of your property made major changes to the property without getting the required planning permission, your local authority could issue you with an enforcement if they learn of the changes. This is where the 4 year rule in planning may come to your aid. What is the 4 year […]
Although a coroner’s decision is usually final and difficult to question, there are some situations in which you can challenge a coroner’s decision. There is no formal right of appeal as regards the verdict of an inquest. Contrary to popular belief, as a coroner operates independently in a similar way to a judge, the Chief […]
In recent years the use of remote hearings has been crucial to the efficient and expeditious service of justice in the courts and tribunals of England and Wales but what is the future for remote hearings? When used effectively remote hearings save time and money for all involved whilst ensuring accessibility for court users for […]