News & Views

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Garden Court Chambers | Monday 20 April 2009

Judge: siblings stay in home

Garden Court's Jan Luba QC wins Appeal Against Historic Council Eviction Attempt

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 20 April 2009

Issue 131 – 20th April 2009

The Latest Housing Law News Social housing allocation: new statutory guidance for local housing authorities on housing allocation has been issued by the Secretary of State in exercise of her powers under section 169 of the Housing Act 1996. The guidance is contained in the new CLG Circular 04/2009 Housing Allocations: Members of the Armed […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 20 April 2009

Welwyn Garden City resident wins eviction appeal

A reformed drug addict has been saved from eviction despite claims that his presence made the area "a magnet for noisy and ill-behaved" youths. Lord Justice Toulson, sitting at London’s Civil Appeal Court on 1st April heard how a neighbour kept a diary of incidents, and told Welwyn and Hatfield Borough Council that she and […]

Garden Court Chambers | Thursday 16 April 2009

Issue 134 – 16th April 2009

NEWS With effect from 9th April 2009 there will be no fee required for a Certificate of Approval in order to comply with House of Lords Judgment in Baiai v SSHD. Human Rights Watch called on the Sri Lankan government to stop violating the laws of war and to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Sri […]

Garden Court Chambers | Thursday 9 April 2009

Garden Court Welcomes Greenpeace: Pledges Support for “Tokyo Two”

Garden Court Chambers hosts reception for Greenpeace "Tokyo Two"

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 6 April 2009

Issue 130 – 6th April 2009

The Latest Housing Law News New landlords for council tenants: today (6 April 2009) many thousands of council tenants will find that they have a new local authority landlord. Some 44 local councils have been replaced by just nine new unitary authorities. Seven areas are affected. Five of those areas now have one unitary council […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 6 April 2009

Issue 61 – 6th April 2009

HIGH COURT Right to legal representation G, R (on the application of) v X School & Anor [2009] EWHC 504 (Admin)Given the gravity of the allegations made against the Claimant teacher (sexual impropriety with a person under 18 and abuse of position of trust), taken together with the very serious impact upon his future working […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 6 April 2009

Issue 133 – 6 April 2009

News The Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings took effect from 1 April 2009, creating minimum legal rights for victims. Of special interest to immigration lawyers is Article 10(1) addressing "Identification of the victims", which mandates that signatories shall staff provide its decision-making authorities with persons who are trained and qualified in […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 30 March 2009

Issue 129 – 30th March 2009

The Latest Housing Law News The Right to Housing: on 23 March 2009 the Ministry of Justice published a Green Paper containing proposals for a new Rights and Responsibilities Act. The paper re-states the Government’s belief that "…everyone should have access to a decent home at a price they can afford" (para 3.55). But the […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 30 March 2009

Issue 132 – 30th March 2009

News The UKBA has brought into force the Tier 4 (General) student programme for student applying on or after 31 March 2009. The new immigration rules can be found at paragraphs 245ZT – 245ZZD. New applicants must apply using the new Tier 4 (General) application forms and with reference to the new guidance. More than […]

Garden Court Chambers | Wednesday 25 March 2009

Inquest touching on the death of Mohammed Mudhir

An inquest jury sitting before HM Coroner for West Yorkshire, David Hinchliff, today concluded that a catalogue of serious failings at HMP Leeds caused or contributed to the death of 25 year old remand prisoner Mohammed Mudhir who was found hanged in the

Garden Court Chambers | Tuesday 24 March 2009

Issue 128 – 23rd March 2009

The Latest Housing Law News Tolerated Trespassers: with only two weeks to go until the anticipated commencement of the new arrangements for tolerated trespassers (expected on 6 April 2009), the Government has announced that the changes are likely to be delayed. In an unpublished letter sent on 18 March 2009 to Chief Housing Officers in […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 23 March 2009

Issue 60 – 23rd March

EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE The Incorporated Trustees of the National Council on Ageing (Age Concern England) v UK Case C 388/07A retirement age of 65 under Regulation 30 of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 is capable of being justified. Further, the fact that Regulation 3, does not contain a precise list of the aims […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 23 March 2009

Issue 131 – 23rd March 2009

News The UKBA is proposing changes in the rules for ‘marriage visas’ (also covers civil partners etc) – in particular: by requiring those seeking such entry clearance to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have […]

Garden Court Chambers | Wednesday 18 March 2009

Children’s Rights Day

In anticipation of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Garden Court Chambers is hosting an all-day conference

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 16 March 2009

Issue 130 – 16th March 2009

News The UK Border Agency has announced two further changes to the points based section of the Immigration Rules, to come into effect on the 31st March. The changes will introduce a new Tier 4 route for students as well as changing the academic and financial requirements of the Tier 1 (General) category for highly […]

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 16 March 2009

Successful judicial review of conviction of mentally vulnerable man

A mentally vulnerable man who had been convicted and sent to prison by magistrates despite the magistrates' court having been made aware of the fact that he was unfit to plead had his conviction quashed by the Divisional Court in an application for judici

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 16 March 2009

Issue 127 – 16th March 2009

The Latest Housing Law News Rent increases in social housing: tenants of social housing may be forgiven for being confused about the increased rents payable under their tenancies from April this year. Both the Government and the Tenant Services Authority have recently reminded councils and housing associations respectively that there is no expectation that they […]

Garden Court Chambers | Tuesday 10 March 2009

The Freedom Film Fest Retrospective

will be held on the 28th of March 2009, at Garden Court Chambers

Garden Court Chambers | Monday 9 March 2009

Issue 126 – 9th March 2009

The Latest Housing Law News Changing the "eligibility" rules: as indicated in last week’s Bulletin, section 314 of the Housing & Regeneration Act 2008 was brought into force on 2 March 2009. That section introduced changes to homelessness and housing allocation law – for applications made on or after 2 March 2009 – bringing a […]