News The UNHCR is calling on countries to open their borders to migrants fleeing from the violence in Libya. To read further, click here. For UKBA announcement re temporary closure of the visa application centre in Tripoli and re advice for Libyans whose leave is due to expire shortly. To read further, click here. For […]
The Latest Housing Law News Housing law amendments: this week, the Commons Committee considering the Localism Bill will be debating amendments to the Housing provisions in Part 6 of the Bill. Among the amendments tabled for consideration are proposals to reform the law on tenancy deposits in the light of the Court of Appeal decision […]
The Supreme Court today handed-down judgment in three appeals brought by council tenants, all of whom were represented by Jan Luba QC. None of the tenants had security of tenure, but the Court decided that evicting them would not be "proportionate&qu
The Latest Housing Law News STOP PRESS: this Wednesday (23 February 2011) the Supreme Court will deliver its judgments on the first three post-Pinnock appeals – Birmingham City Council v Frisby, Leeds City Council v Hall and London Borough of Hounslow v Powell. The judgments will be available by 10.30am on the Supreme Court website, […]
Cases Kulasekara v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2011] EWCA Civ 134 (18February 2011)Stanley Burnton LJ noted the Court would deprecate any request, by any party, to require an expert witness who has given evidence and been cross-examined before a tribunal in what was intended to be a precedent determination, to attend for […]
The Court of Appeal has granted Stephen Knafler QC permission to appeal to enable the Court of Appeal to determine whether, when hearing a homelessness appeal, the county court has to decide questions of “pure fact” for itself.
Leslie Thomas and Sarah Hemingway successfully acted for Mr Pannell who suffered injuries when he was punched to the face three times with full force by a police officer in March 2002. He received £40,000 in damages for false imprisonment, assault and mal
Garden Court Chambers has today lodged its response to the government's proposed reforms of legal in England and Wales
The Latest Housing Law News Housing & Anti-Social Behaviour: on 7 February 2011 the Home Office began a consultation process on its proposals to abolish ASBOs, ASBIs, closure orders and the like and replace them with new forms of court order. For the ministerial statement, click here. For the consultation paper, click here. The consultation […]
NEWS How revolutions happen: patterns from Iran to Egypt.Dr M. Almond[2011] Monday 14th February BBC NewsFor further information, click here. Dual uprisings show potent new threats to the Arab States.D. Kirkpatrick and D. Sanger[2011] Monday 14th February New York TimesFor further information, click here. New centres to detain ‘child asylum seekers’J. Brown[2011] Friday 4th February […]
The Latest Housing Law News Reforming Social Housing: on 31 January 2011 the UK Government published the impact assessments for the homelessness, allocation, security of tenure, social housing regulation and housing ombudsman aspects of the Localism Bill. For copies, click here. For an account of UK Government policies on Social Housing developed since the last […]
News The Refugee Council have expressed their concern at proposed cuts of over 60% for services supporting refugees and asylum seekers from April 2011. For further details, click here. Cases ZH (Tanzania) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2011] UKSC 4 In the Supreme Court it was found that in reaching decisions that […]
Court of Appeal Unfair dismissal Orr v Milton Keynes Council [2011] EWCA Civ 62The knowledge of persons other than those appointed directly to deal with the process of investigation and dismissal of employees cannot be imputed to the corporate employer under section 98(4) Employment Rights Act 1996. In the present case this meant that mitigating […]
The Court of Appeal has given new guidance to courts and councils on how to resolve disputes about the ages of children and young people
Garden Court Chambers recently hosted a debate on whistleblowing with Kathryn Bolkovac, a former UN Human Rights Investigator dismissed for exposing UN involvement in women trafficking
The Latest Housing Law News Reforming Social Housing: the Commons’ Public Bill Committee which is considering the Localism Bill took evidence last week from organisations including the Chartered Institute of Housing, Shelter, the National Housing Federation, Brent Private Tenants Rights Group and the Tenant Services Authority. The Committee will now consider the detailed provisions of […]
Cases This week five UTIAC determinations released on 26th January 2011.InAW (sufficiency of protection) Pakistan [2011] UKUT 31(IAC) the UTIAC allowed the asylum appeal of a Pakistani policeman whose wife and brother were murdered by MQM ‘shooters’ and who was accused by the MQM of ‘kidnapping’ the two suspects whom he had arrested. The only […]
The jury at the second inquest into the death of 14 year old Adam Rickwood in Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham on 8 August 2004 today returned a damning narrative verdict criticising failings by Serco, the private company running Hassockfield, the Youth Justice Board, Prison Service restraint trainers and the Lancashire Youth Offending […]
Stephen Knafler QC represented the Women’s Aid Federation of England in the Supreme Court in their successful intervention in the case of Yemshaw v Hounslow LBC [2011] UKSC 3
Stephen Knafler QC and Desmond Rutledge represented a Benedictine nun in a test case in the Court of Appeal, about the eligibility of nuns for State Pension Credit (‘SPC’). Scott v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
