Archive

Update: clinical negligence

Jock Mackenzie reviews cases involving doctors' breach of duty, including allegations of misdiagnosis, failure to seek specialist evidence and evidential matters

Starting young

Operation Bumblebee is back: all over the Tube there are adverts telling would-be burglars that the Metropolitan Police has re-launched the burglar-busting initiative, and, if they have any sense at all, they should not be welcoming these darkening evenings as a heaven-sent opportunity to go out burgling, but rather see it as a time to draw up an armchair by a warm fire and have a quiet night in, reminisce about the old days and get an early night. We, the householders, are invited to defeat the threat posed by those who ignore the warnings and prefer to wander from their firesides on autumn evenings by leaving our lights on. The burglars – well, most of them – understandably do not want to risk burgling a house where the occupier is at home, and so they will either move on to find an easier target or just go back home, rattle the coals and say “nothing doing” to Mrs Burglar.

High Court judge warns over police interference in family proceedings

A High Court judge has warned about the “clash of culture” between the police and family courts after a wardship case was halted for 11 months on the basis of intelligence which turned out to be unproven.

Shopping around

Practitioners who find their divorcing client has a Scottish connection should consider forum shopping between Scotland and England, says Scott Cochrane

Tepid welcome for Law Commission's review of intestacy laws for cohabitants

Cohabitants who have lived together for more than five years could be given the same rights on death as married couples under plans unveiled by the Law Commission.

At crisis point

Splitting the criminal and civil legal aid budget could be useful, but Sir Ian Magee must also consider other problems with the system if he is to save it from collapsing entirely, warns Russell Conway

Preparing the way

Recent proposals applying to low-value motor claims will fundamentally alter current practices and costs rewards in injury litigation, and firms will need to adapt their processes accordingly, says Alistair Kinley

Tender moments

Procurement rules are clear that not all development agreements should be subject to the tendering process but further clarification is needed to determine where the line should be drawn, says Pavlos Eleftheriadis