Lawyers do it standing on their heads

Some days I think that lawyers make better journalists than journalists do. Perhaps journalists would make better lawyers than lawyers do…? Cases in point: Justice: RIP?, regarding the ill informed illiberal illogical response to the way the defence was conducted in the Bellfield trial, by the awesome ex-lawyer-type @_millymoo Legal aid and the negligence of the [...]

T. I. Bankruptcy v A. Relief

There are some old and rather out of date posts on this blog about bankruptcy and ancillary relief. Those interested in the topic can find a more current summary of the law in this crossover area on the Family Law Week site here.

Not-Quite-Absolute Privilege?

Practitioners beware this example of circumstances in which the court will order disclosure of privileged notes of advice given by solicitors and counsel: D (A Child) [2011] EWCA Civ 684 (14 June 2011). John Bolch provides a useful summary here. In essence though: a client who refers in evidence to a change of position about [...]

Bellamy’s Britain

Few people know that before becoming a prominent family judge His Honour Judge Bellamy could be found “wummaging awound in the undergwoaf” giving judgment on rainforests and the life cycle of moss and fungi. Few people know this because it is not true. (“Well, gwapple me gwapenuts!” I hear you mutter). However, it is true [...]

Talking Past One Another

Bloggers generally ask questions, invite comment, engage in discussions, listen to other viewpoints. Some journalists and newspaper websites do likewise. But not all. There has been much written (including by myself) about the journalism of Christopher Booker (Telegraph), in the wake of judicial criticism of his writing. I have written two posts: “Brought to Booker” [...]

Jugular

A friend of mine (Thanks JA) drew my attention to some very apt observations of Munby J (as he then was) in a case called R v LSC (ex parte Bateman), which remind me very much of a lecture by Lord Hoffmann I attended as a pupil – in which he extolled the virtues of [...]

So – Superinjunct me!

The hype about hyperinjunctions is just extraordinary at the moment. There is a vast amount of blogging and commentary on the topic, but I’d like to focus on the issue as it relates to family law. I’m specifically not going to comment on Baroness Deech’s suggestion that women are to blame for the rise of [...]

Naughty Naughty!

The most recent offender to be placed on Nearly Legal’s naughty step is the “family law expert” quoted in a recent Daily Mail article concerning the recent Supreme Court decision in Yemshaw. Adam Wagner at the UK Human Rights Blog has also commented on the endemic problem of inaccurate legal reporting, using this case as [...]

Jones v Jones

For a run down of the substantive issue in this case (Link to judgment on Baili] – thanks Bailii) see Family Lore. However, for the more amusing side of this judgment read on…You can also read Joshua Rozenberg in Standpoint magazine. *screeches to a halt* Oh. In fact, since I started this post and whilst I was [...]

Round Up

A few oddments observed over the last week or so: Lord Justice Goldring has raised concerns about the impact of the proposed court closure programme on family justice. A number of magistrates courts which incorporate FPCs are likely to be affected. If family proceedings were consolidated into the County Court before DJs this would present [...]