Hopefully practitioners were shocked at the recent HC case where lawyers presented fake case citations to a court which had been generated by the use of AI. The words of the judge should ring in everyone’s ears: ‘2. The referrals arise out of the actual or suspected use by lawyers of generative artificial intelligence tools …
Continue reading “AI – stark reminder”
The new Express Financial Remedy Pilot Scheme (PD36ZH) came into effect in April and will run for a year (to 3 April 2026). PD36ZH supplements r36.2 FPR. The aim is to streamline lower-value financial cases. Applications for consent orders are excluded from the pilot. Where the parties’ combined net matrimonial assets are worth less than …
Continue reading “Procedure – express financial remedy pilot”
‘It is axiomatic that a judge must consider the totality of the evidence’ – and it should be seen to be done. The LA appealed a decision refusing to make a care order in respect of H, who was almost two and the youngest of M’s five children. M had been in a relationship with …
Continue reading “Care orders – judicial analysis inadequate”
M applied for child maintenance for the parties’ seven-year-old son. She also applied under s423 Insolvency Act 1968 for various transactions by F to be set aside. The parties are Czech nationals and met in 2015. The relationship ended in 2022 at which point F reduced his financial support from £2,500 to just £400 a …
Continue reading “Financial claims – disclosure failures; maintenance”
On 25 June the government issued guidance on changes to planning appeals. The aim is to simplify and speed up the planning appeal process. In 2009, the ‘expedited’ part 1 written representations process was introduced. It is a simpler process than other processes for dealing with appeals and allows the Planning Inspectorate to reach quicker, …
Continue reading “Planning appeal – changes”
The HC has heard a case that all those advising on commercial landlord and tenant matters should read. This was a landlord and tenant dispute relating to premises which form part of the Trocadero Centre (the Centre) in London. Very broadly, pursuant to the leases, the landlord was obliged to obtain insurance for the whole …
Continue reading “Commission – not insurance rent”
The RRB is of significance to lawyers in many areas of practice – not just those dealing with L&T work. Practitioners acting for buy-to-let investors or developers buying property subject to residential tenancies or lenders financing such properties will need to understand and be able to report on the RRB. As this is the biggest …
Continue reading “Renters Reform Bill – progress”
The OPG has issued a very useful blog regarding LPAs. This blog covers common questions about finding, searching and viewing them. The blog contains links to all services and so should be read at source, but it includes: ‘I already know there is an LPA in place – how do I view it? If you …
The CA has heard a case which is of significance to the county court workload – the issue being neatly summarised by Birss LJ thus: ‘1. If a credit hire case fails, when and in what circumstances should the non-party credit hire company be made liable for the defendant’s costs? That is the question in …
Continue reading “Credit hire – costs”
The judge described a recent case as ‘extremely difficult’ with unique and complex issues. F was seeking regular direct contact and involvement with K; an order for PR; and a declaration of parentage. All the other parties/professionals involved opposed direct contact and were united in that indirect contact could be the only outcome. The Guardian …
Continue reading “Parental responsibility – contact”