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A case has caught my eye this morning as I’m a mum myself to two small children, aged 6 and 4. Like most mums, the move from a child car seat to a booster seat is a great relief. It allows more flexibility and comfort. However, the case of Hughes v...
For someone still fighting to overturn their conviction after an unsuccessful appeal, the Criminal Cases Review Commission is their last chance. Established as an independent body to consider suspected miscarriages, it is the last mechanism in England,...
I was astounded to hear on the regional news yesterday evening that a local mother had been refused car insurance after she moved a few doors down the lane from where she had lived for years. Clare Blackwell says she was told it was because she was now...
Attending conferences and training courses is a fundamental part of my job, but it does involve time away from the office and home, and I often have to weigh up the pros and cons of attending such events. Having just come back from attending the APIL...
The Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association held its annual conference last weekend. The theme of the event was “Miscarriages of justice, who cares? The association was formed in 2002 with a view to promoting better representation for those persons...
The law in relation to unmarried couples remains very different to that of married couples. The Law Commission recently reported on recommendations to provide some level of equality for unmarried couples but to date these have not been instituted and the law...
The BBC consumer programme "Watchdog" has spoken out against insurers who hike policyholders renewal costs whilst simultaneously offering cheaper deals online. A practice was uncovered of insurers increasing renewal premiums for their existing...
Today sees the start of a test case, which will push the limits of car insurance policies further than ever before and which has insurers nervously awaiting it’s outcome. The case involves eight of the victims of John Worboys, the notorious London...
I was pleasantly surprised to read that the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) has recently announced changes to the Untraced Driver Agreement 2003. In the recent past a claimant making a claim under this agreement would have been subject to a £300...
Ten years ago, Stephensons’ consultant Campbell Malone, along with a number of other leading specialist criminal appeal lawyers, helped establish the Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association. One of the reasons for doing so was a feeling at the time that...
It is amazing to think that nearly 12 years have elapsed since the publication of the first edition of Taylor on Criminal Appeals. That edition has always been one of the most thumbed works of reference amongst my own criminal appeal colleagues and the...
For many years it was believed by accident investigators that if there was no damage to a vehicle in a car accident, it was extremely unlikely that anyone in either of the cars would have suffered any personal injury. However, this was refuted by many people...
Arbitration isn’t a new concept. It has been used successfully in commercial disputes for some time. However, commercial disputes are often funded by a company and not by individual’s earnings after tax. Family disputes are often unexpected and...
I received some tragic news this weekend about a very good school friend of mine, who sadly died in a fatal accident on the A666 road to Blackburn. The A666 road, also know as 'Devil's Highway' or 'Devils Road' has claimed yet another...
Earlier this month, the launch of a series of essays entitled "Wrongly accused: Who is responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice?" was held at the College of Law. It is the fourth publication in the JusticeGap series (published by...
I was saddened to learn that the body of a walker from the Greater Manchester area had been found on the morning of Wednesday 11th April 2012 in a gulley approximately 2,800ft on Mount Snowdon. I understand that Mr Tyrer had failed to return from the...
To mark Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, last month, the organisation that represents doctors accused of negligence, the Medical Defence Union (MDU), has carried out research into doctors’ failure to diagnose ovarian cancer in women. The MDU...
David Cameron’s latest policy will allow approximately two million social tenants to buy their properties with a discount of up to £75,000. The £75,000 discount will be a quadrupled figure discount in London and a trebling in the...
A major safety crackdown has been launched this week by Greater Manchester Police, following a huge increase in the number of deaths on the region’s roads. “Operation Dice” is a new crackdown on motorists putting lives at risk by flouting...
Being an avid skier, I have for many years never worn a helmet, preferring to feel the rush of the wind through my hair whilst hurtling (on occasion) down the mountain side. This year however was different. Having never skied in Italy before, friends...
We all know that money is tight, and the Government is not immune to these feelings. Cuts are being made to what seems like every integral part of our community. Does it seem fair though that these cuts once again hit those who are most vulnerable ...No, so...
News reports have emerged of concerns over the effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission, the government watchdog charged with ensuring that health and social care quality is improved nationally. The Public Accounts Committee announced today that the CQC...
