David Josty discusses a recent Court of Appeal ruling on the scope of a local authority's decision making in a relation to the national identity of a child in care.

Christopher Skinner, Helen Gascoigne and Elena-Lucia Stoian discuss important new housing law cases from June and July 2020.

A mother recently won an appeal from a case management decision to exclude similar fact evidence in private family proceedings, ahead of a fact-finding hearing. The issues apply to public law cases as well, writes Hazel Samuriwo.

The High Court has considered whether, following an outline planning permission for housing subject to a s106 agreement, section 73 permissions for essentially the same development were bound by the agreement. Christopher Lockhart-Mummery QC analyses the judgment.

Andy Lane and Tara O’Leary consider the late changes announced by the Government to extend the stay of possession claims beyond the 23 August deadline.

Matthew White analyses the first recorded High Court judgment concerning journalistic access to the court file in public law family proceedings.

In planning decisions such as Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and planning appeals, a duty to give reasons is provided for in statute. But since its abolition in 2013, the duty to give reasons for the grant of planning permission by local planning authorities (LPAs) has not been a statutory requirement. Ros Trotman examines the growing body of case law where a common law duty to give…

Justine Soutter considers the effect of a recent case, involving a borough council, on withdrawn Part 36 offers for successful parties.

The Court of Appeal has upheld the imposition of the congestion charge for minicabs. Marie Demetriou QC, Malcolm Birdling and David Heaton explain why.

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that the ordinary principles governing applications for contact with children in care continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though outcomes may well be affected by the practical difficulties that are being faced. Hazel Samuriwo outlines the judgment.

Andy Lane explains and provides an overview of the post-23 August 2020 landscape for residential possession claims.

A recent judgment highlights the importance for local authorities to carefully consider privately-obtained evidence in Care Act 2014 needs assessments and how a carer’s needs interact with those of a person needing care, writes Arianna Kelly.

What can councils do to obtain an injunction after the Bromley judgment? Jack Smyth looks at the lessons from the first hearing after the Court of Appeal ruling.

Jennifer Thelen analyses a recent Upper Tribunal school exclusion case which considered – and criticised – the process of “registering” claims for disability discrimination operated in the First-tier Tribunal.

A claimant recently brought a successful irrationality challenge to an NHS continuing care decision. Michael Armitage and Ciar McAndrew explain how.

It is, perhaps, one of the many oddities as well as ironies of 2020, so far, that having been in national “lockdown” the Higher Courts have produced more planning jurisprudence on the concept of “openness” this year than ever before, writes John Pugh-Smith.

A recent case heard by the Vice President of the Court of Protection, Hayden J, raises three important points about the interpretation and application of sections 2 and 3 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (‘MCA’) in the context of alcohol addiction, writes Tony Harrop-Griffths.

A recent judgment of the Court of Appeal should serve as a reminder to practitioners in the field of Children Law that each case has to be considered on its peculiar facts and by reference, where applicable, to the welfare checklist in section 1 of the Children Act 1989 or the enhanced welfare checklist contained in section 1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, writes Richard Alomo.

The judicial spotlight is now trained on Regulation 32(2)(c) and the direct award of contracts on the basis of extreme urgency, writes Rachel Whitaker.

The Court of Protection team at 39 Essex Chambers explain the background to the government's change of approach to ordinary residence for s.117 after-care.