Court withdraws parental order after couple discover they’re unrelated to surrogate-born twins
A judge for the family division of the High Court has given permission for a “blameless” couple who had fertility treatment in Sri Lanka to apply for an adoption order after it was discovered that the babies in their care were not biologically related to either of them. Non-identical twins, who are now nearly seven […]
£2m court dispute ‘highlights importance of legal documents in family agreements’
A father and son dispute being heard in London’s High Court is “a stark reminder” of the risks of agreeing significant family arrangements without clear legal documentation, a private wealth dispute expert has warned. Kate Harris, partner in the private wealth disputes team at Birketts LLP, said Harry Lambert’s £2 million claim against his father […]
Kinship carers face ‘double challenge’ ahead of SEND reforms, report finds
A new report calls on the government to embed a recognition of kinship care and understanding of trauma into its special educational needs (SEND) reforms. The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Kinship Care report, Fighting Two Battles, shines a spotlight on the experiences of children with SEND who are raised by kinship carers. Kinship […]
Contempt of court appeal brought by law firm owner’s widow dismissed
The widow of a “giant of the legal profession in Birmingham” has lost her appeal against a 28-day suspended prison sentence for contempt. Sophie Fleming was previously found to have harassed the executors of her solicitor husband Brendan Fleming’s £8 million estate. In proceedings at the High Court in January, His Honour Judge Tindall described […]
Victims’ Right to Review to get national rollout after ‘success’ of pilot scheme
The solicitor general has announced a national rollout of the Victims’ Right to Review scheme a year on from its launch. Following a successful pilot launched in the West Midlands in June 2025, rape and sexual assault survivors across all of England and Wales will have the right to ask for their cases to be […]
CTJ shares protocol for legal professionals with concerns about judges
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary (CTJ) has published a protocol to support legal professionals who wish to raise informal concerns about judicial behaviour. The protocol formalises an existing route for reporting concerns and does not replace the formal complaints process, but is intended to give legal professionals greater clarity on how concerns can be raised and addressed. The […]