Prisoners inevitably suffer a loss of liberty, but all their other human rights are unaffected by their incarceration. In a case on point, the elderly mother and sister of a remand prisoner who took his own life won £17,500 in compensation from the Ministry of
If a retailer permits a bank to install an ATM on part of its premises, does the plot of land concerned form a separate entity for the purposes of non-domestic rates? In a case with substantial financial and other implications, the Court of Appeal has
Self-employed people are responsible for sorting out their own tax affairs and a little professional assistance in doing so can pay dividends in the end. That, however, certainly did not happen in one case in which a military historian who failed to declare income of
It may seem unromantic, but it really does make sense for couples who live together to see a solicitor so that the basis on which they occupy their homes can be put into writing. One case in which that sadly did not happen involved a
An Englishman’s home is his castle and, depending on the terms of their leases, that applies to tenants as well as freeholders. However, in an instructive ruling, the High Court has decided that a social housing landlord was entitled to access a sheltered flat in
When it comes to workplace disciplinary proceedings, slavish following of rules is no replacement for common sense. In a case where the latter was sadly lacking, a bus driver who was sacked after failing a random drug test succeeded in unfair and wrongful dismissal claims
When can a bankrupt’s estate be said to have been finally distributed? The Supreme Court has decisively answered that question, at least under Scottish law, in enabling a former bankrupt to retain the majority of the £56,000 compensation he received after being mis-sold payment protection
Workplace disciplinary proceedings are always tense and it is vital to remember that their reasonableness is likely to be examined in detail by Employment Tribunals (ETs) after the event. In a case on point, a carpenter who was sacked after being accused of describing gay
Foreign judgments that are registered in England can be enforced against assets in this country in just the same way as domestic judgments. However, as a High Court ruling showed, such registration is not automatic and will only be permitted where it is just and
What is a landlord? The answer to that question may appear obvious. However, as a guideline Court of Appeal decision showed, the issue can be far from straightforward in circumstances where a great many homes are occupied under subleases. The freeholders of a block of
