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13 April 2007
Issue: 7268 / Categories: Legal News , Public , Family , Human rights
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Evans loses final frozen embryo court battle

Natallie Evans’s legal bid to have a child using embryos which were frozen before she was made infertile by cancer treatment has been knocked back by the Grand Chamber of the European Court.

Natallie Evans’s legal bid to have a child using embryos which were frozen before she was made infertile by cancer treatment has been knocked back by the Grand Chamber of the European Court.

The embryos were created after she had IVF treatment with her partner Howard Johnston. However, he withdrew his consent to use them after the couple split in 2002.

UK laws allow either party to withdraw consent up to the point where the embryos are implanted. Evans argued that Johnston had already consented to the embryos’ creation, storage and use, and should not be allowed to change his mind.

 However, that argument—which has already been rejected by the High Court and the European Court of Human Rights—has been dismissed by the Grand Chamber.

Following a unanimous ruling, the 17 human rights judges said in

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DAC Beachcroft—Paul Brehony

DAC Beachcroft—Paul Brehony

Commercial disputes practice expands with partner hire in London

Ward Hadaway—Maria Coster

Ward Hadaway—Maria Coster

Partner appointed to lead family and matrimonial department in Leeds

Slater Heelis—Helen Marsh

Slater Heelis—Helen Marsh

Commercial property team expands in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS
SRM Recruitment has been announced as the headline sponsor of the Law Society RFC Festival of Sport 2026, which will take place on 20 September at Richmond Athletic Association. The specialist legal search firm joins the event as organisers prepare to welcome more than 110 teams across five sports, including rugby sevens, netball and five-a-side football
The civil justice landscape could be heading for a shake-up, with reform of the Solicitors Act 1974 gathering pace
Global mobility is transforming family law, creating new challenges around jurisdiction, assets and child arrangements
A series of procedural developments could have significant practical consequences for litigators. Writing in NLJ this week, columnist Stephen Gold highlights important updates ranging from digital court reforms to family procedure and admissions of liability
As family structures evolve, the law may face difficult questions about inheritance rights for those in polyamorous relationships
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