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24 May 2021 / John Cooper KC
Categories: Features , Profession , Criminal
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Experts in court: Blackstone's & Archibold

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John Cooper QC returns to share his expert reflections on Blackstone’s and Archbold

From Blackstone’s

It has been a difficult year for the criminal courts and those who practise in them, a point specifically acknowledged in the preface to the 30th anniversary edition of Blackstone’s Criminal Practice, published in 2020 by OUP, where it notes that COVID-19 has created ‘unprecedented challenges for the criminal justice system’.

It rightly refers to the impact of the COVID-19 regulations and the Coronavirus Act 2020 which continue to cause controversy and, at times, confusion in their implementation, not least in the minds of the police and Crown Prosecution Service.

Interestingly, the preface emphasises the important contribution made by the regular supplements provided throughout the year, which keep practitioners completely up to date with a fast-moving situation. A few words need to be said about these supplements. Often forgotten in the context of reviewing the substantive work, they are increasingly essential in an area of law that is one of the fastest developing

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As AI-generated ‘deepfake’ images proliferate, the law may already have the tools to respond. In NLJ this week, Jon Belcher of Excello Law argues that such images amount to personal data processing under UK GDPR
In a striking financial remedies ruling, the High Court cut a wife’s award by 40% for coercive and controlling behaviour. Writing in NLJ this week, Chris Bryden and Nicole Wallace of 4 King’s Bench Walk analyse LP v MP [2025] EWFC 473
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The Court of Appeal has slammed the brakes on claimants trying to swap defendants after limitation has expired. In Adcamp LLP v Office Properties and BDB Pitmans v Lee [2026] EWCA Civ 50, it overturned High Court rulings that had allowed substitutions under s 35(6)(b) of the Limitation Act 1980, reports Sarah Crowther of DAC Beachcroft in this week's NLJ

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