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21 January 2026
Issue: 8146 / Categories: Legal News , Tribunals , Immigration & asylum , Harassment
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Lord Justice Dingemans voices concerns on backlogs & abuse

Tackling the backlogs of cases in the tribunals will be a priority this year, Lord Justice Dingemans, senior president of tribunals, has said

In his annual report, published last week, Dingemans LJ expressed concern about ‘rising caseloads’ in a number of chambers, with the Employment Rights Act 2025 and Renters’ Rights Act 2025 ‘likely to increase the workloads’.

Immigration and asylum judges, for example, have faced a ‘substantial increase in workload following a surge of decision-making by the Home Office’ while being subject to ‘unwarranted media commentary’ and ‘abusive language and explicit discriminatory abuse’ in comments below articles.

Home Office plans for a body of assessors to take decisions on asylum appeals, announced in August and scheduled to be in place for some appeals in 2027, have not materialised. Dingemans LJ said: ‘Legislation will be required to effect any changes but there are, as yet, no drafts of any legislative provisions.’

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Morr & Co—20 promotions

Morr & Co—20 promotions

Firm announces double-digit promotions, including two new partners

Switalskis—Jonathan Hyldon

Switalskis—Jonathan Hyldon

Head of commercial property appointed in Lincolnshire

Excello Law—Caroline Gray & Mick Hewitt

Excello Law—Caroline Gray & Mick Hewitt

Corporate and commercial property partners appointed in Manchester and Stoke

NEWS
Family law chambers 4PB has announced the return of the Alan Inglis Memorial Essay Prize for a third consecutive year, honouring the life and legacy of LGBTQ+ advocate and barrister Alan Inglis

A long-standing issue in family justice can now be resolved, thanks to recently launched charity the Separated Parenting Programme Directory (SPPD)

Contract damages are usually assessed at the date of breach—but not always. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Gascoigne, knowledge lawyer at LexisNexis, examines the growing body of cases where courts have allowed later events to reshape compensation
The Supreme Court has restored ‘doctrinal coherence’ to unfair prejudice litigation, writes Natalie Quinlivan, partner at Fieldfisher LLP, in this week' NLJ
Medical reporting organisation fees have become ‘the final battleground’ in modern costs litigation, says Kris Kilsby, costs lawyer at Peak Costs and council member of the Association of Costs Lawyers, in this week's NLJ
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