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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

Weightmans—Jason Slatcher

Weightmans—Jason Slatcher

Weightmans appoint new Chief Technology Officer

Mishcon de Reya—trainees

Mishcon de Reya—trainees

Mishcon de Reya announces trainee retention rate of 86%

Sackers—Charlotte Adams & Fraser Sutton

Sackers—Charlotte Adams & Fraser Sutton

Sackers welcomes two new Graduate Solicitor Apprentices

NEWS
LexisNexis will mark the 80th anniversary of Shawcross and Beaumont on Air Law with a live podcast exploring the evolution of aviation law from the Chicago Convention to the challenges facing modern aerospace, taking place on Tuesday 29 September
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Foreign judgment creditors have gained a route to recovery after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Drelle v Servis-Terminal
Surrogacy is growing in popularity, but parents-to-be face a complex legal framework
Winning a judgment may be only the beginning of an expensive enforcement battle, writes Professor Dominic Regan in this week's NLJ
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