The Supreme Court has unanimously rejected a legal challenge to the £18,600 minimum income rule for British citizens seeking to bring non-European Economic Area spouses into the UK, in R (oao MM (Lebanon) & Ors) v Home Secretary [2017] UKSC 10. However, the Justices did criticise Home Office rules for failing to look at the treatment of children or consider alternative assets when examining the earning ability of the British spouse. The minimum income rule was introduced by then Home Secretary Theresa May in 2012.
23 February 2017
Minimum income upheld
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Bell Yard Kysen—Liz Giles
Bell Yard Kysen appoints senior legal PR and ex-government communications adviser, Liz Giles
Clarke Willmott—Lee Edwards
Clarke Willmott boosts Southampton commercial property team with addition of partner Lee Edwards
Lime Solicitors—four promotions
Lime Solicitors announces four promotions
NEWS
The Attorney General, Ellie Reeves KC MP, and Solicitor General, Andy Slaughter KC MP, marked the 25th anniversary of Pro Bono Week by joining lawyers, charities, students and parliamentarians at events celebrating voluntary legal work
A polished legal defence may owe more to artificial intelligence than legal merit—and creditors risk paying the price in delay and expense
Witness evidence can be compromised by AI before a solicitor sees the draft, leaving safeguards focused on authorship incomplete
Should a conviction stand when a later ruling reveals that the law underpinning it was wrong? The answer exposes a clash between finality and justice
The Environment Agency can prosecute offences beyond environmental legislation where proceedings support its statutory functions, the Divisional Court has confirmed
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