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NLJ this week: Archive: Civil Way

23 September 2022
Issue: 7995 / Categories: Legal News , Civil way , Procedure & practice
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Former district judge and keen legal archaeologist Stephen Gold has unearthed more treasure from the NLJ archives. This week he takes us back to 1935, when stipes and county court judges are told to retire in their 70s but High Court judges can go on forever.

Gold writes: ‘One correspondent found it abhorrent when a judge of 80 dealt with a youth of 17, a divorcé of 25 or even with the torts of the young.’

The validity of Gretna Green weddings was questioned. There was a series of peculiar cases—shenanigans following the loss of a swarm of bees and, perhaps paying homage to the earlier drama of Donoghue v Stevenson, a Mrs Cattermole contracted agonising dermatitis after consuming a tin of peas.

Meanwhile, solicitors were to be considered gentlemen and the Bar Council banned all forms of advertising by barristers. 

Read Stephen's latest exploration of the archives here.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
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