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04 November 2010 / Simon Blain
Issue: 7440 / Categories: Features , Mediation , Family
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Food for thought

Simon Blain digests some bread & butter cases

All too often, the cases appearing in the law reports seem to have little relevance to one’s day to day practice. Even the momentous decisions of the Supreme Court in Imerman and Granatino can feel as if they are of only academic interest, so far removed are they from the problems experienced by the majority of our clients.

Occasionally however, the higher courts do find themselves wrestling with the type of problem which faces every family law practitioner. One such case is Fisher-Aziz v Aziz [2010] EWCA Civ 673, in which Lord Justice Thorpe, sitting in the Court of Appeal, made some interesting observations about how courts should deal with the former matrimonial home when the family is mired in debt. Another is AA and NA [2010] EWHC 1282 Fam, in which Mr Justice Mostyn grappled with multiple allegations within private law residence and contact proceedings. Both judgments contain pearls of wisdom of direct relevance in daily practice.

Fisher-Aziz v Aziz

This is an exceptionally

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Cripps—Radius Law

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NEWS
A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
Recent allegations surrounding Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have reignited scrutiny of the ancient common law offence of misconduct in public office. Writing in NLJ this week, Simon Parsons, teaching fellow at Bath Spa University, asks whether their conduct could clear a notoriously high legal hurdle
A landmark ruling has reshaped child clinical negligence claims. Writing in NLJ this week, Jodi Newton, head of birth and paediatric negligence at Osbornes Law, explains how the Supreme Court in CCC v Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2026] UKSC 5 has overturned Croke v Wiseman, ending the long-standing bar on children recovering ‘lost years’ earnings
A Court of Appeal ruling has drawn a firm line under party autonomy in arbitration. Writing in NLJ this week, Masood Ahmed, associate professor at the University of Leicester, analyses Gluck v Endzweig [2026] EWCA Civ 145, where a clause allowing arbitrators to amend an award ‘at any time’ was held incompatible with the Arbitration Act 1996
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