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Home Office rules on determining if asylum seekers are younger than 18 are unlawful, senior judges have ruled. The Court of Appeal has supported a claim made by an Eritrean man, who sought asylum in 2014, The Times reports.

Collection rates of fines issued by both sheriff and JP courts have increased to 90 per cent, according to a new report. The fortieth Quarterly Fines Report, published by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) shows that 90 per cent of the value of Sheriff Court fines and JP Court fin

The UK government could face legal action over the treatment of EU citizens who were denied the right to vote in the European elections because of clerical errors at local councils. Anneli Howard, a barrister who specialises in EU law, said the debacle had infringed EU law, including article 20 of t

Changes to law in Scotland to improve tenants’ rights are welcome but have produced some problematic unintended consequences which England and Wales should note before implementing their version of the law, according to property management company Apropos by DJ Alexander. The firm welcomed the

Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush has been awarded Australia's largest ever defamation payout to a single person. Mr Rush won $2.9 million AUD (around £1.58 million or €1.8 million) in his lawsuit against the publishers of the Daily Telegraph tabloid.

A judge issued a stark warning about the messaging app WhatsApp after granting a conditional discharge to a man who unknowingly downloaded extreme pornography. Mark Glew, 22, was found with images and videos of sadomasochism and bestiality which were downloaded automatically to his phone after they

The disgraced former film producer Harvey Weinstein, 67, has reached a tentative settlement deal with the women who accuse him of sexual misconduct. Lawyers have said that the settlement to deal with the lawsuits and compensate plaintiffs totals about $44 million (£34.7m).

A round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Italy: Charities to be fined €5,500 for every migrant rescued from the Mediterranean Sea

A village mayor has proposed offering free Viagra to young couples to help repopulate local schools. In a decree, Jean Debouzy, mayor of Montereau in north-central France, said he is "in favour of the distribution of little blue pills".

Campaigners who claimed that legislation allowing women to terminate pregnancies by taking abortion pills at home is “unlawful” have had their appeal rejected. The Inner House of the Court of Session upheld a judge’s decision to dismiss a legal challenge brought by the Society for

Lord Neuberger has warned that further cuts in the justice system will lead to a “breakdown of the rule of law”, The Times reports. The former president of the Supreme Court said the rule of law was “absolutely fundamental” but had been taken for granted in the UK following t

Douglas Strang looks at the case law on religious discrimination in the workplace. Some of the most challenging HR/employment law issues of the recent years have related to religious discrimination and in particular the question of whether an employee can rely on their religious beliefs as justifica

The General Data Protection Regulation came into force on 25 May 2018. As GDPR approaches its first birthday, what should be on your to-do list? Martin Sloan shares his top five actions that will help to ensure you remain GDPR compliant. 1. Check your privacy notice and register of processing activi

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has opened a statutory inquiry into Google Ireland's processing of personal data. The inquiry will establish whether the processing of personal data as part of Google's personalised online advertising system is compatible with the EU General Data Prote

David Lorimer, PhD candidate at the University of Aberdeen, analyses a new Northern Ireland report into reforming the law on serious sexual offences. He argues what is law for the accused should be law for the complainer. The Gillen Report to the Criminal Justice Board on reform of the law on seriou