Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's courts backlog has eased slightly since the height of the pandemic, with around 10,000 criminal cases outstanding at the start of February. Justice Minister Naomi Long said the 10,000 total was up on 8,100 cases in March 2020 but "down significantly" from a peak of 12,800 in Septe

The number of defendants brought back to court for breach of their bail conditions has risen by around 50 per cent in five years, new figures reveal. Provisional figures show there were 2,286 bail revoked orders made in 2019, a 50 per cent increase from 1,523 in 2015 – with a substantial incre

The £108 million redevelopment of Magilligan Prison has been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic but progress has still been made, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. Magilligan is a medium- to low-security facility near Limavady which holds more than 450 male prisoners with six years or less t

The High Court has determined that a Health and Care Trust did not act unlawfully after it reduced the level of social care to two profoundly disabled adults due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The court said that the decision taken by the Trust to reduce care services from March 2020 was r

Defendant insurance specialist firm Horwich Farrelly has reported continued growth in Northern Ireland, with Eva Bashford and Sarah McLeigh joining the team. Ms Bashford joins the firm as a partner, bringing over 15 years' experience of dealing with claims in both Northern Ireland and the Republic o

Controversial spit hoods have been rolled out to thousands more PSNI officers in spite of a call from the Northern Ireland Policing Board for their use to be "phased out as soon as possible". Four NGOs – Amnesty International, the Children's Law Centre, CAJ and Include Youth – have calle

Legislation providing a legal definition of bullying and requiring schools to record incidents of bullying will finally be brought into effect in September. The Addressing Bullying in Schools Act (NI) 2016, which was passed with the support of all political parties, will commence from 1 September 20

English solicitor Greg Cox has been appointed as a trustee to the board of governors of Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP). Mr Cox is the managing partner and CEO of English law firm Simpson Millar and has extensive experience of financial management, governance experience, capital raising and

A prominent solicitor who headed one of Northern Ireland's largest commercial law firms may not go on trial for alleged fraud offences until 2023, a court has heard. Solicitor Ian Coulter, 49, and businessman Frank Cushnahan, 78, were charged last year with fraud offences linked to the sale of NAMA&

Legislation to change how the personal injury discount rate is calculated has been introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Damages (Return on Investment) Bill, which follows a public consultation last year, will change how the personal injury discount rate is set.

Belfast-based KRW LAW LLP has expanded its legacy department with the appointment of Padraig McIlkenny, who joins the practice from the community sector. Mr McIlkenny will assist in both the conflict and historical institutional abuse sectors of the team's work.

Proposals to require courts to approve legal settlements of financial cases involving minors are set to be put to a public consultation after the summer. Personal injury and road traffic specialist firm JMK Solicitors has been calling since 2016 for action to ensure children’s rights are fully

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland has said it will launch judicial review proceedings over the suspension of a PSNI officer involved in an arrest at a memorial marking the 29th anniversary of a mass shooting. An officer was suspended from duty and another was repositioned after Mark Sykes,

Derry-based McCay Solicitors has announced the appointment of Charlene McNabb and Sara Plower as associate solicitors in its probate and property department. Ms McNabb is an experienced solicitor with expertise in all kinds of residential sales and purchases, drafting wills, enduring powers of attor

The UK government's review of the Human Rights Act "presents significant potential risks to stability and peace in Northern Ireland", experts at Queen's University Belfast have said. In a 19-page submission, QUB Human Rights Centre said the review is "widely perceived here as the latest in a long li