Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's strategic framework for ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG) has gone out for public consultation. The 56-page document, developed by representatives from across government and wider society, includes a commitment to delivering "a justice system which has the confidence

Hundreds of people who were unlawfully interned in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, including former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, are set to be barred from receiving compensation. In May 2020, the UK Supreme Court unanimously held that the interim custody order (ICO) made in respect of Mr A

AI chatbots answer questions about divorce law in Northern Ireland and the UK with an "unacceptable level of accuracy", Belfast-based SG Murphy Solicitors has warned. The firm found put ChatGPT and Google Bard to the test, asking a series of questions about divorce law and asking the chatbots to dra

Dame Siobhan Keegan, the Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast. At a special graduation ceremony on Tuesday, Dame Siobhan received the Doctor of Laws for distinction in public service.

Legislation underpinning PSNI powers to strip-search people in custody should be "re-written" to require officers to reasonably suspect that the detained person has concealed a prohibited item, the Northern Ireland Policing Board has said. The oversight body yesterday published a human rights review

A public consultation on the provision of free period products in Northern Ireland has been launched. The Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 aims to remove financial barriers to accessing period products.

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has determined that a child return order under the Hague Convention should not have been stayed pending the outcome of his mother’s UK asylum appeal application. The court highlighted that the return order was directed towards Switzerland, the child&rsq

Belfast solicitor Shannon Gawley has been elected as vice-president of the European Young Bar Association (EYBA). Ms Gawley, a solicitor at Carson McDowell, was elected at the EYBA's 2023 AGM, which took place over the weekend during the association's summer conference in Oslo.

Northern Ireland's new stand-alone offence of non-fatal strangulation and asphyxiation has come into force. Under the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, the maximum sentences for the new offence are two years’ imprisonment in the magistrates’ c

Seven in 10 people across Great Britain oppose a key plank of the government's controversial Troubles legacy bill, according to a new opinion poll commissioned by Amnesty International. The human rights group has published the findings of the survey as the House of Lords continues to debate the Nort

Historic court cases are among a treasure trove of documents spanning more than 800 years which have been unveiled to mark the centenary of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). Speaking at a celebration event yesterday, Colum Boyle, permanent secretary of the Department for Communit

The Northern Ireland Office faces legal action over the disproportionate impact of budget cuts on disadvantaged children, including disabled children, the Children's Law Centre has warned. In a letter to Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, the law centre accused him of failing in his res

More work must be done to ensure greater understanding of and trust in public inquiries in Northern Ireland, an event hosted by global law firm Eversheds Sutherland has heard. The seminar at Belfast's Merchant Hotel took place as a number of significant public inquiries are taking place or expected

Senior Northern Ireland lawyers have shared concerns over the impact on the rule of law of the UK's proposed Illegal Migration Bill. The bill, which is currently before the House of Lords, was the focus of the inaugural event hosted by The Bar of Northern Ireland's new rule of law committee, which t

Chris Quinn has been appointed as the new commissioner for children and young people for Northern Ireland (NICCY), succeeding Koulla Yiasouma. In the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive, the appointment was made by Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris under the Northern Ire