By Amanda Hill and Lucy Series, 24th October 2024 Hopes were high back in 2022. Tony Hickmott[1] who had spent 21 years in a secure Assessment and Treatment Unit (ATU), was finally moving back to his home town of Brighton, close to his parents, Pam and Roy. This was seen as a new beginning for Tony, who hasContinue reading “Tony Hickmott: Not the happy ending everyone had hoped for”
Tag Archives: Human Rights
A is back home and taking her medication voluntarily: The final hearing in Re A (Covert Medication: Closed Proceedings)
By Claire Martin, 23rd October 2024 Editorial note: Another observer (Meg Niven Withers, a social worker) also watched this same hearing and has blogged separately here: Moving forward in Re A (Covert Medication: Closed Proceedings): A social work perspective The case (Re: A) has been in the Court of Protection since 2018 and we’ve been following itContinue reading “A is back home and taking her medication voluntarily: The final hearing in Re A (Covert Medication: Closed Proceedings)”
Can the court require certain information to be reported and specific words to be used as a condition of publication about proceedings?
‘The court gives permission asked for in paragraphs 1 & 2 on condition that […] the family members are referred to as “they/them” instead of [xxxxxxxx redacted – the words were conventional gendered pronouns]…. any publication should record that there was no formal application made by any party to convert the proceedings from private to public, save for there being a short discussion at the beginning of the hearing’
Tangled webs, ‘enmeshment’, and breakdown of trust: Re A: (Covert medication: Closed Proceedings) – an implementation hearing
By Claire Martin, 18 August 2024 This case (COP 13236134) has been in the Court of Protection since 2018. The protected party (A) is a 25-year-old woman, who has been living in a care home under a Court of Protection order, for five years. If all goes according to plan, she will be back atContinue reading “Tangled webs, ‘enmeshment’, and breakdown of trust: Re A: (Covert medication: Closed Proceedings) – an implementation hearing “
She wants to tell her Court of Protection story but will the court allow her?
By Amanda Hill, 6th August 2024 This is a blog about an application to change (“vary”) a Transparency Order, the order restricting what can be reported from a Court of Protection hearing. Unlike many other blog posts about applications to change Transparency Orders, the application this time isn’t from a member of the Open Justice Court ofContinue reading “She wants to tell her Court of Protection story but will the court allow her? “
Irish cases in the Court of Protection
Jake Thorold & Chiara Cordone, 11th June 2024 Ordinarily, the Court of Protection is concerned with the personal welfare or property of people who are “habitually resident” (a term used in cases involving children and vulnerable adults) in England and Wales. On occasion, however, the Court is required to step outside of this comfort zoneContinue reading “Irish cases in the Court of Protection”
Caesarean: A directions hearing
By Celia Kitzinger, 27th May 2024 The purpose of a “directions” hearing is for the judge to narrow down the issues that are to be decided, and to give instructions (“directions”) on how the case will proceed. The point is to sort out procedural and practical matters. Directions hearings often cover actions that need to be taken (e.g., capacityContinue reading “Caesarean: A directions hearing”
A private hearing before DJ Glassbrook
By Claire Martin, Celia Kitzinger, Peter C Bell and Kim Dodd, 22nd May 2024 A few months ago, we published an audit of “private” hearings – that is, hearings that appear as “private” in the lists on Courtel/CourtServe. What we found is that at least 50% of those “private” hearings had been wrongly listed as such. The judgeContinue reading “A private hearing before DJ Glassbrook”
A day in the Court of Appeal
By Cliodhna Carroll, 8th May 2024 Editor’s note: You too can watch this hearing – it’s recorded and available on YouTube here: https://www.judiciary.uk/live-hearings/re-a-by-her-litigation-friend-the-official-solicitor/ On 30th April 2024, having cancelled my day due to a bad cold and looking like Rudolph the reindeer, I reached for my iPad to find something to entertain me and remembered thatContinue reading “A day in the Court of Appeal”
“For now, it’s a ‘no'”: Court considers access to Grand Theft Auto
By Gill Loomes-Quinn, 28 April 2024 Grand Theft Auto – a series of action-adventure games – was at the centre of this hearing. The protected party (C ) doesn’t want restrictions on his liberty to play the video games – but is (his carers say) “unable to cope with the emotional impact” of them. Gaming “leadsContinue reading ““For now, it’s a ‘no’”: Court considers access to Grand Theft Auto”
Promoting Open Justice in the Court of Protection 