Three and Four Year Olds Able To Represent Themselves In Court?
A senior immigration judge in the United States argued this week that 3 and 4 year old children can be taught to understand immigration law and subsequently represent themselves in court. This claim comes as an argument rages in the U.S. over whether or not migrants are entitled to tax-payer funded legal representation. However, despite reiterating this claim, he was derided by legal and child-psychology experts with the later in particular noting that child development at the ages of 3 and 4 is lacking the logical reasoning required to represent oneself in court.
Right to Die Law To Be Voted on in Belgium
In European news, Belgian lawmakers will vote on a controversial right to die law in which Doctors will be given seven days to approve or reject any person’s petition for the right to die or to pass it on to another doctor if required. The proposed law was introduced by the socialist opposition party in Belgium and is interesting because it also includes healthy people who wish to die. Owing to Belgium’s liberal stance on euthanasia laws, the law is receiving support from the majority of Government and is likely to succeed.
“Mhairi Black: Westminster is worse than I feared” – video interview:
The UK’s youngest serving MP, Mhairi Black, discusses her experiences with columnist and political author, Owen Jones. Black talks barriers to politics, and what she feels is the antiquated Westminster ‘old boys club’. She feels that they are “excluded from reality”, allowing tradition to rule over reason. Jones questions the impact of the Scottish referendum on the Scottish electorate and Black herself, to which she praises the now highly educated and politically engaged population. Finally, she discusses the changing attitudes toward the Labour party in Scotland, and why she feels that this occurred.
To see the full interview, please follow this link:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2016/mar/17/mhairi-black-owen-jones-video-interview
“What the 2016 Budget Means for You” – Miles Brignall
A quick-fire guide to what the 2016 Budget could mean for you, your family, and your future.
Link: http://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/mar/16/budget-2016-what-it-means-for-you
Time for the Legal Profession to Fully Embrace Technoloy?
The legal profession is one which can be seen as stuffy and old fashioned. There is also a sense that lawyers spend so much time learning how things are that they are resistant to change. There are a number of start-ups which are aiming to change this and bring some innovation. In a shrinking market with improving competition a number of firms are attempting to position themselves at the forefront of legaltech.
Read more at: http://techcrunch.com/2016/03/17/is-legal-tech-catching-up-to-fintech/
Guy Ritchie and Madonna’s Custody Fight Hits the Headlines
Guy Ritchie has sought advice from Fathers4Justice in his fight with Madonna over custody of their son Rocco. He felt the need to do this in order to get a ‘jargon-free rundown’ of his parental rights.
Hulk Hogan in Court Claiming Damages For Publication of a Sex Tape
Wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan has been attempting to sue the website Gawker for millions of dollars after they posted a video he featured in online. This trial is on-going but has already seen a number of bizarre claims. The New York Times has done an excellent job of going behind the headline grabbing claims to examine the legal issues in what could turn into a pivotal case in internet law.
Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/18/business/media/hulk-hogan-v-gawker-a-guide-to-the-trial-for-the-perplexed.html?_r=0