Northern Ireland

Legislation allowing for certain Crown Court trials in Northern Ireland to be heard without a jury will be renewed for what ministers hope will be the last time, the government has said. The House of Lords yesterday approved an Order extending the non-jury provisions of the Justice and Security (Nor

People who may be eligible for criminal injuries compensation following the removal of the same household rule last year have been urged to apply in the next year. Justice Minister Naomi Long today marked the anniversary of the change which lifted the same household rule for victims of abuse and vio

Northern Ireland's defamation laws could be brought in line with England and Wales before the end of the current Assembly mandate, former Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Mike Nesbitt has said. Mr Nesbitt yesterday introduced a private member's bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly which would rep

A central database of alcohol licences in Northern Ireland could be introduced following the most comprehensive changes to liquor licensing laws since 1996. Stormont's communities committee has published its report on the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill, which returns to the cha

New codes of practice to help disrupt the activities of organised crime groups in Northern Ireland will come into force at the end of June, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. The three revised codes and one new code issued under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) will bring Northern Ireland in

Belfast solicitor Trevor Ringland MBE has been appointed by the UK government as the first special envoy to the United States on Northern Ireland. Mr Ringland, a partner at Macaulay & Ritchie Solicitors, will be responsible for promoting Northern Ireland interests across the US, including in the

Professor Grainne McKeever, professor of law and social justice at the University of Ulster, has been appointed to chair an independent review of the discretionary support scheme. Professor McKeever will be joined on the panel by Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick, also of University of Ulster; Gerry McConville o

Black Lives Matter protesters facing charges under Covid-19 regulations have been told they will not be prosecuted. The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said it had concluded that the test for prosecution was not met in respect of any of 14 suspects on evidential grounds.

Belfast-based KRW LAW LLP has welcomed four new paralegals across its civil, criminal and legacy departments. Jack Murphy joined the criminal defence team and will assist in specialist Crown Court, Magistrates' court and Court of Appeal defence cases.

Barrister-led GDPR compliance consultancy Briefed.pro has announced plans to invest over £760,000 in its Belfast office following support from Invest NI. Specialising in protecting clients from fines and possible prosecutions, Briefed's data protection compliance products and consultancy servi

Legislation to provide for parental bereavement leave and pay has been introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Under the bill, employees who suffer the loss of a child under the age of 18, or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy, will have a statutory entitlement to two weeks' leave and, in

The High Court has awarded £125,000 to Arlene Foster arising out of a defamation action taken against celebrity doctor Christian Jessen. Giving judgment in the case, Mr Justice Gerry McAlinden stated that it was an “outrageously bad libel” which caused significant upset to the Firs

The Department of Health (DoH) paid £32.8 million on clinical and social care negligence cases in 2019/20, a 12 per cent increase on the previous year. A new statistical bulletin shows that £23.2 million was paid in damages in the year ending 31 March 2020, £6.6 million was paid in

Legislation to introduce the most significant reforms to Northern Ireland's gambling laws in over 35 years will be introduced within weeks. Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey today announced a "two-phased approach", with immediate legislation to be followed in the longer-term with the introduction

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has launched an investigation into an allegation of race discrimination in the police handling of a Black Lives Matter protest in Derry last summer. A member of the public who took part in the protest on Saturday 6 June 2020 has alleged inconsistencies in th