Projects

Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements

Project status: Complete

Download the report Download the report summary The problem Divorce and the dissolution of civil partnership almost always have financial consequences. Many couples resolve the financial consequences of divorce or dissolution without going to court. But where this is not possible, the courts have a very broad discretion to redistribute the parties’ property and income. … Read more >

Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty

Project status: Complete

Download the report Download the summary Download the Easy Read summary The problem The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards aim to protect people who lack mental capacity, but who need to be deprived of liberty so they can be given care and treatment in a hospital or care home. If a person’s right to liberty needs … Read more >

Mental Incapacity

Project status: Complete

Our decision to investigate the law relating to mental incapacity was made after a number of outside bodies drew problems and deficiencies in the present law to our attention. The Law Society in particular provided much of the stimulus for the review by publishing a discussion document in January 1986. An important case (Re F) … Read more >

Misconduct in Public Office

Project status: Complete

Download the full report here. Download a summary of the full report here. Download a Welsh version of the summary here. The current offence and its problems Misconduct in public office is a common law offence: it is not defined in any statute. It carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The offence requires that: … Read more >

Misuse of Trade Secrets

Project status: Consultation

This consultation exercise examined the question as to whether there should be criminal liability for the deliberate misuse of the trade secrets of another.

Modernising Trust Law for a Global Britain

Project status: Pre-project

The problem A trust is a way of managing assets. Trusts are used widely by people and businesses. Trusts are a significant source of business for the UK and many international corporations and individuals use English law and courts to govern their arrangements. However, English trust law hasn’t been comprehensively reviewed since 1925. Meanwhile, places … Read more >

Murder

Project status: Complete

Download Murder report (1): Partial Defences to Murder Download Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide The problem The law governing homicide in England and Wales has some rules which have remained unaltered since the seventeenth century. This is even though it has long been acknowledged that they are in dire need of reform. In our 2004 report, … Read more >

Museum Collections

Project status: Pre-project

The problem Britain’s museums are envied the world over, with a rich heritage informing each new generation of the past. But museums face significant problems dealing with objects where acquisition records are hard to come by and as a result it is impossible to know whether the item was gifted outright or loaned to the … Read more >