The Legal 500 has published its United Kingdom 2026 edition of the best law firms. We are proud to share that Reeds Solicitors remain a Top Tier UK law firm. We’ve made even more improvements this past year, reinforcing our status as one of the best law firms in the country. What is the Legal […]
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It was widely reported this month that several train companies have unlawfully prosecuted individuals by misusing the Single Justice Procedure and up to 75,000 convictions for fare evasion offences have now been quashed. This is shocking news and could have enormous consequences for the train companies involved, especially given that bills could, in theory, run […]
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If you or someone you care about is facing pressure or coercion into marriage, a Forced Marriage Protection Order (FMPO) can provide urgent legal protection. At Reeds Solicitors we specialise in assisting people across England and Wales to obtain FMPOs under the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007. Our expert Family Law Solicitors provide compassionate, […]
Divorce is a difficult and deeply emotional journey for anyone. Yet, divorce as a Muslim in the UK can be even more complex; balancing both Islamic and civil law requirements. Understanding your rights and responsibilities under both systems is essential to ensure that your divorce is fair, respectful, and in accordance with your faith. Marriage […]
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Pets and the Law Ask the vast majority of pet owners, and they will tell you that their pet is not just a possession; they are members of the family! Historically, however, the law has treated pets as nothing more than property, but recent developments in the law suggest that there has been an attitudinal […]
Police handling of online posts has come under intense media scrutiny this month, after three senior police chiefs urged the government to reform the law. Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned that officers should not be used as “arbiters of Twitter” and called for a sharper focus on genuine “real-world threats.” The debate is […]
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Extended Determinate Sentences Previously people who were deemed to be dangerous but did not meet the threshold for a life sentence were sentenced, the Court imposed IPP sentences. These were introduced in 2006 but abolished in 2012 for being inhumane. The Extended Determinate Sentence (EDS) was introduced as the replacement to the IPP sentence. The […]
The Parole Process: Are You Eligible? Whether you are a Prisoner who has experience of the Parole process or whether you are about to commence your first parole review, it is an extremely stressful time. Therefore, it is helpful to understand the general process of the review and when those reviews may take place. Over […]
Eagerly Anticipated Reforms for IPP’s IPP sentences were introduced in 2006 with the aim of preventing offenders who were considered dangerous from being released automatically, even though the offence did not merit a life sentence. This meant that in order to gain release, they had to go through risk assessments with the Parole Board and […]
When couples separate, there is often a lot of tension about their child arrangements. What used to be easy conversations can suddenly become difficult. Some parents may be able to agree matters amicably. Sadly, there will be cases where the emotions are too high, relations strained and even discussing basic parenting turns into a complex […]
In England and Wales, pets, whether it is a cat, dog or a fish are considered in law under the Section 24 (1) and 24A of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973), or the Civil Partnership Act 2004 as ‘chattels’, similar to possessions such as a car or a piece of furniture. The courts […]
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Regardless of how long an unmarried couple have been together, there are no legal protections in place which will grant them automatic entitlement to each other’s property or to obtain financial support. It is entirely possible for one party, if they have no stake in the house and were being supported by the other’s income, […]
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Following a divorce or dissolution of a marriage or civil partnership, the Court must decide how to distribute the property of the people involved in the event that they cannot decide how to divide their finances themselves. The court must apply the statutory criteria set out in section 25 of the matrimonial causes acts [1973] […]
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Delays in the criminal justice system are scandalous. The 2006 case of Picton made clear that failing to deal with cases expeditiously brings the criminal justice system into disrepute. That principle has since been embedded into the Criminal Procedure Rules and Criminal Practice Directions, yet today we find ourselves facing a crisis so deep that […]
Adjudications, commonly known as ‘nickings’ are the procedures that occur when a prisoner allegedly breaks Prison Rules. Prison Rules were always Governed by what are called Prison Service Instruments (PSI’s) or Prison service Orders (PSO’s). However, in recent times we are seeing these replaced by ‘policy frameworks’. Prior to 31 May 2024, adjudication procedures were […]
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Nicola Maynard, Head of Prison Law at Reeds Solicitors, explores the “catch all” provision of an offender’s licence and the struggles offenders face when being recalled for allegedly committing a new offence. You can be recalled to prison for breaching a specific licence condition. There will be a standard catch all condition at paragraph 5i) […]
Police stations are well known to be incredibly unpleasant sensory environments. They often contain bright overhead lighting, constant loud noise, uncomfortable furnishings and unpleasant odours. Clients who present as resistant to these kinds of environments, or the arrest procedure which has brought them there, can often be perceived by the police as being deliberately disruptive, […]
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Jenny Kabala explores the risks of the police’s controversial power to enter homes without a search warrant in pursuit of stolen electronics. I am one of the lucky few who can say that I have never had my mobile phone stolen, but many have! With street thefts of mobile phones and other electronic devices ever […]
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I have long suspected that the police widely misuse the Community Resolution scheme – a concern which is shared by many of my colleagues. Community Resolutions were introduced in 2009 as an alternative way of dealing with less serious crime and have been used increasingly year-on-year. In our experience, police often reach for this disposal […]
This year we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Reeds. In commemoration of this, we are reflecting on our journey, our values, and our commitment to providing award-winning services. Now a multi-disciplinary law firm spanning across England and Wales, Reeds continues to grow as a firm that prioritises quality legal representation and client advocacy. Founded in […]
The re-categorisation of prisoners begins on their reception to Custody, they will have an initial assessment which will determinate their initial security category. This initial assessment will take into account numerous factors, such as type of offence, sentence length, type of sentence, risk of harm to other prisoners or whether there is an escape risk. […]
At Reeds, we recognise that our clients have varying characteristics and needs. This series of articles will focus on how we tailor our practice to support neurodivergent clients, with the aim of making their experience within the justice system as stress-free as possible. What Does Neurodivergent Mean? Neurodivergent is a term used to describe individuals […]
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