An offer, a counter offer, acceptance
and a final acceptance
Purpose
Develops the Law
Develops law much quicker than legislation ever can
Develops as society develops
Enhances Statute
Puts the meat on the bones
any enhancement can be
overturned by parliament if not
liked
Fills in the Blanks
There is no Q that does not have an answer
Judges can make up the answer to Q’s by
arguing analogy, and looking for the good
social outcome etc.
How it Operates
- Can develop and enhance our
understanding of an existing Law
- Sometimes takes a wrong turn and
we have to wait for later cases to put
the case law back on straight &
narrow
Recalibrating the Law
-when something is just not right anymore
for society, so it has to be recalibrated
- Marital Rape: S v HM 1989 SLT 469 – in 1801 it was said by (?) that
In no uncertain terms, it is a legal impossibility for a man to rape
his wife (LOL WTF) – not a crime because he is never having sex
with his wife w/o her consent????????
- The court in 1989 decided that this is NOT how a marital
relationship is today. Marriage does not = ongoing consent to
sexual intercourse whenever her husband wants it. YASSSS
- No legislation to this rule, it was just no longer appropriate
"Family" Definition:
- Gammans v Ekins [1950] 2 all ER 140 – when a tenant dies, the
tenancy can be taken over by a member of the deceased family.
– The woman he had lived with for 25 years, the mother of his
children claimed to be a member of his family, but they had
never married = an unmarried couple are not a family = eviction
for this gal
- Dyson Holdings v Fox [1975] 3 All ER 1030 – Court
changed its mine = an unmarried survivor of a
cohabitation was indeed a family member – Because
‘Family’, as what society understands, has changed
- Simpson v Harrogate Bourough Council [1986] 2 FLR 91 –
cohabitated couple (lesbians) – are they ‘Family’? – Nah
according to the court. You’re either lesbian, or Family
- Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association
[1999] 4 All ER 707- Now society has moved
on significantly = same sex couples ARE
‘Family’