April 27th - This week the Justice Beat focuses on a salacious mix of strip clubs, celebrities, divorce and strange tax bedfellows.
Strip clubs
1. Should councils consider how strip clubs impact women and gender equality when granting licences? A group of campaigners say they should and have been granted permission to challenge Sheffield’s strip club licensing policy. They’ve launched a CrowdJustice campaign to cover their legal costs in a challenge which could force councils across the country to reconsider allowing strip clubs, reports the Guardian.
Celebrities
2. This week, Rose McGowan, the actress, feminist and whistleblower who spoke out about Harvey Weinstein and inspired the #MeToo movement launched a CrowdJustice campaign to help other women to speak out, no matter how powerful the perpetrator. Rose spoke out despite immense pressure from Weinstein, his lawyers and PR agencies. A timely campaign given this week it emerged that magic circle firm Allen & Overy is under investigation for drawing up a gagging order on behalf of Harvey Weinstein, reports the Law Society Gazette. And the Solicitors Regulation Authority have been criticised for letting them get away with it. Accusations of an ‘old boys network’ and ‘cosy relationships’ are being thrown around.
3. Meanwhile, Stormy Daniels continues her legal battle to speak openly about her relationship with Donald Trump and this week secured a “hugely damaging admission”, says her lawyer Michael Avenatti. For the first time, Donald Trump admitted that Michael Cohen, his personal lawyer, represented him “with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal” reports the Washington Post.
Divorce
4. A drive for no-fault divorce has been widely reported this week, but perhaps less well known is the unusual damages claim of a woman who was in the middle of divorcing her husband, but when he died she said she deserved £675K because she ‘still loved him’, reports the Telegraph. The case hinges on whether there was a substantial chance of reconciliation between her and her husband, before he was killed in a road traffic accident.
Tax trouble
5. In a case of tax and strange bedfellows, Ireland is trying to ensure that Apple is not obliged to pay 13 billion euros in back taxes, as ordered by the EU. Ireland apparently fears the collection of the enormous sum will threaten their position as an attractive entry way to the EU, reports the Guardian. The appeal, taken jointly by Apple and Dublin, is expected to be heard in the autumn.
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This week on CrowdJustice the Centre for Women’s Justice are working with a mother to fight for a prosecution after the death of her daughter, students are challenging Lancaster University for missed lecture time, campaigners fight against hospital closures in Huddersfield and Weald Action Group take action to ensure their right to protest over dangerous oil and gas activities.