Law and Disorder: News, politics and more, from a legal perspective

What state are our prisons really in? At 98% capacity but with a 68% reoffending rate (for shorter sentences), it seems punishment we're good at, but rehabilitation we are not, nor are we freeing up space for other convicts, which in turn would help tackle the great criminal court backlog. To help us understand where we're headed - or where we'd like to be - we're joined this week by the head of the Howard League for Penal Reform. Andrea Coomber KC.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Accidents happen all the time, but how many of us have taken measures to ensure the life support machine is kept on (or turned off) according to our compos mentis desires? This week we are joined by Celia Kitzinger, founding co-director of the Open Justice Court of Protection Project and an honorary professor in the School of Law and Politics at the University of Cardiff, to discuss the merits and demerits of the Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (ADRT), or living will, the legally binding document used to refuse specific medical treatments in the future if one loses the capacity to make or communicate decisions. Our conversation, of course, is kicked off by a scene from one of our favourite American medical dramas, The Pitt.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dealing with pets on divorce seems to be an 'if you know you know' area of the law - and it's not a big area. There is very little in place to protect pets and their owners upon relationship breakdown and far too often, the process is worsened or prolonged significantly due to the fight for cat custody. With us to discuss what they describe as 'one of the fastest-growing and most emotionally charged issues in modern family practice' are co-authors of a 'Practical Guide to Pets on Divorce for Family Lawyers', Sadie Glover and Estella Newbold-Brown, as well as family barrister Sarah Lucy Cooper, the co-founder of a working group on pets on divorce and separation alongside Estella.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The judgment has been passed down in a case involving a number of high profile litigants (Prince Harry, Doreen Lawrence and Elton John among them) versus Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Daily Mail. Judge Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed the allegations of unlawful information gathering, in what is being heralded, by some, as a verdict that defends press freedom. For others, however, it will simply license further outrageous behaviour on behalf of private investigators and media organisations. To discuss this, the Law and Disorder team are joined by Charlie Moloney, legal commentator and co-author of McNae's Essential Law for Journalists, and get a dispatch from within the courtroom from Sian Harrison.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.
Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.
Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.
Associate Producers: Lulu Goad
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In early May, Southampton FC was investigated for an alleged case of spying on Middlesbrough before a championship play-off tie. After a whirlwind investigation, the League Arbitration Panel found that the club had "intended to obtain a sporting advantage over their league rivals by cheating" and Southampton was barred from playing in the championship final. Commercial sports and entertainment lawyer, and CAS arbitrator, Jeff Benz joins us to help us determine whether this was indeed a just punishment.

Law and Disorder is a Podot podcast.

Hosted by: Charlie Falconer, Helena Kennedy, Nicholas Mostyn.

Executive Producer and editor: Nick Hilton.

Associate Producers: Lulu Goad
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.