Neha Patil (Editor)

Law Reform Committee

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The Law Reform Committee was a committee in England and Wales appointed by the Lord Chancellor "to consider, having regard especially to judicial decisions, what changes are desirable in such legal doctrines as the Lord Chancellor may from time to time refer to Committee".

Contents

The Lord Chancellor's decision to create this committee was announced on 2 May 1952 by the Attorney General, Lionel Heald, at the dinner of the West Surrey Law Society. The Solicitors Journal said that the proposed step was "overdue". The Committee was appointed on 16 June 1952. In 2006, John Wheeler said that the Committee was "defunct".

Composition

Six members of the Committee were judges, two were Queen's Counsel, two were solicitors and the remaining three were professors of law.

Reports

  • Third Report (Occupiers' Liability to Invitees, Licensees and Trespassers). Cmd 9305. HMSO. London. November 1954.
  • Ninth Report (Liability in Tort between Husband and Wife). Cmnd 1268. HMSO. London. January 1961.
  • Eleventh Report. Cmnd 2017. 1963.
  • Twelfth Report (Transfer of Title to Chattels). Cmnd 2958. HMSO. London. April 1966.
  • Thirteenth Report (Hearsay Evidence in Civil Proceedings). Cmnd 2964. HMSO. London. May 1966.
  • Fourteenth Report (Acquisition of Easements and Profits by Prescription). Cmnd 3100. HMSO. London. October 1966.
  • Fifteenth Report (The Rule in Hollington v. Hewthorn). Cmnd 3391. HMSO. London. September 1967.
  • Sixteenth Report (Privilege in Civil Proceedings). Cmnd 3472. HMSO. London. December 1967.
  • Seventeenth Report (Evidence of Opinion and Expert Evidence). Cmnd 4489. HMSO. London. October 1970.
  • Eighteenth Report (Conversion and Detinue). Cmnd 4774. HMSO. London. September 1971.
  • Nineteenth Report (Interpretation of Wills). Cmnd 5301. HMSO. London. May 1973.
  • Twentieth Report (Interim Report on Limitation of Actions: In Personal Injury Claims). Cmnd 5630. HMSO. London. May 1974.
  • Twenty-first Report (Final report on limitation of actions). Cmnd 6923. HMSO. London. September 1977.
  • Twenty-second Report (The making and revocation of wills). Cmnd 7902. HMSO. London. May 1980.
  • Twenty-third Report (The powers and duties of trustees). Cmnd 8733. HMSO. London. October 1982.
  • Twenty-fourth Report (Latent Damage). Cmnd 9390. HMSO. London. November 1984.
  • Implementation

    Recommendations contained in the third report were implemented by the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957.

    The recommendations contained in the twelfth report had not been implemented by 2006.

    The recommendations made in the eighteenth report were given "partial and modified effect" by the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977.

    Recommendations contained in the nineteenth report were implemented by sections 20 and 21 of the Administration of Justice Act 1982.

    Recommendations contained in the twenty-first report were implemented by the Limitation Amendment Act 1980.

    Recommendations contained in the twenty-second report were implemented by section 17 of the Administration of Justice Act 1982.

    Recommendations contained in the twenty-fourth report were implemented by the Latent Damage Act 1986.

    References

    Law Reform Committee Wikipedia