News[JURIST] In a ruling with significant constitutional implications, the UK High Court Friday upheld a law banning the use of hunting with dogs in England and Wales. Challenging the law, the Countryside Alliance [advocacy website] had argued that the 1949 Parliament Act [BBC News backgrounder], which amended a 1911 version of the statute and permitted the hunting law to be passed, was itself invalid. The Act permits the House of Commons to overrule the House of Lords and essentially force legislation to become law over its objection. If the Alliance had prevailed, it might have called into question several other controversial laws enacted under the authority of the 1949 Act. Read the Countryside Alliance's press release on the ruling, promising to take it to the Court of Appeal and then, if necessary, the House of Lords. BBC News has more.
