EVIDENCE, DAMAGES AND A SOLICITOR'S GOODWILL
The Court of Appeal decision in Karim -v- Wemyss [2016] EWCA Civ 27 has already received some publicity, involving as it does litigation following the sale of a solicitor’s practice. However the decision also shows the dangers of not bringing…
EXTENDING TIME FOR SERVICE OF THE CLAIM FORM: A RISKY BUSINESS
In Medhi Kohsravi -v- British American Tobacco PLC [2016] EWHC 123 (QB)Sir David Eady stated that he would have set aside an order extending time for service of the claim form. It is a timely warning that obtaining an extension…
PICKING UP BAD CITATIONS: & SKELETON ARGUMENTS – STILL TOO LONG:
In an afternote to his judgement in Commercial Management (Investments) Ltd -v- Mitchell Design and Construct Ltd [2016] EWHC 76 (TCC) Mr Justice Edwards-Stuart added his voice to the many judges who have commented on the excessive length of skeleton…
COSTS,INDEMNITY AND CONTRIBUTION PROCEEDINGS: (OR "COPPERS COP IT")
In Mohidin -v-Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis [2016] EWHC 105 (QB) Mr Justice Gilbart carried out an extensive review of the principles relating to contribution proceedings and costs. KEY POINTS Two police officers who had been involved in the…
LATE AMENDMENT ALLOWED: TRIAL DATE MOVED: A CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE CASE
In G -v- Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Appeal [2016] EWHC 104 (QB) Mrs Justice May granted the claimant permission to amend the Particulars of Claim even though this meant moving a 7 day trial listed in early April…
COURT FEES: LINKS FOR TODAY
The links section is an integral part of this blog. For today, however, I wanted to take those links on the issue of court fees and put them in a post of their own. That is the responses today to…
VARYING JUDGMENT ENTERED BY CONSENT: CAUSATION, APPEALS AND "NEW" EVIDENCE
In Atkins -v- The Co-operative Group [2016] EWHC 80 (QB) Mr Justice Supperstone varied a consent order giving judgment for the claimant on liability. The appeal against the order was not made until six months after the judgment was entered….
WAIVING PRIVILEGE IN WITNESS STATEMENTS: ANOTHER HIGH COURT DECISION
The question of waiving privilege in witness statements has been considered several times on this blog. The case of Commodities Research Unit International (Holdings) Ltd -v- King and Wood Mallesons LLP [2016] EWHC 63 (QB) shows that privilege can be…
KERRY UNDERWOOD ON QOCS: A REVIEW
A review of QOCS, Section 57 and Set off. Kerry Underwood. £25.00. Available online here Qualified one way costs shifting is here to stay. It may be extended to other areas. A detailed knowledge of the rules and regulations is…
RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS, "MATERIALITY" & CONSIDERING THE MERITS IN A DEFAULT JUDGMENT: APPEAL AGAINST REFUSAL OF RELIEF ALLOWED
In Joshi & Welch Limited -v- Tay Foods [2015] EWHC 3905 (QB) Mr Justice Green allowed an appeal where the judge a first instance refused to grant relief from sanctions. Much centred on the definition of the word “material”. The…
COSTS AFTER A SPLIT TRIAL: PART 36; UNNECESSARY EXPERT REPORTS; PROPORTIONALITY AND USELESS BUNDLES: ALL LITIGATION LIFE IS HERE
The short judgment of Mr Justice Males in C&S Associates UK Limited -v- Enterprise Insurance Company PLC [2016] EWHC 67 (Comm) encapsulates many of the problems of contemporary litigation. “It is important that those litigating in this court are aware…
WITNESS CREDIBILITY, ATTENDANCE NOTES AND FINDINGS OF FACT
In Mansion Estates Ltd -v- Hayre & Co (A Firm) [2016] EWHC 96 (Ch) His Honour Judge Saffman (sitting as a judge of the High Court) went, carefully, through the principles relating to witness credibility and findings of fact. Given…
RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS APPLICATIONS: 10 POINTS TO IMPROVE THE ODDS
It is now just over 18 months since the Denton decision. Cases in relation to relief from sanction are still being reported regularly. It is clear that default remains a problem and an issue within the civil courts. Further it…
LORD CHIEF JUSTICE'S REPORT 2015: CIVIL WORK
The Lord Chief Justice’s Report 2015 covers a number of issues. Of particular interest to civil practitioners. The Briggs Review is summarised. There is an emphasis on control of litigation costs and court fees “The Jackson review reforms have now…
EVIDENCE, PROOF AND DOCUMENTS: MEDICAL RECORDS NOT DEFINITIVE OF CONDITION
The judgment of Mrs Justice Patterson DBE in Hunt -v- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust [2016] EWHC 47 (QB) is one where the claimant succeeded in establishing negligence on the part of the defendant Trust. However there is an interesting…
PERMISSION NOT GRANTED TO CALL EMPLOYMENT EXPERTS: THE RELEVANT PRINCIPLES CONSIDERED
In Various Claimants -v- Sir Robert McAlpine [2016] EWHC 45 (QB) Mr Justice Supperstone and Master Leslie considered the rules and case law in relation to the need to call expert witnesses in detail. KEY POINTS The claimants were refused…
JUDGMENT IN OTHER PROCEEDINGS ARE NOT EVIDENCE
A short passage in the judgment of Mrs Justice Lang DBE in Daniel -v- St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust [2016] EWHC 23 (QB) highlights the point that the conclusions in other proceedings are not evidence in a civil trial. KEY…
RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS REFUSED: NO PERMISSION TO SERVE RESPONDENT'S NOTICE LATE
In Pipe -v- Spicerhaart Estate Agents Ltd [2016] EWHC 61 QB Mr Justice Sweeney refused permission to serve a Respondent’s notice late. “Against the background that this is a small claims case, the conduct of the Respondent in relation to…
DECISION NOT TO ADMIT LATE WITNESS EVIDENCE UPHELD BY THE COURT OF APPEAL
There is a brief report on Lawtel of the decision in Judges Sykes Frixous -v- Bhabra (CA 14/010/2016).* This provides another example of a party (unsuccessfully) trying to serve witness evidence late in the day. There are numerous posts on…
NO RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS AFTER BREACH OF A PEREMPTORY ORDER: HIGH COURT DECISION CONSIDERED
In Sinclair -V- Dorsey & Whitney (Europe) LLP [2015] EWHC 3888 (Comm) Mr Justice refused an application from relief from sanctions. (I am grateful to Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd for sending me a copy of the transcript). “The starting point is…