COST BITES 56: IF YOU DISCONTINUE AGAINST A DEFENDANT YOU HAVE TO PAY THE COSTS
In Lendlease Construction (Europe) Ltd v AECOM Ltd & Anor [2022] EWHC 2855 (TCC) Mrs Justice Joanna Smith held that a claimant that was discontinuing against one of the defendants in an action should pay the costs. There was no…
CLAIMANT SOUGHT TO AMEND NAME OF THE DEFENDANT: CLAIM STRUCK OUT: ANOTHER PERIL OF TRAVEL LITIGATION
I am grateful to barrister Katherine Howells for sending me a copy of the decision of Deputy District Judge Causton in Gregory -v- TUI Airways Ltd, a copy of that decision is available here Approved Judgment Gregory v TUI. …
COST BITES 40: NO ONE GETS THE COSTS OF AN AMENDMENT (WHICH WERE FAR TOO HIGH ANYWAY)
In Walter Hugh Merricks CBE v Mastercard Incorporated and Others [2022] CAT 52 the Competition Appeal Tribunal considered the principles relating to the costs of amendments to statements of case after a contested hearing. On the facts of this case…
APPLICATIONS TO AMEND PLEADINGS SHOULD NORMALLY BE SUPPORTED BY A DRAFT AND WITNESS EVIDENCE AS TO THE MERITS: A RIGHT ROYAL ISSUE
In Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn v HM Juan Carlos Alfonso Victor Maria de Borbon y Borbon (Rev1) [2022] EWCA Civ 1595 the Court of Appeal set out the importance of having a draft pleading to hand when seeking permission to amend a statement…
A PARTY CANNOT SIMPLY ADD A PENAL NOTICE TO A COURT ORDER: IF THE COURT DOESN’T ORDER IT THEN IT SHOULD NOT BE IN THE ORDER
In Taray Brokering Ltd, Re [2022] EWHC 2958 (Ch) HH Pearce held it was not open to a party to place a penal notice on a court order when the court itself had not placed such a notice on the…
WHY A SHORT WITNESS STATEMENT CAN BE MORE COSTLY THAN A LONG ONE? CONDUCT, COSTS, PAYMENTS ON ACCOUNT: AN (UNSUCCESSFUL) APPLICATION TO AMEND THAT COULD COST £1 MILLION
In PJSC National Bank Trust & Anor v Mints & Ors [2022] EWHC 1132 (Comm) Mr Justice Foxton considered issues relating to payment of costs after the claimants had been unsuccessful in an application to amend the Particulars of Claim. …
LITIGATION BY STEALTH WILL NOT DO: COURT OF APPEAL OVERTURNS ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT PERMISSION TO AMEND: CARDS SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE AND FACE UP
The judgment of the Court of Appeal in ABP Technology Ltd v Voyetra Turtle Beach Inc & Anor [2022] EWCA Civ 594 concerns a technical issue in relation to trade marks. However it also demonstrates a very powerful principle in…
APPLICATIONS TO AMEND: TOWER BLOCKS, FIRE SAFETY AND “FACTS” PLEADED IN THE DEFENCE: COURT OF APPEAL DECISION
In Mulalley & Co. Ltd v Martlet Homes Ltd [2022] EWCA Civ 32 the Court of Appeal upheld a decision that a claimant, seeking to amend its Particulars of Claim by referring to matters pleaded in the defence, was pleading…
WHEN A CLAIMANT TRIES TO USE A REPLY TO INTRODUCE A NEW CAUSE OF ACTION: PERMISSION TO AMEND REPLY REFUSED
In Powis Street Estates (No 3) Ltd v Wallace LLP & Anor [2021] EWHC 3269 (Ch) Deputy Master McQuail considered that parts of a Reply was an attempt to introduce a new cause of action. The claimant was not given…
RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS NOT GRANTED AFTER A NINE YEAR DELAY
In Francis v F Berndes Ltd & Ors [2021] EWHC 2350 (Ch) Deputy Master Linwood dismissed the claimant’s application to resurrect an application to amend which had been made nine years previously. THE CASE The claimant brought an action…
NEVER MIND THE… AMENDMENTS…. HERE’S THE SEX PISTOLS: JOHNNY ROTTEN WAS TOO FAR BEHIND THE BEAT…
In Jones & Anor v Lydon & Ors [2021] EWHC 2322 (Ch) Sir Anthony Mann refused an application for late amendment of the pleadings. A Note explaining the nature of the case cannot be used as a substitute for a…
DEFENDANTS’ APPLICATION TO RESILE FROM ADMISSIONS REFUSED: NO EVIDENCE THAT DEFENCE WAS NOT CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BY THE LEGAL ADVISERS WITH THE DEFENDANTS
The judgment of Chief Master Marsh in Financial Conduct Authority v Skinner & Ors [2019] EWHC 392 has only recently arrived on BAILLI. It is an example of the court refusing to allow a party to withdraw from admissions. The…
DEFENDANT NOT PERMITTED TO PLEAD FUNDAMENTAL DISHONESTY ON A SPECULATIVE OR CONTINGENT BASIS
In Mustard v Flower & Ors [2021] EWHC 846 (QB) Master Davison refused a defendant’s application to amend its defence to plead fundamental dishonesty on a “contingent” basis. The judgment deals with important issues as to how a defendant must…
GENERAL RESPONSE IN A REPLY DOES NOT AMOUNT TO AN ADMISSION: HIGH COURT DECISION
In Berkeley Square Holdings Ltd & Ors v Lancer Property Assets Management Ltd & Ors (Claimant amendment application) (Rev 1) [2021] EWHC 750 (Ch) Mr Robin Vos (sitting as a judge of the Chancery Division) rejected an argument that a…
DEFENDANT REQUIRES RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS WHEN THERE WAS £92 MILLION AT STAKE: DENTON CONSIDERED AND APPLIED
When I wrote earlier about the decision in Various Claimants v G4S Plc [2021] EWHC 524 (Ch) I noted that it required more than one post. Here we look at the judge’s decision in relation to relief from sanctions. Relief was…
YOU CANNOT USE A REPLY TO PLEAD MATTERS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE PARTICULARS OF CLAIM
About ten minutes ago I sent off the material for a webinar I am giving tomorrow on drafting statements of case. Inevitably, therefore, a new and relevant case arrived on BAILLI* [the material was subsequently amended to include this] . …
RULE CHANGES COMING INTO FORCE IN APRIL 2021(1): VULNERABLE WITNESSES AND THE OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE
There are some rule changes coming into force in April this year, introduced by the Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2021, these come into force on the 6th April 2021. AMENDMENT TO THE OVERRIDING OBJECTIVE The new rules are referred to,…
CLAIMANTS SUED THE WRONG (NON-EXISTENT) DEFENDANT – AND THE LIMITATION PERIOD HAD EXPIRED: DON’T START BREAKING THE CROCKERY JUST YET
In The 52 Occupiers of the Ceramic Works v Bowmer & Kirkland Ltd & Anor [2021] EWHC 17 (TCC) District Judge Baldwin considered an application to substitute a defendant after the primary limitation period had expired. The judge, if anything,…
AMENDING YOUR CASE AND PAYING THE COSTS: JUDGE ORDERS CLAIMANT TO PAY £100,000 ON ACCOUNT OF COSTS
The judgment of Mr Justice Pepperall in R.G. Carter Projects Ltd v CUA Property Ltd [2020] EWHC 3417 (TCC) is interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly it encapsulates the principle that a party amending their pleadings must normally pay…
CORONAVIRUS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE: THE PRACTICE DIRECTION ENDS TOMORROW: REVIEW OF THE CASES
Practice Direction 51ZA which allows parties to extend time limits for up to 56 days comes to an end on the 30th October 2020. Unless there is a further rule change then parties can only agree extensions of 28 days. …
CLAIM FOR DAMAGES STRUCK OUT: APPLICATION TO AMEND REFUSED: CLAIMANT FAILED TO USE THEIR LOAF AS CLAIM IS SLICED…
The judgment of Mrs Justice Jefford in The Leicester Bakery (Holdings) Ltd v Ridge And Partners LLP [2020] EWHC 2430 (TCC) shows the necessity of being able to particularise a claim for damages. What it demonstrates is that, in claims…
LETTER STATING THAT THE DEFENDANT CONSENTED TO SOME AMENDMENTS DID NOT OUST COURT’S JURISDICTION: TRY TO AMEND AT YOUR PERIL
In Scott & Ors v Singh [2020] EWHC 1714 (Comm) HHJ Eyre QC rejected an argument that a letter stating that the defendants agreed to some proposed amendments by the claimant meant that the court had no jurisdiction to prevent…
AMENDING PLEADINGS? HAVE A DRAFT AT COURT: JUDGE CONSIDERS “CIRCULAR ARGUMENTS” AND A “PARTICULARLY UNFORTUNATE PROCEDURAL LITIGATION HISTORY”
The judgment of HHJ Gore QC (sitting as a High Court judge) in Sivaji v Ministry of Defence [2020] EWHC 2006 (QB) makes interesting reading. It is an object lesson in the need to have an amended pleading to hand…
CLAIMANT NOT ALLOWED TO AMEND CLAIM, OR INTRODUCE NEW EXPERT, WHERE APPLICATION TO ADJOURN BECAUSE OF COVID ALLOWED
In Ludlow -v- Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust & BMI Healthcare Ltd [2020] EWHC 1720 (QB) Mr Justice Jay allowed an application for an adjournment on the grounds that a trial could not take place remotely. However, he refused the claimant’s…
APPLYING TO SUBSTITUTE A PARTY AFTER THE EXPIRY OF THE LIMITATION PERIOD: THE STATUTE AND THE RULES CONSIDERED
The rules relating to substituting a defendant after expiry of the limitation period are always a little intimidating. Particularly when trying to persuade a court to apply them. They were considered in detail in the judgment of Master Shuman in…
CORONAVIRUS LAW: COVID IS NOT GOING TO BE USED AS A REASON TO ALLOW A LATE AMENDMENT TO A DEFENCE
In the judgment today in Pearce v East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust [2020] EWHC 1504 (QB) Mrs Justice Lambert considered an argument that the Coronavirus epidemic could play a part in the defendant’s application to amend its defence. …
PLEADING A DEFENCE PROPERLY: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DENIAL AND A NON-ADMISSION: HIGH COURT GOES BACK TO BASIC PRINCIPLES
There are some interesting observations about statements of case in the judgment of Mr Justice Warby in Aven & Ors v Orbis Business Intelligence Ltd [2020] EWHC 523 (QB). This case emphasises the difference between a non-admission and a denial…
JOINDER OF NEW PARTIES IN EXISTING PROCEEDINGS 2: THE PRINCIPLES (AND THE COSTS!)
We are looking again at the decision of HHJ Kimbell QC (sitting as a High Court judge) in Molavi v Hibbert & Ors [2020] EWHC, this time relating to the principles to be considered in relation to joinder of additional parties….
POINTS HAVE TO BE PLEADED: APPLICATION TO AMEND AT TRIAL CORRECTLY DISALLOWED: PLEADINGS ARE THERE TO ENSURE THAT THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF EACH PARTY’S CASE ARE KNOWN
In Kensington Mortgage Company Ltd v Mallon & Ors [2019] EWHC 2512 (Ch) Sir Gerald Barling, sitting as a Judge of the High Court, dismissed an appeal against a judge’s refusal to consider a point that was not pleaded. The…
AMENDMENT OF CLAIM TO JOIN A NEW PARTY WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE OVER LIMITATION: APPEAL AGAINST JOINDER ALLOWED
In Trainer v Cramer Pelmont (a firm) [2019] EWHC 2501 (QB) Mr Justice Walker examines the provisions of s14A of the Limitation Act in considerable detail. This is one of those judgments that is likely to be authoritative for years…
AN ABSOLUTE CAR CRASH OF AN APPEAL: KNOW WHAT DOCUMENTS WERE BEFORE THE THE JUDGE – A BASIC ISSUE FOR ALL WOULD BE APPELLANTS
Appeals are always difficult. The appellate court has to be persuaded that the first-instance judge was “wrong”, and this is a fairly rigorous test. It is made far more difficult if the appellate court is given the wrong documents. Particularly…
RULE CHANGES (109): ELECTRONIC FILING, INCURRED COSTS AND THE CCMC, SMALL CLAIM HEARINGS IN PRIVATE
We are now on the 109th update to the Civil Procedure Rules. The three points I want to look at in particular are: mandatory electronic filing in the QBD; the costs of the CCMC being clearly categorised as incurred costs;…
DEFENDANT CAN ONLY RESPOND TO THE CASE AS PLEADED: COURT REJECTS CLAIMANTS’ ATTEMPTS TO INTRODUCE NEW ISSUES
There are two judgments on BAILLI this morning in the Glaxosmithkline case where the judge has resisted the claimants’ attempts to widen the scope of their case beyond the pleaded case and the issues set out in a Group Litigation…
FRESH EYES NOT A GOOD REASON FOR PERMISSION TO AMEND: COURT REFUSED CLAIMANT’S LATE APPLICATION TO RE-CAST ITS CASE
In Donovan & Anor v Grainmarket Asset Management LLP [2019] EWHC 1023 (QB) Martin Griffiths QC, sitting as a High Court judge, disallowed a late application to amend. It is another example of an application being made shortly before trial,…
AMENDMENT, FOOTBALL AND THE ALLEGEDLY NEGLIGENT SOLICITOR: SIX KEY POINTS (WITH THE LAST ONE BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL)
There are many reasons litigators should read the judgment of Mrs Justice O’Farrell in Jenkins v JCP Solicitors Ltd [2019] EWHC 852 (QB). 1. It provides yet another example of a claimant suing the wrong entity The firm of solicitors…
NOT COMPLYING WITH DIRECTIONS OR REPLYING TO CORRESPONDENCE – AND THEN BLAMING THE OTHER SIDE: IT DOES YOU NO CREDIT
There are several matters of general interest in the judgment of Mrs Justice Pepperall in Essex County Council v UBB Waste (Essex) Ltd [2019] EWHC 819 (TCC) (02 April 2019). Here we look at the dangers of simply failing to…
“PLEADINGS THAT ARE OF SUCH DISPROPORTIONATE LENGTH AND DENSITY”: “THE CLAIM BECAME IMPENETRABLE AND UNNECESSARILY EXPENSIVE TO DEAL WITH”
In Galazi& Anor v Christoforou & Ors [2019] EWHC 670 (Ch) Chief Master Marsh considered the costs consequences of amendment and the effective discontinuance of certain causes of action. There are two particular aspects of the judgment of general interest. Firstly…
LATE APPLICATION TO AMEND DEFENCE AND WITHDRAW ADMISSION REFUSED: EVE OF TRIAL APPLICATIONS USUALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS
There is a second reason to look at the judgment today by Mr Justice Arnold in Freshasia Foods Ltd v Lu [2019] EWHC 638 (Ch). There was a decision in the judgment on a late application to amend and withdraw from an admission. …
PERMISSION TO AMEND PLEADINGS TO PLEAD NEW CASE AFTER EXPIRY OF LIMITATION PERIOD REFUSED: COURT OF APPEAL DECISION: STICK TO THE PLEADINGS
In Samba Financial Group v Byers & Anor [2019] EWCA Civ 416 the Court of Appeal overturned an order allowing the claimant permission to amend its case. In essence the Court of Appeal decided that where a court was considering an…
PERMISSION TO AMEND GIVEN TO PLEAD COSTS PAID IN PREVIOUS ACTION AS DAMAGES: GAMBLING ON GETTING A SECOND CHANCE
In Playboy Club London Ltd v Banca Nazionale Del Lavora SPA [2019] EWHC 303 (Comm) the High Court granted the claimant permission to amend to include, as a claim for damages, the costs of a previous action. “I have come to…
JUDGE ALLOWS CLAIMANT TO RELY ON MATTERS THAT TOOK PLACE AFTER TRIAL: VERY, VERY LATE AMENDMENT ALLOWED
There are several interesting procedural issues that arise in the judgment of HHJ Halliwell (sitting as a High Court Judge) in Currie v Thornley & Anor [2019] EWHC. 172 (Ch). One of which is the judge’s decision to allow the claimant…
LET US JUST IGNORE THE PLEADED CASE (MY PLEADED CASE ANYWAY): WHEN THE PARTIES COULDN’T EVEN AGREE ON A STATEMENT OF ISSUES
There is an interesting passage in the judgment of HHJ Klein (sitting as a judge of the High Court) in UK Learning Academy Ltd v The Secretary of State for Education [2018] EWHC 2915 (Comm). It relates to the statements of…
SIX YEARS ON: YOU SHOULD KNOW THE CASE YOU WANT TO PLEAD: CLAIMANT’S ACTION STRUCK OUT BECAUSE OF INABILITY TO PARTICULARISE CASE
The judgment of HHJ Platts in Wrightson -v- Flor Projects Limited [2018] EWHC 3036 (QB) provides, amongst other things, an important warning on the need to plead and particularise a case properly. The case shows that when a claimant has…
LATE APPLICATION TO AMEND DEFENCE RIGHTFULLY REFUSED: LATE APPLICATION TO AMEND NOTICE OF APPEAL ALSO GOT THE BARNSLEY CHOP
In First Tower Trustees Ltd & Anor v CDS (Superstores International) Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 1396 the Court of Appeal upheld a decision by the trial judge to refuse a late amendment to the defence. An application to amend the Notice…
THE LIMITS OF DECLARATORY RELIEF: THE DANGERS OF APPLYING FOR IT: CLAIMANT’S ARGUMENTS (AND PLEADINGS) FAIL TO RAISE THE ROOF
I am grateful to my colleague John de Waal QC at Hardwicke for bringing my attention to the judgment of Mrs Justice O’Farrell in Office Depot International (UK) Ltd v UBS Asset Management (UK) Ltd & Ors [2018] EWHC 1494 (TCC). It…
WHEN THE LIMITATION ACT IS NOT YOUR BEST FRIEND: “SHEER INCOMPETENCE” DOES NOT PERSUADE A COURT TO EXERCISE ITS DISCRETION
CPR 17.(4) is always one of the most “challenging” sections of the Limitation Act in practice. Amending the name of a party after the expiry of the limitation period is not always easy. The judgment in Best Friends Group & Anor…
ATTEMPTING TO RELY ON MATTERS WHERE PERMISSION TO AMEND HAD BEEN REFUSED: A BRIDGE TOO FAR
In Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd v Sarens (UK) Ltd [2018] EWHC 751 (TCC) the court rejected an attempt by a party to argue a case which had not been pleaded. The defendant had been refused permission to amend its defence and counterclaim…
LATE AMENDMENT: COURT OF APPEAL DECISION
We looked at the decision in Nesbit Law Group LLP -v- Acasta European Insurance Company Limited (Leeds Mercantile Court 15.9.16) in an earlier post. The defendant appealed to the Court of Appeal Nesbit Law Group LLP v Acasta European Insurance Company Ltd [2018]…
DENTON CONSIDERED: ADDITIONAL ALLEGATIONS MADE IN RELATION TO A SOLICITOR FORGING A WITNESS STATEMENT
The Denton criteria were considered by Mr Justice Sweeney in Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Ltd v Khan & Ors [2018] EWHC 94 (QB). These were considered in an an unusual context. There are allegations (and it must be stressed that these…
SETTING ASIDE A DEFAULT JUDGMENT DURING CLOSING SUBMISSIONS AT TRIAL: A “HIGHLY UNUSUAL CASE”
I am grateful to barrister Robert Smith for sending me a copy of the judgment of His Honour Judge Gargan in the case of Jackson -v- Durham County Council & ors (20th December 2017). The judgment dealt with the issue…
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