CLAIMANT FAILS IN APPLICATION TO HAVE APPEAL JUDGMENT SET ASIDE: THE SOLICITOR SHOULD HAVE NOTICED THE APPEAL HAD BEEN LISTED: LATE SERVICE MEANS COSTS BUDGET WAS ASSESSED AT NIL
The judgment of Mrs Justice Hill in Deng v Zhang & Anor [2024] EWHC 2392 (KB) shows a case with a whole history of errors and mishaps. The claimant failed to file a cost budget in time but obtained relief…
PREPARING TRIAL AND APPLICATION BUNDLES: A LITIGATOR’S SURVIVAL GUIDE: WEBINAR 4th DECEMBER 2024
The previous post on Serra -v- Harvey [2024] EWHC 2250 (KB) has led to me finalising a (long-prepared) webinar on bundles. In Serra wasted costs were ordered on an indemnity basis against the claimant’s solicitors because the lateness and condition of the trial bundles. The bundles…
PROVING THINGS 242: THE CLAIMANT WHO WAS GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE TO PROVE HIS DAMAGES CLAIM
We are looking again at the judgment of Mr Justice Julian Knowles in Allard v Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd [2024] EWHC 2227 (KB). This was looked at earlier in relation to the trial judge’s observations about the wholly inadequate counter-schedule. However…
“IT IS ENTIRELY OUTSIDE THE REMIT OF AN EXPERT TO DECIDE WHICH WITNESSES OF FACT HE BELIEVES OR DISBELIEVES”: DEFENDANT’S WITNESS DOES NOT FARE WELL
We are returning to the judgment of Mr Justice Julian Knowles in Allard v Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd [2024] EWHC 2227 (KB). More accurately to the first instance decision which the defendant attempted (unsuccessfully) to appeal. This time in relation to…
A COUNTER-SCHEDULE THAT TOTALLY TOTALLY FAILED TO DO ITS JOB: COURT REFUSES PERMISSION FOR DEFENDANT TO RELY ON COUNTER-SCHEDULE THAT “SERVES NO PURPOSE WHATSOEVER”
This blog has looked extensively at judicial criticism of schedules of damages over the years. It has to be remembered that counter-schedules also have to be properly drafted. This is emphasised. in the judgment of Mr Justice Julian Knowles in…
“TRENCH WARFARE OF THE MOST ATTRITIONAL KIND”: ALLEGATIONS OF NON-DISCLOSURE AND THE LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS: “QUALITY NOT QUANTITY SHOULD BE THE WATCHWORD”
There are some interesting observations in the Court of Appeal judgment today in MEX Group Worldwide Limited v Stewart Owen Ford & Ors [2024] EWCA Civ 959 about the way cases should be presented in relation to allegations of non-disclosure. The Court…
COST BITES 175: SOLICITOR’S BILLS WERE NOT INTERIM STATUTE BILLS AND COULD BE ASSESSED: COURT OF APPEAL DECISION TODAY
In the judgment today in Signature Litigation LLP v Ivanishvili [2024] EWCA Civ 901 the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier decision of Costs Judge Leonard that a series of bills rendered by the appellant solicitors were not interim statute…
COST BITES 174: A TRUSTEE IN BANKRUPTCY HAS NO SPECIAL STATUS WHEN IT COMES TO COSTS: “HE HAS NOT SUGGESTED THAT, HAD HE WON, HE WOULD NOBLY DECLINE TO ASK FOR HIS COSTS”
We are returning to the judgment of HHJ Paul Matthews (sitting as a High Court Judge) in Broom v Aguilar [2024] EWHC 1961 (Ch). The judge rejected an argument that a different order for costs should be made because the respondent/clamant…
A DEFENDANT IS ENTITLED TO SEEK TO AVOID SERVICE OF PROCEEDINGS: IT WON’T WIN YOU ANY HONOURS BUT IT IS NOT WRONG…
In Broom v Aguilar [2024] EWHC 1961 (Ch) HHJ Paul Matthews rejected an argument that a different costs order should be made because the defendant did not co-operate in relation to service of proceedings upon her. Seeking to avoid service…
“WHAT I CANNOT DO IS HEAR AN APPEAL AGAINST A RECITAL”: WORDING OF ORDER MEANS SLIP RULE HAS TO BE APPLIED
It appears to be a well known fact that family lawyers love recitals. (Not the musical kind – but as the preamble to any and all court orders). This issue caused problems in MA v Roux [2024] EWHC 1917 (Fam)…
THERE IS A LEGALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN APPEAL LODGED OUT OF TIME AND ONE LODGED IN TIME, BUT WITH DOCUMENTS MISSING: COURT OF APPEAL OBSERVATIONS ON EAT RULES
It is rare for this blog to consider anything related to employment law, let alone procedure in the Employment Tribunals. However the Court of Appeal decision in Ridley v HB Kirtley t/a Queen’s Court Business Centre [2024] EWCA Civ 875…
TEACHER’S APPEAL WAS IN TIME AND IN THE RIGHT COURT: NO REQUIREMENT TO APPEAL TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT
In Sutcliffe v Secretary of State for Education [2024] EWHC 1878 (Admin) Mr Justice Pepperall held that a teacher, exercising a statutory right of appeal to the High Court, had appealed in time when filing an appeal in the King’s…
COSTS AFTER A CLAIMANT FAILS ON CLAIM FORM POINTS: SUCCESSFUL DEFENDANTS GET (MOST) OF THEIR COSTS
In Wragg & Ors v Opel Automobile GmbH & Ors [2024] EWHC 1909 (KB) Mr Justice Constable considered issues of costs after the claimants had failed on appeal on late service/extensions of time claim form issues. “Doing justice between the…
DEFENDANT DID NOT ATTEND TRIAL: APPLICATION FOR REMOTE HEARING NOT ALLOWED: JUDGMENT ENTERED: DEFENDANT’S APPEAL UNSUCESSFUL
In Sobowale v Lendinvest Capital SARL [2024] EWHC 1829 (Ch) Nicola Rushton KC (sitting as a High Court Judge) dismissed a defendant’s appeal against judgment being entered against him when he failed to attend a trial. “There was no…
THE CLAIMANT HAD NOT SERVED THE CLAIM FORM PROPERLY: ORDER FOR SERVICE BY ALTERNATIVE MEANS WAS NOT EFFECTIVE WHEN THE DEFENDANT WAS RESIDENT ABROAD
In Broom v Aguilar [2024] EWHC 1764 (Ch) HHJ Paul Matthews (sitting as a High Court Judge) decided that a claim form had not been properly served when it was served at a time that the defendant was living abroad….
COST BITES 163: NO DEDUCTION FROM SUCCESSFUL RESPONDENT’S COSTS: A POINT OR TWO ABOUT “CLIENT’S” SUBMISSIONS
In McAteer v Hat & Mitre & Ors (Re Consequential Matters) [2024] EWHC 1746 (Ch) Sir Anthony Mann (sitting as a High Court Judge) dismissed the unsuccessful appellant’s application that the respondent’s costs be reduced. There were also some important…
IMPORTANT THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHILE THE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT IN MENZIES -v- OAKWOOD IS PENDING
The Court of Appeal decision in Menzies v Oakwood Solicitors Ltd [2023] EWCA Civ 844 was appealed to the Supreme Court and was heard last week. The judgment is pending. In the interim period my colleague Matthew Smith suggests that claimant…
A MORE UNUSUAL “CLAIM FORM” ISSUE: CLAIMANT’S EARLIER UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO ISSUE WERE NOT EFFECTIVE AND ACTION WAS STATUTE BARRED: COURT OF APPEAL DECISION TODAY
In Guo v Kinder & Others [2024] EWCA Civ 762 the Court of Appeal rejected an argument that the claimant’s earlier, unsuccessful, attempts to issue a claim form meant that the later claim form could be backdated. The action was,…
COST BITES 159: DEDUCTING COSTS FROM THE CLIENT’S DAMAGES: THE GOLDEN RULE – THAT THE CLIENT SHOULD BE KEPT INFORMED
We are looking again at the judgment in St. James v Wilkin Chapman LLP [2024] EWHC 1716 (KB). The judge considered the question of whether the client had been informed that the budget had been exceeded and that the solicitors…
EXPERT EVIDENCE: COURT OF APPEAL STATE WHY THE JUDGE SHOULD BE WARY OF RELYING ON SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
In D and A (Fact-Finding : Research Literature) [2024] EWCA Civ 663 the Court of Appeal set out a clear warning about the dangers of trial judges analysing research literature in detail. The literature should be read through the prism…
THE JUDGE HAD ADJOURNED THE HANDING DOWN OF A JUDGMENT AND RETAINED A DISCRETION OVER PERMISSION TO APPEAL: AN ISSUE LIKE LONDON BUSES – TWO ARRIVE ALMOST AT ONCE
I cannot recall a case where, in the space of a week, there have been two cases about the circumstances in which a trial judge can give permission to appeal after judgment has been handed down. The second for the…
A SHORT PLEADING POINT: PLEADING FRAUD – A BLAST FROM THE PAST
I can’t think of any other case where this blog has featured a case that was decided prior to the introduction of the Civil Procedure Rules. However the judgment in Rigby v Decorating Den Systems Ltd [1999] EWCA Civ 986…
COST BITES 157: AGREEMENT AS TO COSTS BETWEEN CLIENT AND SOLICITOR WAS CONTRACTUALLY BINDING: APPLICATION FOR SOLICITORS ACT ASSESSMENT STRUCK OUT
NB THIS DECISION WAS OVERTURNED IN AN APPEAL BY CONSENT. SEE THE POST ON THE 8th JULY 2025 I am grateful to my colleague Kevin Latham for drawing my attention to the decision of Mr Justice Eyre in Holcroft v…
THE HIGH COURT DOES NOT HAVE JURISDICTION TO HEAR AN APPEAL FROM A CIRCUIT JUDGE WHEN THAT DECISION WAS ITSELF AN APPEAL: DECISION ON THIS POINT
It is always important to remember that appeals from Circuit Judges, which are themselves a decision made on appeal, can only be heard by the Court of Appeal. In Jarvis v Metro Taxis Ltd [2024] EWHC 1452 (KB) Mr Justice…
HOW THE DEFENDANT MANAGED TO MISS TIME FOR APPEALING: THE IMPORTANCE OF APPLYING TO THE ORIGINAL JUDGE, AND AGREEING A DRAFT ORDER PROMPTLY
We are looking again at the judgment of Mr Justice Sweeting in Elbanna v Clark (Re Consequential Matters) [2024] EWHC 1471 (KB). The defendant sought permission to appeal. However by virtue of attempting to appeal to the Court of Appeal, thereby…
SERVICE OF THE CLAIM FORM ISSUES ONE: WHEN CAN YOU (AND WHEN MUST YOU) SERVE ON A NOMINATED SOLICITOR?
There has not been a case on (mis)service of the claim form on this blog for 14 days now. It may be an appropriate time to go back to one of the problem areas – service on a solicitor. There…
STATEMENTS OF CASE AND AMENDMENTS: A ROLLERCOASTER OF A CASE: ISSUE OF AMENDMENT REMITTED TO COUNTY COURT
It is too easy, in fact far too easy, to describe the case of Idziak v Merlin Entertainments PLC [2024] EWHC 1351 (KB) as a “rollercoaster”. It involves the claimant being injured on a fairground ride. The claimant succeeded at…
APPEAL COURT OVERTURNS JUDGE’S REFUSAL TO RELY ON OWN EXPERT WHEN HE DID NOT AGREE WITH THE JOINTLY INSTRUCTED EXPERT: THE “STAGGERED APPROACH” IS IMPORTANT
In Seneschall v Trisant Foods Ltd & Ors [2024] EWHC 1380 (Ch) Mr Justice Adam Johnson overturned a decision whereby a party was refused permission to rely on their own expert report. The judgment is important because it emphasises the…
UNCONTROVERTED EXPERT EVIDENCE: THE TRIAL JUDGE WAS NOT ENTITLED TO OVERRIDE THE UNQUESTIONED REPORT: GRIFFITHS -v- TUI LEADS TO CLAIMANTS BEING SUCCESSFUL ON APPEAL
I am grateful to Jatinder Paul from Irwin Mitchell for sending me a copy of the decision of HHJ Humphreys in the Wrexham County Court. The report involves a personal injury case alleging negligence which led to food poisoning which…
FATAL ACCIDENT ACT DAMAGES: THE DANGERS WHEN A JUDGE DOES NOT FOLLOW THE ESTABLISHED APPROACH: CLAIMANT’S APPEAL AGAINST “OFF PISTE” METHODOLOGY ALLOWED
In Price v Marston’s PLC [2024] EWHC 1352 (KB) Mr Justice Griffiths overturned a trial judge’s assessment of fatal accident damages because there was a failure to follow long established principles of calculation of loss. The case is an important…
EXPERT EVIDENCE, ADJOURNMENTS, CAPACITY AND APPLICATIONS TO COMMIT FOR CONTEMPT: COURT OF APPEAL UPHOLDS DECISION AT FIRST INSTANCE
In Solicitors Regulation Authority Ltd v Khan & Ors [2024] EWCA Civ 53 the Court of Appeal considered the issue of expert evidence in relation to capacity, in the context of applications for contempt of court. It was held that…
MAKING ALLEGATIONS OF DISHONESTY DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY LEAD TO AN ORDER FOR INDEMNITY COSTS: BUT IT MIGHT DO: COURT OF APPEAL DECISION
I am grateful to both Kevin Latham and Andrew Buchan for pointing out the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Thakkar & Ors v Mican & Anor [2024] EWCA Civ 552. The court held that a judge had acted…
AN ACTION THAT HAS BEEN “WAREHOUSED” WILL NORMALLY BE STRUCK OUT AS AN ABUSE OF PROCESS: COMPELLING REASONS TO THE CONTRARY ARE REQUIRED
In Watford Control Instruments Ltd v Brown [2024] EWHC 1125 (Ch) Mr Justice Richards struck out the claimants action on the grounds that it had “warehoused” the action for several years and this amounted to an abuse of process. Such…
ARGUING ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE BILL: ANOTHER ROUND IN THE DISCLOSURE OF AGENCY COSTS AND MEDICAL FEES WAR: CLAIMANT ORDERED TO COMPLY WITH PART 18 REQUESTS FOR A BREAKDOWN OF THE INVOICE
I am grateful to Ben Millns from Kennedys for sending me a copy of the decision in Parsons -v- Stevens, a copy of which is available here. Deputy District Judge Fentem decided that it was appropriate to make an order…
WHEN IS IT SENSIBLE TO APPLY TO EXTEND TIME FOR SERVICE OF THE CLAIM FORM? NEVER – JUST NEVER: A CASE TO POINT
Yesterday, in a lecture I was giving about issues relating to service of the claim form, I was asked to address the issue of “when is it sensible to apply for an extension of time for service of the claim…
“GOOGLESPOOFING” AND THIRD PARTY DISCLOSURE: DEFENDANT FAILS TO PERSUADE THE COURT THAT RECORDINGS ARE NECESSARY
In Parker v Skyfire Insurance Company Ltd [2024] EWHC 1060 (KB) Mrs Justice Dias dismissed a defendant’s appeal against a refusal to give disclosure of documents of a third party car hire company. The documents were not necessary to dispose…
EVIDENCE OBTAINED BY TORTURE: THE JUDGMENT AT FIRST INSTANCE AND THE SUPREME COURT DECISION
The question of whether evidence obtained by torture in civil proceedings is one that, thankfully, rarely comes before the court. However it was an issue considered in the judgment of Mr Justice Knowles MBE In Shangang Shipping Company Ltd -v-…
SILENCE IN THE FACE OF AN OFFER TO MEDIATE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON COSTS: ONCE AN OFFER TO MEDIATE IS MADE THE BALL IS IN THE RECIPIENT’S COURT
In Northamber PLC v Genee World Ltd & Ors (Rev1) [2024] EWCA Civ 428 the Court of Appeal reiterated certain key points about a party refusing to mediate. Silence in the face of an offer to mediate can have an…
REMISSION TO THE COUNTY COURT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
In Sherman & Anor v Reader Offers Ltd (Rev1) [2024] EWCA Civ 412 the Court of Appeal set out the limits that exist when a case is remitted to the county court for an assessment of damages following a successful…
THE DANGERS OF RUNNING UP TO DEADLINES AND LEAVING MATTERS LATE FOR COMPLIANCE: DEFENDANT HAD FAILED TO FILE WITH COURT ORDERS: REFUSAL TO GRANT RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS UPHELD ON APPEAL
The judgment of Mr Justice Ritchie in Jaiyesimi v Kukoyi [2024] EWHC 164 (KB) has many important lessons for litigators. Firstly the need for the fee to be paid in order that an application is properly made. Secondly the dangers…
COST BITES 148: THE JUDGE WAS RIGHT TO ORDER COSTS TO BE PAID IMMEDIATELY AFTER A TRIAL ON LIABILITY
In Lorimer-Wing v Hashmi [2024] EWHC 931 (Ch) Mr Justice Edwin Johnson upheld a decision that a defendant should pay costs forthwith following a trial of a preliminary issue at which the claimant was successful. “The difficulty which confronts…
ATTEMPTS TO RE-OPEN ISSUES WHEN A DRAFT JUDGMENT IS SENT OUT: COURT OF APPEAL SAYS NOT AN INVITATION TO RE-ARGUE THE ISSUES
In Supponor Ltd & Anor v AIM Sport Development AG [2024] EWCA Civ 396 the Court of Appeal resisted attempts (by both parties) to re-open key issues after a draft judgment had been sent out. “The primary purpose of this…
A COURT CANNOT SIMPLY IGNORE AN UNCHALLENGED EXPERT REPORT: DOG SAVED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT
The significance of unchallenged expert evidence at court was considered by the Administrative Court in Fitzgerald v CPS [2024] EWHC 869 (Admin). Although this is a criminal case it considers the authorities in civil actions and the central point that…
COST BITES 143: JUDICIAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE COSTS OF FAMILY LITIGATION DISPUTES: KING LEAR IS A TRAGEDY AND ALL WILL NOT END WELL
There have been two cases recently where the courts have made comments about the costs of litigation in disputes between family members. Whilst the participants may each think themselves more sinned against than sinning, it is always prudent to consider…
COST BITES 142: COSTS ON AN UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICATION TO APPEAL IN A FAMILY CASE
I keep intending to write more about issues of costs in family cases. Not because I want to delve into the intricacies of family law, but because issues of costs have major ramifications for both the clients and practitioners. Even…
WITNESS STATEMENTS AND WITNESS EVIDENCE: WHEN LAWYERS CAN BE THEIR OWN WORSE ENEMIES: “THE ABSENCE OF SUCH EVIDENCE IS IN THE NATURE OF A DEAFENING SILENCE”
There are numerous, indeed hundreds, of posts on this blog that deal with the difficulties that can arise in relation to witness statements and witness evidence. Often it is a failure to address basic and fundamental points in relation to…
AN INTERESTING JUDGMENT ON LIMITATION: CHEQUES, PAYMENT AND DEMAND: SECOND DEMAND DOES NOT RE-OPEN THE LIMITATION PERIOD
In Agia v Skipton Building Society [2024] EW Misc 14 (CC) HHJ Malek considered a novel point relating to limitation. A limitation period cannot be “re-opened” by a customer making a demand on a bank many decades after a cheque…
COST BITES 138: IN THE ABSENCE OF A CHARGING CLAUSE THE SOLICITOR COULD NOT BE PAID FOR ACTING AS AN EXECUTOR (SEE ALSO “PROVING THINGS…)
In Brealey v Shepherd & Co Solicitors [2024] EWCA Civ 303 the Court of Appeal upheld a decision that a solicitor Executor could not charge for legal work done in the absence of a charging clause in a will. Although…
SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT TODAY: WHIPLASH TARIFF INJURIES AND COMMON LAW DAMAGES: HOW SHOULD THE COURT DEAL WITH “MIXED” CLAIMS
In Hassam & Anor v Rabot & Anor [2024] UKSC 11 the Supreme Court rejected the defendant’s appeal against the way in which damages are assessed. It upheld the the majority view of the Court of Appeal that the Civil…
COST BITES 137: WASTED COSTS ORDER WAS APPROPRIATE: APPEAL DISMISSED: SOME NOTES ON PROCEDURE
We are looking again (and not for the last time) at the judgment of Mr Justice Martin Spencer in Rainer Hughes Solicitors v Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Ltd & Ors (Rev1) [2024] EWHC 585 (KB). The decision to make a wasted costs…
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