WHEN IS AN APPLICATION "MADE"? A MATTER THAT COULD BE OF SOME IMPORTANCE
The case of In Kaneria -v- Kaneria [2014] EWHC 1165 (Ch) discussed in a previous post means that there is a highly significant difference between applications made before the date of compliance and those made afterwards. An application made after the…
SURVIVING MITCHELL 17: MAKE ANY APPLICATION BEFORE DEFAULT AND OBTAIN REALISTIC DIRECTIONS
It is no coincidence that Rule 17 is identical to Rule 3. In fact I could easily, and without apology, repeat this principle as rules 10 – 20. If you cannot comply with a court order, direction or rule then…
MAKING AN APPLICATION BEFORE THE DATE OF DEFAULT SAVES THE DAY: KANERIA -v- KANERIA CONSIDERED
The Mitchell principles govern what happens when a party requires relief from sanctions. An open question remained as to the principles that apply when a party applies for an extension of time before the expiry of the date for compliance….
THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHARTWELL 1: JUST DON'T EVER SERVE WITNESS STATEMENTS LATE
It is highly dangerous for litigators to view the decision of the Court of Appeal in Chartwell -v- Fergies as any kind of step away from the Mitchell principles. The case has already been outlined in detail in an earlier post….
CHARTWELL ESTATE AGENTS LIMITED V FERGIES PROPERTIES : CONSIDERED IN FULL
The decision of the Court of Appeal in Chartwell Estate Agents Limited –v- Fergies Properties [2014] is now available on Bailli. This is the first case in which the Court of Appeal have upheld a decision of a judge to…
TWO CASES WHERE RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS REFUSED: (I) LATE WITNESS STATEMENTS (II) NO SCHEDULE OF COSTS
There are two cases reported on Lawtel this morning which exemplify problems of modern litigation and relief from sanctions. The first involves late service of a witness statement in a fatal accident case; the second the failure to file a…
HIGH COURT MASTER GRANTS AN EXTENSION OF TIME FOR SERVICE OF REPLIES TO POINTS OF DISPUTE ON ASSESSMENT OF COSTS
I am grateful to Neil Sexton from Blake Lapthorn for sending me a note of a decision of Master Leonard where an extension of time for service of Replies to Points of Dispute was granted. (The note is printed here…
SURVIVING MITCHELL 16: DEALING WITH "FISH FILES": OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION
A “fish file” is a file that has been left for so long it has started to smell. Consequently the litigator avoids it and it gets smellier and smellier. These files are always ripe. Ripe, that is, for problems to…
CAN MITCHELL BE UTILISED IF THERE ARE SEVERAL MINOR BREACHES? UTILISE -v- CRANSTOUN CONSIDERED: LATE FILING OF COSTS BUDGETS CAUSES ANOTHER PARTY TO COME TO GRIEF
In Utilise -v- Cranstoun [2014] EWHC 834 (Ch) Judge Hodge QC, sitting as a judge of the High Court, considered another issue arising out of the Mitchell criteria – in essence what is the effect of two trivial breaches on…
THE APPROPRIATE CRITERIA FOR REINSTATEMENT WHEN AN ACTION IS STRUCK OUT OF COURT'S OWN MOTION: HALEY -v- SIDDIQUE CONSIDERED
In Haley -v- Siddique [2014] EWHC 835 (Ch) Judge Hodge Q.C., sitting as a judge of the High Court, considered issues arising from a striking out order made of the court’s own motion. His judgment states that the case provides…
ACTION STRUCK OUT FOR FAILURE TO GIVE DISCLOSURE: RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS REFUSED
In Medical Supplies and Services Ltd -v- Acies & Gosling [2014] EWHC 1032 (QB) the claimant came to grief because of a failure to comply with a peremptory order for disclosure. Relief from sanctions was refused. It provides another object…
COST BUDGET REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO PART 8 CASES: A CASE IN POINT
There has been considerable discussion about whether the requirements to lodge a costs budget applies to Part 8 cases. Part 8 cases are automatically allocated to the Multi Track and the requirements to lodge a budget was thought to apply….
SURVIVING MITCHELL 15: SHARE THE PAIN
Most of the burden of complying with time periods and court orders lies with the solicitor. However a solicitor’s life can be made easier by making sure that all those concerned with the litigation process know of the deadlines involved…
AMENDMENTS TO THE CPR TO ALLOW A BUFFER: THE TIMETABLE
There has been some discussion about whether, and when, the Civil Procedure Rules will be amended to allow the parties to agree to vary directions. I am grateful to Katherine van Aardt of Plxus Law for sending me information which…
REPORT OF A CASE WHERE RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS WAS GRANTED ON APPEAL TO CIRCUIT JUDGE
Reports of decisions in relation to procedure, particularly relief from sanctions, are always welcome. I am grateful to Simon Young of Kings Chambers for his report of the case of Cook -v- Danter. It is a case where a circuit…
ANOTHER CASE STRUCK OUT BECAUSE WITNESS STATEMENTS WERE SERVED LATE
I am grateful to Michael Ditchfield of Kings Chambers for his sending me details of a recent appeal where the Circuit Judge overturned a decision where, initially, relief from sanctions had been granted. This emphasises the point that, although the…
COURT OF APPEAL DISMISSES APPEAL AGAINST RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS BEING GRANTED IN CHARTWELL ESTATES CASE
Relief from sanctions was granted by Mr Justice Globe in the case of Chartwell Estates -v- Fergies and this has been discussed, at length, in earlier posts in this blog. The Court of Appeal dismissed the defendant’s appeal today. Reasons…
RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS CONSIDERED IN THE HIGH COURT AGAIN: MCTEAR CONSIDERED IN DETAIL
The case of McTear -v- Englehard [2014] EWHC 722 (Ch) was looked at briefly in an earlier post in relation to the number of cases cited to the Court. Here we look at the substantive decision in relation to applications…
THE COURTS SHOULD NOT MAKE PEREMPTORY ORDERS LIGHTLY: PORTER CAPITAL CORPORATION –V- ZULFIKAR MASTERS CONSIDERED
The fact that relief from sanctions is now more difficult emphasises the principle that courts should not make peremptory orders lightly. The case of Porter Capital –v- Zulfikar (19/3/1014) only on Lawtel at present) is a case to point. THE…
MITCHELL CRITERIA AND SETTING ASIDE DEFAULT JUDGMENTS
There is a discussion of the Mitchell criteria in the context of setting aside a default judgment in the case of Mole -v- Hunter [2014] EWHC 658 QB. (Tugendhat J). THE FACTS Judgment in default had been entered on a…
LORD JACKSON'S RESPONSE TO THE CIVIL JUSTICE COUNCIL
The Civil Justice Council review of the Jackson reforms received 70 papers in total. The only ones generally available, to the best of my knowledge, are the ones available on this blog and the paper provided by Lord Jackson which…
LAW SOCIETY CIVIL JUSTICE CONFERENCE: 30th APRIL 2014: THE PLACE TO BE
I am one of the speakers at The Law Society Civil Justice Section Conference on the 30th April 2014, details of which can be found here. “Venue:The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL Cost:From free Overview CPD Hours…
RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS APPLICATION: COSTS AWARDED AGAINST "INNOCENT" PARTY
The case of Lakatamia Shipping -v- Nobu Su [2014] EWHC 796 has been dealt with before on this blog in relation to a successful application for relief from sanctions. The judge’s comments on the costs of the application are now available…
WHAT THE JACKSON REPORT SAID 1: SANCTIONS: WHAT WAS SAID & WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
There are lots of events coming up dealing with the first anniversary of the Jackson reforms. It would be an opportune time to look back at the Jackson Report itself to remind us what it said on certain key issues….
SO CPR 3.9 HAS BEEN MADE EASIER? McTEAR COULD BRING A TEAR TO THE EYE
One of the avowed aims of amending CPR 3.9 was to make the judge’s job simpler. The case of McTear -v- Englehard [2014] demonstrates that it has precisely the opposite effect. THE JACKSON REPORT ON THE ISSUE OF SANCTIONS In…
READ LITIGATION FUTURES TODAY: VIEWS OF THE MASTER OF THE ROLLS ON MITCHELL
Anyone interested in how the Mitchell principles should be construed and may develop should read Litigation Futures today and its report of the Civil Justice Council of the 24th March 2014. CLOSING REMARKS FROM THE MASTER OF THE ROLLS In…
MITCHELL PRINCIPLES APPLIED IN TAX TRIBUNAL
In Mr and Mrs B -v- Revenue & Customs the First Tier tribunal (tax) considered whether the Mitchell principles applied to permissions to appeal out of time in the first-tier tribunal tax chamber. “The law 42. There is no guidance in…
COULD CPR 3.10 BE THE LITIGATORS NEW BEST FRIEND? THE IMPLICATIONS OF INTEGRAL PETROLEUM CONSIDERED (AND THEY ARE ENORMOUS)
In Integral Petroleum SA -v- SCU Finanz AG [2014] EWHC 702 (Comm) Popplewell held that the provisions of CPR 3.10 meant that service of the particulars of claim by e-mail could be good service and the default judgment entered thereafter…
SURVIVING MITCHELL 13: READ KERRY'S RULES OF SURVIVAL
At the end of the previous post on Surviving Mitchell I wrote that there were important issues of law firm management which needed to be addressed and that, perhaps, Kerry Underwood would be better placed than me to address them….
WHAT WOULD THE SUPREME COURT THINK ABOUT MATTERS RELATING TO PROCEDURE? CLUES FROM THE PRIVY COUNCIL?
The Mitchell case was not appealed. Practitioners have no clue as to the approach of the Supreme Court to matters of procedure. However a decision of the Privy Council on the 3rd March makes interesting reading as to potential construction…
ARGUMENT ABOUT TIME FOR SERVING COSTS BUDGET "MANIFEST NONSENSE": RATTAN -V- UBS CONSIDERED IN FULL
Highly technical points are now being taken as a matter of course. Some succeed. Some come to grief. This is what happened to the point in relation to service of the Precedent H costs budget in Rattan -v- UBS [2014] EWHC 665…
SURVIVING MITCHELL 12: READ LEGAL ORANGE AND LITIGATION FUTURES TODAY
The links section of this blog points readers to many and various useful posts and articles on procedure. Today, however there are two that need singling out as part of the “Surviving Mitchell” strategy. LEGAL ORANGE Reading Mitchell-Proofing your claim…
THREE NEW HIGH COURT CASES AND MITCHELL: A SUMMARY
Such is the all embracing nature of the Mitchell decision that decisions are coming through on a daily basis. There were two cases that referred to Mitchell on Lawtel this morning (11th March 2014) and another which was an application…
RESPONSES TO CIVIL JUSTICE COUNCIL ON JACKSON REFORMS: USEFUL LINKS
I am putting together a list linking all publicly available links to those people who responded to the Civil Justice Council request for responses on the Jackson Reforms. I am looking for more links and will add these as they…
SURVIVING MITCHELL 11: BE PROMPT: BE VERY PROMPT
Two recent cases have emphasised the importance of a prompt response to procedural issues. Anything other than “promptness” courts danger with the courts. The duty to act “promptly” does not just apply to making applications for relief from sanctions. A…
THE MITCHELL CRITERIA AND AMENDING PLEADINGS: A NEW CASE TO CONSIDER
I have added the case of Hague Plant Ltd -v- Hague [2014] EWHC 568 (Ch) to the “Mitchell Watch” section. It concerned a second application to amend the Particulars of Claim in a complex and long running commercial case. I will…
NO JUDGMENT IMMEDIATELY AFTER APPLICATION FOR RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS: MIAH V JALIL CONSIDERED
The case of Miaj –v- Jalil (CA 6/3/2014) is reported briefly on Lawtel today. It involves the correct approach of the Court after granting relief from sanctions. More detailed commentary, will follow once the full transcript is available. THE FACTS…
LATE SERVICE OF WITNESS STATEMENTS: CHARTWELL -v- FERGIES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL
The case of Chartwell Estate Agents Ltd -v- Fergies Properties Ltd [2014] EWHC 438 (QB) has been dealt with in an earlier post. At that stage a Lawtel summary of the case was available. The full transcript is now released. CHARTWELL:…
DELAY IN MAKING APPLICATIONS CAN BE FATAL: SAMARA -V- MBI APPLICATION TO HAVE JUDGMENT SET ASIDE REFUSED ON GROUNDS OF DELAY
The case of Samara –v- MBI & Partners EWHC 563 (QB) considers whether the “Mitchell” criteria is relevant to applications to have judgment set aside. THE FACTS The claimant entered judgment in default. It was more than a year later, after…
ANOTHER HIGH COURT DECISION: RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS REFUSED: CLARKE –V- BARCLAYS BANK CONSIDERED
The Clarke –v- Barclays Bank [2014] EWHC decision is interesting for a number of reasons. Among other things it provides object lessons in the dangers of failing to make prompt applications and assuming cases will settle. It also highlights the…
SERVICE OF DOCUMENTS BY E-MAIL: A USEFUL BLAST FROM THE PAST
The problems of serving by e-mail have been discussed several times on this blog. The need for the recipient to “opt in” to receipt coupled with potential problems in proving service can give rise to difficulties. I know from e-mails…
REFUSAL OF EXTENSION OF TIME TO SERVE PARTICULARS OF CLAIM: AEI –v- ALSTOM UK CONSIDERED
Cases relating to relief from sanctions are being reported on a daily basis. Here we look at the decision yesterday of Mr Justice Smith in Associated Electrical Industries Ltd –v- Alstom Ltd [2014] EWCA Civ 4330 (Com). A case where…
TROUBLES WITH THE COURT: REFUSING TO ISSUE AND STRIKING OUT BECAUSE OF ALLEGED LIMITATION ISSUES: MORE EXAMPLES AND CASE LAW THAT MAY HELP
Hot on the heels of the complaint about the court wrongfully striking out an action came another, remarkable story about the court refusing to issue proceedings because of alleged limitation issues. THE REMARKABLE STORY Here it is in its original…
HEAD TURNING, NAVIGATION AND MITCHELL PART 2: A CLOSER EXAMINATION OF SUMMIT NAVIGATION
I set out the main part of the judgment of Leggatt J in Summit Navigation Ltd –v- Generali Romani [2014] EWHC (Comm) yesterday. Here I look at the salient parts of the judgment and highlight the very real dilemma that…
“STANDING MITCHELL ON ITS HEAD”: YOU SHOULDN’T EVEN BE TAKING THE POINT SAYS HIGH COURT JUDGE: WHY LITIGATORS ARE LIVING WITH THE MITCHELL DILEMMA
Some of the (repeatable) epithets used to describe the consequence of the Mitchell judgment are “mayhem” “madness” and “mess”. In Summit Navigation Ltd-v- Generalia Romonia [2014] EWHC 398 (Comm) Mr Justice Legatt was critical of a party who took a…
RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS GRANTED FOLLOWING LATE SERVICE OF WITNESS STATEMENTS: CHARTWELL MAY BODE WELL IN SOME CASES
The case of Chartwell Estate Agents –v- Fergies Properties Ltd (QBD Globe J 18/02/2014) is reported in brief on Lawtel this morning. It is an example of the court granting relief from sanctions following late service of witness statements. This…
DELAYING SERVICE OF THE CLAIM FORM: “DICING WITH PROCEDURAL DEATH”: ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A CLAIMANT BUILDING PROBLEMS FOR ITSELF
There are real dangers in leaving service of the claim form until the last moment. The Lincolnshire case considered here exemplifies the problems. . The judge pulled no punches in relation to the risks being run by those who…
HAVE YOU BEEN "MITCHELLED"? THE PROBLEMS OF WITHOUT NOTICE ORDERS: A WORKING EXAMPLE
I am grateful to Simon Baskind from Cohen Cramer solicitors in Leeds for the following account of a “Mitchell” problem. ACTION STRUCK OUT BY THE COURT FOR NO GOOD REASON “I know we are all probably suffering from Mitchell overload…
RELIEF FROM SANCTIONS GRANTED: DID THE COURT OF APPEAL TURN A BLIND EYE TO MITCHELL? NELSON -v- CIRCLE CONSIDERED
It is unusual to see the Court of Appeal granting relief from sanctions without reference to CPR 3.9 or the decision in Mitchell. That is precisely what happened in Nelson –v- Circle Thirty Three Housing Trust Ltd [2014] EWCA Civ…
HAVE YOU COMPLIED WITH A PEREMPTORY ORDER? A FURTHER HIGH COURT DECISION ON BREACH & SANCTIONS
WAHID AND SHADKAM –V- SKANSKA UK PLC AND RIVERSTONE INSURANCE [2014] EWHC 251 (QB) (Mrs Justice Slade DBE). (This case has not yet been reported on Bailli and I will deal with the facts in some detail). THE FACTS This…
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