I was devastated to learn of the death of Simon Mullings over the weekend. The tributes that have been paid from housing lawyers and many others have reflected his position as one of the foremost housing practitioners and campaigners. Giles…
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…
It is surprising how many applications are made which do not comply with the most basic requirements of procedure and evidence. This webinar on the 10th September 2024 aims to help practitioners avoid errors and aims to ensure that participants…
In Smyth v British Airways Plc & Anor [2024] EWHC 2173 (KB) Master Davison struck out an action which claimed to be a “representative action” on behalf of thousands (if not millions) of airline passengers. The judge was sceptical about…
The post last week on the judgment in Allard v Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd [2024] EWHC 2227 (KB) has led me to revisit an earlier post giving advice on the drafting of counter-schedules. That post contained advice from the social media…
In Matrix Receivables Ltd v Musst Holdings Ltd (Re Costs) [2024] EWHC 2245 (Ch) Mr Justice Freedman considered the appropriate approach to an interim payment on costs. He rejected the argument that the appropriate percentage was 70% and found, on…
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…
There are interesting procedural aspects in the judgment of Simon Gleeson in Carl v Hawkins & Ors [2024] EWHC 2186 (Ch). The case, about historic sports cars, involved (among other things) “procedural trench warfare”; highly defective bundles; non-compliant witness statements;…
In Sahota v Sahota & Ors [2024] EWHC 2165 (Ch) HHJ Rawlings (sitting as a High Court Judge)was critical of an expert witness who, in essence, worked backwards in relation to a valuation. The judge found that having come to…
In Nicholas Worcester v Dr Philip Hopley [2024] EWHC 2181 (KB) Master Thornett awarded costs against a party who, the Master felt, had over-inflated their costs budget. The case stands as a warning that a party putting forward a budget which is…
We are looking again at the skills necessary to take accurate witness statements. Here we revisit a real gem of an article by Ula Cartwright-Finch and Alex Waksman of Herbert Smith Freehills on the accuracy of witness statements and the…
One case I regularly refer to when speaking, or writing, about taking witness statements is the decision of Judge Keyser Q.C. In Kellie & Kellie -v- Wheatley & Lloyd Architects Ltd [2014] EWHC 2866(TCC). This case gives a working example…
Anyone involved in civil litigation will spend a great deal of their time reading witness “evidence” which, in reality, is no such thing. Witness statements tend to be seen as an opportunity to put forward opinions, submissions and innuendo. As…
There are some interesting observations in the judgment of HHJ Cadwallader (sitting as a Judge of the High Court) in Thiscompany Ltd & Ors v Welsh & Ors [2024] EWHC 2159 (Comm). It was a case where three of the…
In Christodoulides v Holbech [2024] EWHC 2172 (SCCO) Deputy Costs Judge Roy KC refused a claimant’s application to revisit a provisional assessment. The claimant (the paying party) had not complied with the rules when attempting to challenge the bill and…
In Michael Wilson & Partners, Ltd v Short [2024] EWHC 2113 (Ch) Master Clark granted the claimant relief from sanctions in a case that had become automatically stayed under CPR 15.11. This case serves as a reminder, if nothing else,…
In Finnan v Candey Ltd [2024] EWHC 2157 (Ch) HHJ Cadwaller dismissed an appeal against a finding that a solicitor and client had entered into a valid contentious business agreement. The judge held that the finding below, that the appellant…
The judgment of Ms. Pat Treacy (setting as a judge of the Chancery Division) in Parsons v Convatec Ltd [2024] EWHC 2111 (Pat) contains a reminder of the importance of a party notifying the other side immediately if they are going…
In Gadsby v Hayes [2024] EWHC 2142 (KB) Ms Clare Ambrose (sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge) considered the evidence of witnesses in a case where the accident had happened ten years previously. The accounts given near the time…
In Tata Consultancy Services Ltd v Disclosure and Barring Service [2024] EWHC 2025 (TCC) Mr Justice Constable found that a “successful” claimant who had recovered nearly £3.7 million in damages should only recover 20% of its costs. Both parties had…
For the third time this week I find myself writing about judicial criticisms of the way in which witness statements have been prepared. This case has by far the most excoriating comments. In Fulstow & Anor v Francis [2024] EWHC…
In Ceto Shipping Corporation v Savory Shipping Inc [2024] EWHC 1897 (Comm) Mr Justice Butcher made a peremptory order following the claimant’s failure to pay costs that had been ordered in interlocutory applications and in other related proceedings. “In the…
In Western Avenue Properties Ltd & Anor v SONI & Anor [2024] EWHC 2124 (KB) Master Davison struck out a counterclaim on the grounds of delay. The claim had already been struck out for delay. In these circumstances the principles…
In XS1 (A Child) v West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust [2024] EWHC 1865 (KB) Master Stevens adjourned a claimant’s application for a substantial interim payment. The primary ground for this was that there was insufficient evidence before the court to…
For many years this blog has run alongside a Twitter (“X”) account – @CivilLitTweet. That account was started at the same time as the blog and (initially) all posts on the blog were sent automatically to Twitter. That facility stopped…
In SZ Solicitors -v- Bharj [2024] 8WLUK 65 HHJ Monty KC dealt with the problems that arose when a party had not complied with the rules in relation to providing a witness statement for a witness who is not proficient…
In September and October there are a number of webinars relating to procedure and evidence. Firstly on the essential issue (but often overlooked) elements and rules relating to making applications to the court; secondly on insolvency and personal injury and…
In KSY Juice Blends UK Ltd v Citrosuco GmbH [2024] EWHC 2098 (Comm) HHJ Pearce (sitting as a Judge of the High Court) observed that the requirements for drafting witness statements in PD57AC were “more honoured in the breach than…
A report in Litigation Futures in August 2016 illustrates the need for “self protection” by lawyers in . The headline says it all “Insurance Fraudster who tried to blame his solicitor jailed for 18 months”. “IT WAS ALL MY…
The Civil Procedure (Amendment No.3) Rules 2024 come into force on the 1st October. We will be looking at some of the provisions in detail nearer the time. The new rules can be found here. In the interim period here…
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…
The judgment of Mrs Justice Hill in Graham v Fidelidade – Companhia De Seguros SA [2024] EWHC 2010 (KB) contains some salutary lessons for litigators. In particular the importance of complying the the rules for applying for extensions of time…
In Betta Oceanway Company v SC Tomini Trading SR (Re Costs) [2024] EWHC 2068 (Comm) Mr Stephen Hofmeyr KC (sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court) held that a person who unsuccessfully sought to intervene in civil proceedings…
In Lloyd v Hayward & Anor [2024] EWHC 2033 (Ch) HHJ Keyser KC (sitting as a Judge of the High Court) considered the question of whether the delay in the progress of an action should lead to it being struck…
This webinar looks at the difficult areas of (i) losses in anticipation of death, when a claimant has a reduced life expectancy; (ii) losses prior to death, including financial losses and pain and suffering. It provides practical guidance on order…
We are looking at one particular factual issue that arose in Wye Valley NHS Trust v Murphy [2024] EWHC 1912 (KB). The applicant Trust was unable to prove the date that various videos were taken. Consequently they were unable to…
We have seen several cases on this blog where the courts have considered the issues caused by the rules requiring that claims for harassment must be issued under Part 8 (however note that there is an important exception, considered in Pattinson…
In Rahman v Hassan & Ors (Re Consequential Matters) [2024] EWHC 2038 (Ch) HHJ Paul Matthews (sitting as a High Court Judge) refused the claimant’s application that the budget be revised after the trial. The judge held that the matters relied…
In Rahman v Hassan & Ors (Re Consequential Matters) [2024] EWHC 2038 (Ch) HHJ Paul Matthews (sitting as a High Court Judge) held that Part 36 applies even when the claim was not, directly, for a monetary award. There was…
In Goodfellow v Warren Boyes & Archer (A Firm) [2024] EWHC 2015 (KB)Master Thornett rejected an argument that a former partner in a solicitors’ practice had been validly served when proceedings were sent to the company that had purchased that…
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…
In Wells v Hornshaw & Ors [2024] EWHC 2019 (Ch) Mr Justice Adam Johnson rejected a petitioner’s argument that a Part 36 offer remained open for acceptance. There had been a trial after the Part 36 offer had been made. …
In J Robbins Capital Partners Ltd v Zamsort Ltd & Ors [2024] EWHC 1990 (Comm) Paul Stanley KC (sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge) refused the defendants’ application that the action be stayed pending the claimant’s payment of interlocutory…
A problem with “omnibus” claim forms and subsequent case management was considered in detail in the judgment of Mr Justice Garnham and Master Davison in Adams & Ors v Ministry of Defence [2024] EWHC 1966 (KB). The judgment considered the…
There have been a number of cases recently where the courts have considered whether expert evidence should necessarily be accepted in full. In M (A Child)(Non-Accidental Injuries; Wider Canvas), Re [2024] EWFC 209 HHJ Coffey held that the views of…
In Playfair & Ors v Pannells LLP & Ors [2024] EWHC 1933 (Ch) Master Brightwell refused the claimants’ application for an extension of time for service of the claim form. The application was made before the time of expiry for…
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…
There are particulars challenges and difficulties facing a practitioner in cases where children are the only or primary dependants in a fatal claim. This webinar addressed the key issues, in relation to the law, practice and procedure and helping with…
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…
There are often procedural difficulties when a claimant bringing a claim for harassment has to use the Part 8 procedure (as this is prescribed by CPR 65.28(1)(a)). However as the judgment of Aidan Eardley KC in Pattinson v Winsor [2024]…
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