THE CURRENT IMPORTANCE OF PLEADINGS 103: “THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PLEADING THE CLAIM RESTS ON THE CLAIMANT” (OH, AND MATTERS CANNOT BE ADDED IN A SKELETON ARGUMENT SERVED THE DAY BEFORE TRIAL…)
Here we have a case where the claimant complained about the judge finding for the defendant on unpleaded matters. It was held on appeal that the claimant had not particularised the case fully and properly. The difficulty was added to…
PROVING THINGS 304 : FUNDAMENTAL DISHONESTY ESTABLISHED IN A £7 MILLION CLAIM: “THE WASTE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES CAUSED BY THE CLAIMANT’S DISHONESTY IS SCANDALOUS”
There are some cases that are on the “extreme” end of fundamental dishonesty litigation. This may well be one of them. The claimant brought a claim for £7 million in damages. However there was evidence that he had largely recovered…
TRYING TO RE-OPEN THE CASE AFTER BEING SENT A DRAFT JUDGMENT: “IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANY PARTY … TO REOPEN OR REARGUE THE CASE”
For the second time in a fortnight we are looking at an attempt to persuade a judge to re-open their decision after a draft judgment has been sent out. This approach had the same result as the previous case. “This…
COST BITES 454: PERSISTENT DISHONESTY LEADS TO INDEMNITY COSTS AGAINST ALL THE DEFENDANTS : “THEY WERE ALL IN IT TOGETHER”: LIMITED MEANS DID NOT JUSTIFY REFUSING AN ORDER FOR AN INTERIM PAYMENT OF COSTS
There are a number of costs issues considered in this judgment. Should indemnity costs be awarded? Should each defendant be liable to the same extent? Should the defendants’ financial position play a part in the decision on costs? Should there…
THROWBACK FRIDAY “AN OBJECT LESSON IN HOW MODERN LITIGATION SHOULD NOT BE CONDUCTED” (WITH THE ADDED BONUS OF AN OBJECT LESSON IN HOW NOT TO DRAW UP A COURT ORDER): NOVEMBER 2013
This case provides two object lessons. Firstly in how not to conduct litigation; secondly in how not to draw up a court order. Both points are important. The second issue is a remarkable attempt by a part to “re-write” a…
LITIGATOR’S LIFELINE 2: WHEN A SOLICITOR MOVES FIRMS: TEN POINTS ON FORMER CLIENTS, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND INFORMATION BARRIERS
Earlier this week we looked at a case where a defendant made an application to prevent the claimant’s solicitors continue acting. This was on the basis that a solicitor who he had dealings with at a previous firm had now…
WRITING LETTERS TO THE JUDGE AFTER A DRAFT JUDGMENT IS CIRCULATED: “THIS IS ABOUT AS FAR AWAY FROM THE CONDUCT OF SOLICITORS CONDUCTING LITIGATION AS IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET”
We have had many examples of parties writing to the court after receiving a draft judgment. On occasions such correspondence has been ill-advised. However I cannot recall any case where the letter from a losing party’s solicitor was as vitriolic…
THE COURT REFUSES DEFENDANT’S APPLICATION FOR AN ORDER THAT THE CLAIMANT’S SOLICITORS CEASE TO ACT FOR HER: THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC CONFLICT AND EVIDENCE IS REQUIRED
It is not at all unusual for solicitors to move firms. It is often the case that the new firm will be engaged in cases which involve the solicitor’s previous firm. Is the “new” firm conflicted thereafter and must it…
ANOTHER CASE ABOUT SETTLEMENT: “FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT” OF WHAT? THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING PRECISELY WHAT HAS BEEN SETTLED
Issues relating to the settlement of cases have been a theme this week. Here we look at a case where the defendant argued that the action against it should be struck out because it had been resolved in an earlier…
EXPERT WATCH 82: THE PROFOUND DANGERS OF AN EXPERT USING AI: “A SIGNIFICANT GAP BETWEEN THE VOICE AND OPINION OF THE EXPERT AND THE REPORT WHICH SHE HAS FILED”
We have here another case where the use of AI by an expert has led to the judge having major doubts about the overall validity of that expert’s report. There is a “sliding scale” as to what is acceptable and…
THROWBACK FRIDAY: IN THE RUN UP TO HALLOWEEN: MISSIVES FROM THE BENCH (OCTOBER 2021): “THAT ONE’S HALF BLIND AND HALF DEAF. I CALL HIM THE COURT OF APPEAL…”
Here we go back a few years to look at a post written in the run up to Halloween. There was a series of “horror” stories relating to the law. This one was about interventions from the bench, provided by…
“THIS IS NOT THE MANNER IN WHICH AN APPLICATION SHOULD BE MADE”: EMAILS TO THE COURT CANNOT TAKE THE PLACE OF APPLICATIONS
We have seen a large number of cases where a party, or a proposed party, writes directly to the court to seek an order in their favour. Here we have a case where this course of action was adopted. The…
![WHAT WENT WRONG FOR LITIGATORS IN 2026 AND HOW DO YOU AVOID PROBLEMS IN 2027 ? WEBINAR ON THE 9th DECEMBER ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES [BUY YOURSELF (OR SOMEONE ELSE) AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT...]](https://i0.wp.com/www.civillitigationbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Shamelessplug.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
WHAT WENT WRONG FOR LITIGATORS IN 2026 AND HOW DO YOU AVOID PROBLEMS IN 2027 ? WEBINAR ON THE 9th DECEMBER ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES [BUY YOURSELF (OR SOMEONE ELSE) AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT…]
This blog, inevitably, tends to cover cases where things have gone wrong (for someone). The primary aim is to stop the same thing happening to you. This webinar aims to encapsulate the lessons from procedural problems and issues in 2026. …
WITNESS EVIDENCE WEDNESDAY: INTERMEDIARIES IN CIVIL PROCEEDINGS: DEFENDANT WITH ADHD ENTITLED TO ASSISTANCE WHEN GIVING EVIDENCE, BUT NOT THROUGHOUT THE TRIAL
There are relatively few cases where the courts have considered the use of intermediaries in civil cases. Here we have a detailed consideration of whether a defendant required an intermediary. The judge did not accept that an intermediary was…
WHAT IS TO BE DONE WITH LITIGANTS WHO CAN’T KEEP SECRETS (2): EMBARGOED JUDGMENTS: TEN KEY POINTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW A LETTER TO THE CLIENT SHOULD BE DRAFTED
The previous post looked at the latest case in relation to breaches of an embargo on a draft judgment. The judge observed that the solicitor had given good advice and stated “I do not know what the answer to that…
ANOTHER CASE ON BREACH OF A JUDGMENT EMBARGO: WHAT IS TO BE DONE WITH LITIGANTS WHO CAN’T KEEP SECRETS (1)?
There are numerous cases on breach of a draft judgment embargo on this blog. In this case the solicitor had given clear advice about the embargo but the client, inadvertently, breached it. The case highlights the need for litigants (on…
“LITIGATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED BY APPLICATIONS AND ORDERS”: “THESE EPISTOLARY COMMUNICATIONS WERE LESS THAN SATISFACTORY…”
There is one brief observation in this judgment which is of some importance in relation to the way that litigators communicate with the court. Attempting to manage a case by correspondence is usually not satisfactory. “Court systems are not well…
ENFORCEMENT BULLETIN 6: BEING SIGNED OFF WORK DOES NOT MEAN UNABLE TO ATTEND COURT: SUSPENDED COMMITTAL ORDER MADE AGAINST JUDGMENT DEBTOR (CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE AND PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATORS YOU MAY WANT TO READ THIS AS WELL…)
It is rare for a clinical negligence claimant to be involved in issues relating to the enforcement of judgments. We have an example here. Ironically enough it is also an example of inadequate medical evidence being presented in an an…
SERVICE POINTS 55: THE SOLICITORS DISCIPLINARY TRIBUNAL FINDS THAT A SOLICITOR WAS TELLING LIES ABOUT SERVICE: SOLICITOR STRUCK OFF (DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU…)
We have looked many times at issues relating to non or mis-service of the claim form. Here we have a case where a solicitor’s evidence as to service was disbelieved by a Circuit Judge. The case shows many familiar mistakes…
THROWBACK FRIDAY: “STAYING SANE AS A LITIGATOR: THINGS WILL GO WRONG: “YOU GOTTA HAVE A PLAN”: DON’T CRASH…” (OCTOBER 2019)
Today we go back to a post in October 2019. It was part of a series of posts about “staying sane as a litigator”. This was the fifth in the series and makes the point that things go wrong in…
COST BITES 463: HOW SHOULD A COSTS ORDER BE PHRASED? MAKING SURE THAT IT DOES NOT JUST OVER “COUNSEL STANDING ON THEIR FEET DURING THE APPLICATION”
Here we have an unusual disagreement about how an order for costs should be phrased. The judge made it clear that the order should make it clear that it was not just covering advocacy. “I prefer the Bourlakovas’ formulation. It…
THE DANGERS OF DELAY: A CASE WHERE THE COURT CRITICISES LATE SERVICE: IT IS IMPLICIT THAT COURT ORDERS SHOULD BE SERVED IN A “TIMELY MANNER”
This is the third case of the day about delay. Here there was a delay of eleven months in serving an order on named defendants. The judge found it unsatisfactory that the claimant council had not served the order in…
PARTIES SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT EXTENSIONS OF TIME WILL BE GRANTED: JUDGE HIGHLY CRITICAL OF DEFENDANT’S CONDUCT OF LITIGATION
If there is a theme for today it is the importance of compliance with rules and directions. Here we have very strong criticism of the defendant Secretary of State (more accurately his legal team). The judge observed that the defendant’s…
WHAT HAS CIVIL LITIGATION BRIEF DONE ABOUT …. PREVENTING PROBLEMS WITH THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN LITIGATION? 10 KEY POINTS
The use of Artificial Intelligence by the legal profession is now a fact of life. The genie will not go back into that particular bottle. However, as we have seen many times on this blog, it can lead to profound…
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HALLUCINATIONS – CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR THE PROFESSION AGAIN: “… THIS DECISION ILLUSTRATES THE CONSIDERABLE PROCEDURAL DIFFICULTIES WHICH CAN ARISE WHEN INAPPROPRIATE USE IS MADE OF AI”
I have today received a copy of the second edition of Andrew Hogan’s book on AI for Lawyers (a review of which will be appearing soon). Problems with the use of AI continue to blight the profession (at home and…
ARE YOU SURE WHO IS REALLY INSTRUCTING YOU? SOLICITORS DECEIVED BY A FALSE EMAIL ADDRESS IN NAOMI CAMPBELL’S CASE
We have recently been looking at a few cases that have made the headlines. However we examine them from a particular CLB point of view – that is are there any practical lessons for working litigators? There are some interesting…
COSTS BITES 461: WINNING THE CASE BUT LOSING THE MAIN BATTLE MEANS CLAIMANT RECOVERS 85% OF COSTS: DEFENDANT CANNOT SEEK THE ADVANTAGES OF PART 36 WITHOUT MAKING A PART 36 OFFER
It is wise for a party that is likely to be on the losing side of a case to make a Part 36 offer. A court is unlikely to have much sympathy for a litigant that has failed to protect…
COST BITES 460: THE FACT THAT A DEFENDANT LOST ON A COUNTERCLAIM DID NOT PREVENT THE COURT FROM ORDERING THE CLAIMANT TO PAY 70% OF THEIR COSTS: ORDER UPHELD ON APPEAL TO THE HIGH COURT
There are certain cases that litigators should keep in their cabinets to show to clients who are overkeen to litigate. This is one of them. The parties were arguing over a boundary line, with one of the issues being whether…
WHEN POSSIBLE FRAUDULENT CONDUCT EMERGES – CAN A SOLICITOR SIMPLY CARRY ON AS BEFORE? THE ISSUES CONSIDERED
Here we look at difficult conduct issue. This is in the context of applications for judicial review. However some of the problems are universal. What does the lawyer do if there are “red flags” that indicate that the solicitor is…
PROPORTIONALITY AND LITIGATION (3): WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOUR OPPONENT IS BEHAVING DISPROPORTIONATELY?
The previous post in this series looked at cases where the parties had “drifted” into disproportionate conduct and costs. However we should not be naive. Some litigants, and some litigators, will expressly threaten to run up costs as a litigation…
PROPORTIONALITY IN LITIGATION (1): A TEN POINT GUIDE FOR CIVIL LITIGATORS: A REVIEW OF CASE LAW AND POSTS OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS
Yesterday we looked at a judgment in the Court of Appeal where the sum at stake was £25. The court was, shall we say, “sceptical” about whether this litigation was for the benefit of the actual client. For a while…
WHEN CHAT GPT DRAFTED A “SKELETON” ARGUMENT – 300 PAGES AND 132,000 WORDS LONG: THE LITIGANT RETAINS RESPONSIBILITY AND MUST COMPLY WITH THE RULES
We have here another example, in a judgment today, of the difficulties caused by the use of AI. ChatGPT “helpfully” drafted a “skeleton” argument that was 300 pages long (the maximum page length allowed was 20 pages). This was coupled…
ADVISING THE CLIENT OF THE RISKS OF LITIGATION: TEN USEFUL CHECKLISTS COUPLED WITH THE RELEVANT LINKS
The previous post considered the nature of a solicitor’s duty in a conveyancing transaction. The judgment considered the nature of the solicitor’s duty to warn of risks. Here we pull together many posts and cases on advising on the risks…
COST BITES 450: IF THE CLAIMANT SUCCEEDED ON A CASE THAT WAS NOT PLEADED SHOULD IT THEN PAY THE DEFENDANTS’ COSTS?
Here the “Cost Bites” series interacts with the “Present Importance of Pleadings”. The judge considered issues relating to liability to pay costs when the claimant had succeeded, but on a basis that was not pleaded. In these circumstances should the…
DRAFTING A REPLY: WHAT IT SHOULD CONTAIN AND WHAT IT SHOULD NOT: THE KEY ISSUES CONSIDERED
You may have noted that the theme of today is the Reply. Here we look at how a Reply should be drafted if a decision is made that one should be served. “A Reply should not, however, be used to…
CLAIM AGAINST A SOLICITOR WAS STRUCK OUT: THERE HAD BEEN NUMEROUS PROCEDURAL DEFAULTS AND THESE WOULD HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN…
We are looking at a case where a claim against a defendant solicitor was struck out. It was struck out because there was no arguable case against the solicitor. However the claimants had also breached numerous rules before and after…
COST BITES 448: THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY HAS TO PAY THE FULL COSTS OF LOSING AN ACTION: ARGUMENTS ABOUT “CHILLING EFFECT” WERE NOT ESTABLISHED AND NOT EVIDENCED IN ANY EVENT
Here we look at some unusual arguments from an unsuccessful defendant as to why it should not be liable to pay the claimants’ costs in full. In the end the defendant succeeded in reducing the costs of a single claimant…
COST BITES 447 : SHOULD A DEFENDANT’S DERAILMENT OF AN EARLY NEUTRAL EVALUATION LEAD TO INDEMNITY COSTS ORDERS BEING MADE AGAINST IT?
Here we have an interesting judgment on the interaction between costs, pleadings and the court’s encouragement of an ADR Process. The claimant argued that a defendant’s conduct lead to the adjournment, and eventual abandonment of an Early Neutral Evaluation (“ENE”)….
LAWYERS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AVOIDING THE PITFALLS (2): HOW TO SPOT “FALSE” AUTHORITIES AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT (PLUS SOME USEFUL LINKS)
Many practising lawyers will now have seen cases where AI has been used to put forward legal propositions. Sometimes this involves “hallucinated” cases, statutes or rules. More problematically a real case or statute is cited, however the citation is wrong…
BACK TO BASICS MONDAY: LAWYERS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (1): THREE IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES: YOU OWN THE WORK; AI IS NOT AN AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE OF LAW; IT IS NOT ENOUGH THAT THE CASE EXISTS…
The post earlier today on the misuse of AI when defending an SDT hearing has led me to start a short series about the dangers of lawyers (litigators in particular) using AI. This is not an anti-AI stance. There is…
MORE ON THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND “HALLUCINATING” CASE LAW AND LEGAL PRINCIPLES: THE SOLICITORS DISCIPLINARY TRIBUNAL GIVES A CLEAR VIEW…
We have now looked at numerous court cases where lawyers have come to grief because of the use of Artificial Intelligence to cite law incorrectly, or simply manufacture false cases and equally false legal principles and citations. Here we have…
DEALING WITH FISH FILES, PROCRASTINATION AND DELAY: THE LITIGATOR’S FRIEND: A REMINDER OF USEFUL LINKS, POSTS AND GUIDANCE AND SOME USEFUL CHECKLISTS
Many of the problem areas of litigation we look at regularly (possibly daily) are often the result of human error. Sometimes there are mistakes as to substantive law, more often there are mistakes as to procedure. One major theme is…
WITNESS EVIDENCE WEDNESDAY: “BACKDATING LETTERS” TO DELIBERATELY MISLEAD COULD COST YOU: £4.58 MILLION IN THIS CASE: (METADATA COMES INTO PLAY NOW)
We are looking here at a judgment about witness credibility made by an Employment Tribunal several years ago. In particular the Tribunal found that the Defendants’ witnesses had deliberately backdated letters in an attempt to mislead. The reason we are…
COST BITES 445: USEFUL CHECKLISTS (2): A CHECKLIST ON COSTS IN HOUSING DISREPAIR CASES (FOR DEFENDANTS) TOGETHER WITH SOME USEFUL LINKS
Yesterday we looked at a checklist on costs for claimants in housing disrepair cases. In the interest of balance I said the next in the series would be aimed at defendants. Here is the checklist as promised. It encourages litigators…
COST BITES 445: “AN APPALLING WASTE OF RESOURCES FOR WHICH BOTH PARTIES AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES BEAR RESPONSIBILITY”: THE FAMILY COURT IS NOT BEST PLEASED…
Here we take a look at a judgment in a family case which contains an exhortation about running up unnecessary costs. This is normally a regime in which inter partes costs are not awarded. The conduct in this case led…
CAN YOU HAVE AN INTERIM INJUNCTION WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN REFUSED IDENTICAL RELIEF IN THE PAST? CLAIMANTS NOT ALLOWED A SECOND BITE OF THE CHERRY
Can a party who has an application for an injunction dismissed then issue proceedings and seek an injunction in identical terms? The answer in this case is no. The principles that prevent litigants seeking “two bites of the cherry” apply…
COST BITES 441: NO ORDER FOR COSTS – EVEN THOUGH THE APPLICANT WAS SUCCESSFUL: THERE ARE MANY LESSONS TO LEARN HERE…
Last week this blog had a fairly detailed review of those circumstances which often lead to no order for costs being made. We have another example here. The applicant had succeeded in the application it had made, however the judge…
COST BITES 438 : CLAIMANT’S UNTENABLE ARGUMENTS LEADS TO REDUCTION IN COSTS RECOVERED: HOURLY RATES FAR TOO HIGH, EVEN WHEN THE CLAIM WAS “ONLY” FOR £9 MILLION
This decision as to costs gives rise to two interesting issues. Firstly the claimant’s costs of an injunction application were reduced substantially because assertions were put forward on a basis that were “unsustainable” and which should never have been pursued,…
THROWBACK FRIDAY: AVOIDING NEGLIGENCE CLAIMS IN LITIGATION AN 8 POINT SURVIVAL GUIDE (AUGUST 2019): AND LOOK AT THE LINKS…
This week we go back to August 2019 with a simple (but I hope effective) post on avoiding negligence claims in civil litigation. Eight of the major problem areas were identified and succinct solutions offered. (There have been hundreds of…
COST BITES 437: SHOULD THE DEFENDANT’S CONDUCT OF THE ACTION LEAD TO INDEMNITY COSTS BEING AWARDED? YES IT SHOULD…
In this case the judge decided that the defendant’s conduct of the litigation warranted an award of indemnity costs being made. There is an interesting consideration of the case law relating to when costs will be reduced because of lack…
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