WHEN A SOLICITOR SIGNS A STATEMENT OF TRUTH ON BEHALF OF A CLIENT: GET THE WORDING RIGHT (AND REMEMBER WHAT IT IS YOU ARE CERTIFYING)
A regular search term that leads people to this blog is “can a solicitor sign a statement of truth on behalf of a client?” The answer is yes, for some documents at least. The lawyer has to remember (i) what…
CIVIL PROCEDURE BACK TO BASICS 91: MAKE SURE YOUR CLIENT IS STILL ALIVE WHEN YOU ISSUE – AT CERTAINLY AT THE TIME OF TRIAL: A SITUATION THAT IS UTTERLY BIZARRE
The facts in Amirtharaja & Anor v White & Anor [2021] EWHC 330 (Ch) are unusual to say the least. Someone who had died two years prior to issue was included as a party in a claim form. The matter…
CHANGES COMING INTO FORCE IN OCTOBER 1: CHANGES TO THE STATEMENTS GIVEN BY EXPERTS
The 122nd update Practice Direction Amendments come into force on the 1st October 2020. We have already looked at the changes to the rules relating to proceedings for contempt. Here we look at the change relating to the declaration that…
MORE ON THE NEW STATEMENT OF TRUTH: CAN YOU CHANGE THE WORDING?
I have had questions, from several sources, about whether it is possible to amend the “new form” of the statement of truth when a document is not being signed by a party to litigation. PRACTICE DIRECTION 22. The new…
REMOTE WORKING AND THE LITIGATOR 3: SIGNING WITNESS STATEMENTS IN A TIME OF SOCIAL ISOLATION
One major difficulty that faces all litigators at present is how to get witness statements signed. Here are a few ideas. E-SIGNATURES MAY BE VALID There is no binding authority on this issue. However the decision of District Judge…
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH (3): THE SCARY STUFF (THE REALLY SCARY STUFF)
This is the third (and final) post in the series that examines the importance of the statement of truth. Here we look at the clear and start warnings given by the courts about the importance of the statement of truth….
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH (1): WHY IT NEEDED “BEEFING UP” (THE RULES COMMITTEE COULD HAVE DONE THIS FIVE YEARS AGO…)
Yesterday was, by a long way, the busiest day on this blog ever. The reason for this being that everyone is anxious to know the new wording for the statement truth. There is a need for a short series on…
MORE RULE CHANGES IN APRIL: CHANGES TO THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED…
We are returning to the 113th update to Practice Direction Amendments. This introduces important changes to to the wording of the statement of truth. (Coming into force from the 6th April 2020). THE AMENDMENT The amendment makes changes to the…
CIVIL PROCEDURE – BACK TO BASICS 3: THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH
The aim of this series is to look at things that litigators do every day – almost automatically. Signing a statement of truth is one of those things. This is a regular occurrence in many solicitor’s offices. It is a…
SIGNING THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH IN PRE-ACTION DOCUMENTS: WILL THE SOLICITOR GO TO JAIL OR NOT?
There has already been some discussion in the Gazette about the judgment in Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Ltd v Yavuz & Ors [2017] EWHC 3088 (QB). In particular the observations in relation to signature of documents by the legal representative. This…
SIGNING A STATEMENT OF TRUTH ON BEHALF OF A CLIENT: A STARK REMINDER FROM THE COUNTY COURT ONLINE PILOT PRACTICE DIRECTION
I have looked before at the issues that arise when the legal representative signs a statement of truth on behalf of a client. These issues are shown in stark terms in the Practice Direction 51S – The County Court Online…
LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNING THE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT II: SEE WHAT THE COMMERCIAL COURTS GUIDE SAYS: BUT…
The post on legal representatives signing the disclosure statement written earlier in the week had a lot of response. My attention has been drawn to the Admiralty & Commercial Courts Guide which suggests (in certain undefined circumstances) a legal representative…
SOLICITOR SIGNING THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH IN A DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: NOT PERMISSIBLE AND NOT ADVISABLE
There has been a lot of discussion on Twitter recently in relation to a search term that arrived on this blog “solicitor signing disclosure statement”. So many people contributed to that discussion that I cannot thank them all. However it…
"SECOND HAND" SIGNATURES WILL NOT DO -"PRE-SIGNING" THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH? – NOT A GOOD IDEA
This blog has covered the importance of the statement of truth on many occasions. However the issues revealed in the Solicitors Disciplinary hearing in SRA -v- Jackson reveals a remarkably insouciant approach to the statement of truth. THE CASE The…
SIGNING A STATEMENT OF TRUTH ON BEHALF OF A CLIENT: GET THE WORDING RIGHT
On more than one occasion on this blog we have looked at cases where the courts have questioned the wisdom of a lawyer signing a statement of truth on behalf of a client. In Galdikas -v- DJ Houghton Catching Services…
STATEMENTS OF CASE & THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH: CAN A PARTY ARGUE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS?
There are some interesting observations by Mr Justice Leggatt in ED&F Sugar ltd -v- T&L Sugar Ltd [2016] EWHC 272 (Comm). KEY POINTS A statement of truth which supported particulars of claim was a statement of fact. An assertion in…
A GENTLE REMINDER OF YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS 3: THINK VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING A STATEMENT OF TRUTH ON BEHALF OF A CLIENT
As part of the series reminding litigators of the new year’s resolutions for 2016 we look at resolution number 4: “Think very carefully before signing a statement of truth on behalf of a client”. We have already seen one case…
ISSUING WITHOUT AUTHORITY: THE DANGERS OF SOLICITORS SIGNING STATEMENTS OF TRUTH: ACTION STRUCK OUT AS AN ABUSE OF PROCESS
This blog has looked, several times, at the dangers of solicitors signing documents which contain a statement of truth. The risks are clearly set out in the decision of Mrs Justice Rose today in Bao Xiang International Garment Centre -v-…
THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH: DOES IT NEED "BEEFING UP": THE POLICE SAY WITNESSES DON'T UNDERSTAND IT'S SIGNIFICANCE!
The statement of truth is central to modern litigation, and at every stage of the litigation. However it is worthwhile considering whether, in its current form, it is effective. THE ACCIDENT EXCHANGE CASE It is worthwhile reading the judgment in…
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH: COMMENTS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT: THE SIGNATORY CANNOT HIDE BEHIND THE DRAFTSMAN
The signing of a statement of truth is now an everyday event in litigation. With documents signed by clients, or by lawyers on behalf of their clients. Recent cases highlight the significance of the statement of truth. It is important…