Abuse of process? Res judicata and collateral attacks on prior decisions after Allsop v Banner Jones Ltd and another – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted February 18th, 2021 in abuse of process, chambers articles, negligence, news, res judicata, striking out by sally

‘In Allsop v Banner Jones Ltd and another, the Court of Appeal considered the application of Phosphate Sewage v Molleson to applications to strike out a claim on the basis of abuse of process. The decision is a detailed exploration of the scope of the doctrines of res judicata, collateral attacks of previous decision and abuse of process. As such it is valuable reading to litigators generally and particularly those in the field of professional negligence.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 12th February 2021

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Case Note: Município de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group plc, BHP Billiton plc and BHP Group Ltd – Blackstone Chambers

‘This note considers the judgment of Turner J in the Technology and Construction Court of 10 November 2020 in the case of Município de Mariana & Ors v BHP Group plc, BHP Billiton plc and BHP Group Ltd. In that judgment, Turner J struck out a claim by a very large group of claimants for compensation for damage caused by the 2015 collapse of the Fundão Dam in South Eastern Brazil, in which over 40 million cubic metres of tailings washed into the Doce River with massive human, environmental, and economic cost. This note presents the factual background of the case and sets out the most relevant features of the judgment for the practice of mass tort litigation in the multinational context.’

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Blackstone Chambers, 15th February 2021

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com

Personal Injury Newsletter – Exchange Chambers

‘In the February 2021 edition of the personal injury newsletter:

Tactical Management: Taking charge for claimants
As a claimant-only advocate, Bill Braithwaite QC explains exactly why he believes that lawyers who represent severely injured claimants should understand the importance of having complete control over the recovery, rehabilitation and litigation process.

Child’s Play: Gul v Mcdonagh ((2021) Ewhc 97)
Will Waldron QC considers the case of Gul v Mcdonagh ((2021) Ewhc 97), amongst others, in relation to the often tricky question of whether to concede some finding of contributory negligence in a case involving a child.

Second bite of the cherry? Abuse of process post-Poku
In this article, Helen Rutherford covers abuse of process in credit hire cases following Isaac Osei-Wusu Poku v Abedin.

Another Hurdle for Nervous Shock Claims
In Alcock v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police [1992] 1 AC 310, the House of Lords established 4 hurdles which a secondary victim must overcome in order to establish liability. Although a number of cases have tested the limits of these hurdles, an issue which has never previously been considered is whether a secondary victim must prove that his shock resulted from an appreciation that the primary victim is a loved one who had been or might have been involved in the incident. David Knifton QC considers this issue, with reference to the case of Young v Downey.’

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Exchange Chambers, February 2021

Source: lexlinks.exchangechambers.co.uk

Consigned to History: Do abuse of process arguments work in historic sex cases? – Carmelite Chambers

Posted February 2nd, 2021 in abuse of process, delay, news, stay of proceedings by sally

‘Ben Hargreaves looks at the case law from R (Ebrahim) v Feltham MC [2001] 2 Cr.App.R. 23 through to R v Hewitt [2020] EWCA Crim 1247 and considers whether there is any prospect of turning the tide on the diminishing scope for successful abuse arguments in historic sex allegations.’

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Carmelite Chambers, 1st February 2021

Source: www.carmelitechambers.co.uk

High Court declines to strike out ordinary claim based on the construction of TCPA 1990, s 106 agreement (Aspire Luxury Homes (Eversley) Ltd v Hart District Council) – No. 5 Chambers

Posted January 22nd, 2021 in abuse of process, appeals, chambers articles, housing, news, planning, striking out by sally

‘Planning analysis: The High Court held that it was not an abuse of process to bring an ordinary civil claim concerning the construction of an agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (TCPA 1990) (a section 106 agreement). The judge said that, while the validity of a section 106 agreement is highly likely to be a question of public law, suitable only for judicial review (except where it is raised as a defence to an ordinary claim by a local planning authority to enforce an agreement), the construction of TCPA 1990, s 106 agreement was not different in principle to the construction of any contract.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 22nd January 2021

Source: www.no5.com

Trying to shoot the messenger – Nearly Legal

Posted January 19th, 2021 in abuse of process, barristers, costs, negligence, news, nuisance, repairs, striking out by sally

‘The name of Moorjani may be familiar. We first encountered Mr Moorjani in a judgment transforming the case law on loss of amenity damages in disrepair claims in the Court of Appeal. However, despite the transformation of the law, and the successful appeal, it turns out that for Mr Moorjani that litigation, and indeed his subsequent claim, were actually quite disastrous. We now know this because Mr Moorjani brought a claim against his direct access barrister who acted for him at the county court trial of the original claim. This is the judgment on the defendant’s strike out application in that claim.’

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Nearly Legal, 17th January 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

SDT “wrong” to strike out prosecution of Law Society president – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) was wrong to throw out a private prosecution brought by a former client against the current president of the Law Society, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 13th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Abuse of Process – Credit hire brought outside of the MOJ portal – Poku v Abedin – Park Square Barristers

Posted January 13th, 2021 in abuse of process, appeals, chambers articles, damages, news, personal injuries by sally

‘This is an appeal in the matter of Poku v Abedin [2020] by the Claimant against a decision by DDJ Omoregie in which a claim for credit hire was struck out on the grounds that the claim was as an abuse of process. The Claimant had previously raised and settled a personal injury claim through the RTA Portal not including the credit hire charges. The appeal was heard on the 8th October 2020 before Her Honour Judge Backhouse sitting in the RCJ.’

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Park Square Barristers, 6th January 2021

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Professional liability update: 2020 year in review – 4 New Square

‘In this review of the year, Helen Evans, Ben Smiley, Pippa Manby, and Ian McDonald of 4 New Square explain what the 2020 cases tell us, how the various strands of development interact, and what to watch out for as we go into 2021.’

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4 New Square, 5th January 2021

Source: www.4newsquare.com

High Court strikes out group action as an abuse of process: Municipo de Mariana v BHP Group PLC [2020] EWHC 2930 (TCC) – Henderson Chambers

‘The High Court has struck out claims brought by more than 200,000 Brazilian claimants in the English courts against British and Australian holding companies in relation to the collapse of the Fundao Dam in Brazil in 2015. In Municipo de Mariana v BHP Group PLC ([2020] EWHC 2930 (TCC)) Turner J found the claims to be an abuse of process and also considered that, in the alternative, the proceedings should be stayed under the Recast Brussels Regulation and on the basis of forum non conveniens. While Turner J emphasised that the factual background of this case was central to his conclusions, his judgment contains a detailed analysis of the relevant caselaw and his consideration of the facts surrounding the claim will no doubt be of interest to parties involved in similar cross-jurisdictional and group actions. Charles Gibson QC led the Counsel team for the Defendants.’

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Henderson Chambers, 19th November 2020

Source: www.hendersonchambers.co.uk

High Court strikes out “unmanageable” 200,000-strong group action – Litigation Futures

Posted November 10th, 2020 in abuse of process, choice of forum, class actions, news, pollution, striking out by sally

‘The High Court has struck out a claim brought on behalf of more than 200,000 claimants over a dam collapse in Brazil, saying it risked becoming “the largest white elephant in the history of group actions”.’

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Litigation Futures, 9th November 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Prosecution of trafficking victim not an abuse of process – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R v A [2020] EWCA Crim 1408. On 29/10/2020, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal against an aggravated burglary conviction brought by a teenage victim of human trafficking.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd November 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Court rules £2.2m claim was abuse of process but will live on – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Court of Appeal has overturned a decision to strike out a £2.2m personal injury claim, despite concluding it was issued inappropriately and there had been an abuse of process.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 4th August 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Tribunal strikes out “vexatious” claims against leading firm – Legal Futures

‘A former employee of national law firm Shoosmiths – who was awarded £1,000 in damages for harassment back in 2017 – has had a string of further claims thrown out, with an employment tribunal branding them vexatious.’

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Legal Futures, 18th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Sham marriage’ solicitor loses strike-off appeal – Legal Futures

‘The High Court has dismissed an appeal by a solicitor struck off after telling an undercover television reporter that he would help them apply for a visa on the back of a bogus marriage.’

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Three cases on contempt of court and what they mean for commercial fraud litigation – Radcliffe Chambers

Posted May 29th, 2020 in abuse of process, committals, contempt of court, fraud, news by sally

‘Recent weeks have seen a spate of decisions on contempt of court. Most are sentencing cases and thus of little general interest since they turn on their facts. However, 3 cases do raise issues of general principle which not infrequently arise in the commercial fraud context.’

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Radcliffe Chambers, 19th May 2020

Source: radcliffechambers.com

Crossley & Ors v Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (the “VW NOx Emissions Group Litigation”) – Blackstone Chambers

‘The High Court has today handed down judgment in the VW NOx Emissions Group Litigation – the class action arising out of what is often described as the ‘emissions scandal’. Following a two-week trial of two preliminary issues, Mr Justice Waksman has found that the controversial engine software function amounts to a ‘defeat device’ for the purpose of EU law, and that previous findings of the relevant German authorities were binding on the High Court in that respect.’

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Blackstone Chambers, 6th April 2020

Source: www.blackstonechambers.com

Judge upholds acceptance of ‘mistaken’ £0 part 36 offer – Litigation Futures

‘A claimant who issued proceedings after the defendant accepted a part 36 offer for £0 – which he said had been made by mistake – has had his claim struck out for abuse of process.’

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Litigation Futures, 7th April 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Alibrahim v Asturion Fondation [2020] EWCA Civ 32 – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted April 1st, 2020 in abuse of process, appeals, chambers articles, news, striking out by sally

‘The primary issue for the Court of Appeal in this case was what conduct constitutes abuse of process where one party to litigation unilaterally suspends proceedings for a substantial amount of time without the agreement of the other party nor the approval or an Order of the court.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 27th March 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Restraining Presentation or Advertisement of a Creditor’s Winding Up Petition – 33 Bedford Row

Posted February 20th, 2020 in abuse of process, chambers articles, injunctions, news, notification, winding up by sally

‘Widespread knowledge that a company is subject to a creditor’s winding up petition can cause that company serious harm. Where the creditor’s winding up petition is warranted, this harm may just be an unfortunate consequence of a valid legal process being pursued against it. However, where the creditor’s winding up petition is unwarranted, and is eventually dismissed because it is unwarranted, its dismissal will be ‘cold comfort’ to the company where, in the intervening period between presentation and dismissal, the company has suffered irreparable reputational and operational damage.’

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33 Bedford Row, 4th February 2020

Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk