The End is in Sight – but what then?- St Ives Chambers

‘The stay of possession proceedings (which started on 27 March 2020) comes to an end on 23 August 2020 and the courts and government have been working on plans how to resume possession cases after that date.’

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St Ives Chambers, 24th July 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk

Reactivation! – Nearly Legal

‘After the mystery of the Rules laid last Friday, we now had the text of Practice Direction 55C, which will come into effect on 23 August 2020 at the end of the Part 55.29 stay of possession proceedings.’

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Nearly Legal, 21st July 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Mystery directions – Nearly Legal

‘In the evening of Friday 17 July, The Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020 appeared, having apparently been laid earlier that day. These will come into force on 23 August 2020.’

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Nearly Legal, 18th July 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

The Even Longer Arm of PD51Z: An Update – Guildhall Chambers

‘In the conjoined cases, the tenant (TFS Stores Limited) was the same, but the landlord was different. The tenant will be better known to many as The Fragrance Shop, and the cases at first instance focused on whether the leases in the actions were excluded from the 1954 Act protections. According to HHJ Davis-White QC, they were, and possession orders were made in respect of 5 of the 6 premises caught up in proceedings.’

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Guildhall Chambers, 6th July 2020

Source: www.guildhallchambers.co.uk

The New Cost Rules – A Focused Approach – Becket Chambers

‘A client who is successful in most forms of civil litigation can expect to recover some if not all their costs. Since the abolition of the Calderbank offer, it has been difficult to obtain cost orders in financial remedy litigation and the general rule is that the court will not make an order requiring one party to pay the costs of the other (FPR 28.3 (5)).’

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Becket Chambers, 6th July 2020

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Security for Costs – International Pipeline Products Ltd v IK UK Ltd. and others – NIPC Law

Posted July 9th, 2020 in civil procedure rules, costs, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘This was an application by several defendants to a claim for breach of contract, conspiracy, breach of confidence and patent, copyright and unregistered design right infringement for security for costs. It was heard by Mr David Stone sitting as a deputy judge of the High Court on 1 May 2020. He gave an extemporary judgment on the day of the hearing and delivered detailed reasons on 24 June 2020.’

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NIPC Law, 8th July 2020

Source: nipclaw.blogspot.com

The Court of Protection and the Appointment of a Deputy – Becket Chambers

‘When a person loses the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves (and they haven’t already put a power of attorney in place), those who care for them may need to apply to the Court of Protection (COP) to appoint a Deputy. In this article I will briefly sets out the differences between a lasting power of attorney (LPA), enduring power of attorney (EPA) and a Deputy. I will then give a sketch of how the Court of Protection works.’

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Becket Chambers, 3rd July 2020

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

London Borough of Hackney v Okoro [2020] EWCA Civ 681 – Tanfield Chambers

‘If possession proceedings were initially “brought” under CPR Part 55, and are not caught by one of the exceptions set out in CPR PD 51Z Para.2A, then the automatic stay imposed by the practice direction takes effect.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 30th June 2020

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Discontinuing or settling a claim? Lawyers Beware – No. 5 Chambers

‘Thinking of discontinuing, or settling a claim? This 21-page Judgment (admonishment) provides some important guidance on the dos and don’ts, particularly the don’ts.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 19th June 2020

Source: www.no5.com

Toby Chaplin (by his mother and litigation friend, Diane Chaplin) v Ben Pistol, Allianz Insurance Plc [2020] EWHC 1543 (QB),2020 WL 03254432 – No. 5 Chambers

‘At 28, the Claimant had acquired a traumatic brain injury and been rendered tetraplegic in an accident caused by the negligent driving of the Defendant. The case came before Master Eastman in July 2019 for case management. At that stage, it was common ground between the experts in neurology for each party that the Claimant’s injuries had significantly reduced his life expectancy. However, they disagreed as to the extent of the reduction, Dr Liu for the Claimant estimating that his life expectancy to be 30-35% of normal; Professor Collin for the Defendant adopting a figure of 30-44% of normal. There were also differences in the experts’ approach to available statistics. Whilst the range of figures adopted by each expert were not far apart and it was likely that the Claimant’s care costs would by awarded by way of a PPO, it was nonetheless accepted that the difference between the parties translated to a 7-figure sum. At the CMC before Master Eastman in July 2019, the Defendant’s application for permission to rely on a report, from medical statisticians on the issue of the Claimant’s life expectancy, was dismissed on the basis that neither party’s neurology expert deferred to evidence from a statistician to assist them in determining the Claimant’s life-expectancy and such evidence would not add to their existing analysis of the available statistics. The Defendant did not appeal.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 22nd June 2020

Source: www.no5.com

Success Fee Recoverability in 1975 Act Claims: Re H [2020] EWHC 1134 (Fam) – Pallant Chambers

‘The general rule in civil litigation is that costs “follow the event”. In an article I wrote for the special issue of Civil Justice Quarterly on Civil Litigation Costs, Vol. 32 pages 109-312 Issue 2 2013, I discussed the negative impact that this rule can have on access to justice: not only is the losing party hit with two bills rather than one, but the losing party has no direct control over the costs incurred by the successful party.’

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Pallant Chambers, 26th June 2020

Source: www.pallantchambers.co.uk

The Court of Appeal considers the consequences of failure to serve a registration order under the Lugano Convention: Islandsbanki Hf & Ors v Stanford [2020] EWCA Civ 480 – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted June 26th, 2020 in appeals, bankruptcy, chambers articles, civil procedure rules, debts, news by sally

‘Oliver Hyams and Amy Held investigate the recent case of Islandsbanki Hf & Ors v Stanford [2020] EWCA Civ 480.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 23rd June 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Reasonable requirement for expert evidence – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 23rd, 2020 in civil procedure rules, evidence, expert witnesses, news by sally

‘Civil claims increasingly raise technical and scientific issues that require evidence from experts who can assist the court in understanding the key issues. However, the parties do not have a right to adduce expert evidence and the court’s permission will be required. Rather, the court will control the use of evidence. It will do this by restricting the use of expert evidence to that which is reasonably required to resolve the proceedings (CPR 35.1).’

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Law Society's Gazette, 22nd June 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Claimant loses all costs after assessment misconduct – Litigation Futures

Posted June 22nd, 2020 in civil procedure rules, costs, fees, law firms, news, sanctions, solicitors by sally

‘A claimant has lost all of his remaining entitlement to costs because of misconduct during the assessment process.’

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Litigation Futures, 19th June 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Covid-19 Update: CPR PD51Z Applies to Appeals – Becket Chambers

‘London Borough of Hackney v Okoro [2020] EWCA Civ 681

This case follows the Court of Appeal decision in Arkin v Marshall [2020] EWCA Civ 620 which was recently handed down on 11 May 2020.’

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Becket Chambers, 1st June 2020

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Relief from sanctions overturned for “egregious” conduct – Litigation Futures

‘A High Court judge has overturned relief from sanctions granted to a claimant in a medical negligence case, partly because of her solicitor’s “egregious” conduct.’

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Litigation Futures, 15th June 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Judicial early neutral evaluation during coronavirus, friend or foe? – No. 5 Chambers

‘Courts across the jurisdiction have struggled for years to run small claim and fast track lists efficiently in order to reduce the backlog. Coronavirus lockdown has brought this to a head, as cases are adjourned and the huge backlog is set to rise. Waiting several months, if not years, to have a case of modest value heard is contrary to the interests of justice. Memories fade, individuals cannot enforce their rights until the issue is litigated, the deserving go uncompensated, and the pressure to under-settle increases.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 1st June 2020

Source: www.no5.com

Adding Allegations to a Clinical Negligence Claim: a brief summary of Mangala Janakarajah v (1) Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (2) Mario Petrou [2020)] QBD (Soole J) 03/06/2020 – Parklane Plowden Chambers

‘In clinical negligence cases things change. That’s often because new expert evidence, witness evidence, or medical records come to light. So, when can you add to your existing case?’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 5th June 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Suspension of evictions extended by 2 months – St Ives Chambers

‘Despite the government’s general stance on relaxation of lockdown and the recommendations of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee, the ban on taking active steps in possession claims or seeking to enforce possession orders has been extended until 23 August. This was following advice from the Lord Chancellor and the Civil Procedure Rules Committee.’

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St Ives Chambers, June 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk

Using documents for a collateral purpose and in separate proceedings – how likely are the courts to approve your application? – St Ives Chambers

Posted June 5th, 2020 in chambers articles, civil procedure rules, disclosure, documents, news by sally

‘There will certainly be occasions where the use of documents disclosed in separate proceedings are useful to your case and it is desirable either to disclose these in the present case or to obtain advice on collateral claims, but which applications are practically viable?’

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St Ives Chambers, May 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk