Judge explains himself in writing after phone hearing fails – Legal Futures

‘A High Court judge has been forced to issue a detailed judgment in writing because his voice was “breaking up” at the end of a telephone hearing with a litigant in person (LiP) and the law firm suing her for fees.’

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Legal Futures, 13th May 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Self-isolating litigant in person appears via barrister’s mobile – Litigation Futures

‘A barrister has spoken of how a self-isolating defendant in a fast-track personal injury claim appeared before the court via WhatsApp video.’

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Litigation Futures, 23rd March 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

CoA rules litigant in person needed help making right claim – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 19th, 2020 in litigants in person, news, pleadings by sally

‘Appeal judges have advised that courts must step in if litigants in person are mistakenly pursuing the wrong case. In Mervyn v BW Controls Ltd the Court of Appeal ruled that, in cases where at least one party is unrepresented, judges should intervene to clarify issues which arise on pleadings and confirm which claims have been conceded.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th March 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Has the test for whether or not an appeal should be allowed in respect of a case management decision, as laid down in O’Cathail v Transport for London, been impliedly overruled by R (Osborn) v Parole Board? No, says the EAT in Chowdhury v Marsh Farm Futures UKEAT/0473/18/DA – 3PB

‘Employment Tribunal judges have a wide discretion when making case management decisions, with it being rare for a challenge to such a decision being successful. The Court of Appeal in O’Cathail v Transport for London [2013] IRLR 310 have made it clear that tribunal decisions can only be questioned for error of law. The specific issue in that case was whether or not it was an error of law for a Tribunal to refuse a postponement application in circumstances in which a litigant in person had a fit note saying they were not fit to attend the hearing. The application was refused and the trial went ahead in his absence.’

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3PB, 7th February 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Dealing with Applications for Adjournments due to Ill-Health – St Ives Chambers

Posted February 14th, 2020 in adjournment, case management, chambers articles, health, litigants in person, news by sally

‘The High Court has provided a comprehensive summary, in the case of Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) V Avacade Ltd & Ores [2020] EWHC 26, of the relevant authorities when it comes to applying for an adjournment on the grounds of ill-health.’

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St Ives Chambers, 6th February 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk

Court rejects LiP’s “indiscriminate attack” on legal expenses insurers – Litigation Futures

‘The High Court has struck out a claim by a litigant-in-person (LiP) who responded to the failure of her employment tribunal case by launching an “indiscriminate attack” against legal expenses insurers and regulators.’

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Litigation Futures, 30th January 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Circuit judge wins online harassment injunction – Legal Futures

Posted December 12th, 2019 in harassment, injunctions, internet, judges, litigants in person, news, vexatious litigants by tracey

‘A circuit judge has won an injunction against a disgruntled litigant in person who created a website to attack him and his family, and had thrown out as vexatious an attempt to counter-claim.’

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Legal Futures, 12th December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Good practice for lawyers towards litigants in person – Family Law

‘Despite there being a variety of reasons why someone may choose to represent themselves in the family courts – this decision isn’t an anomaly. Now only 20% of family court cases have both parties represented. It’s a trend we’ve seen grow in recent years.’

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Family Law, 10th December 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

News Judge wins harassment order against LiP with ‘vendetta’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 11th, 2019 in harassment, injunctions, internet, judges, litigants in person, news by tracey

‘A circuit judge has secured an injunction against a disgruntled litigant in person who pursued a vendetta against him following an adverse ruling.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 10th December 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

“Reasonable” for LiP not to understand obligations – Litigation Futures

Posted November 27th, 2019 in appeals, costs, HM Revenue & Customs, litigants in person, news, tribunals by sally

‘Litigants in person (LiPs) who “do little to promote their cases until they are absolutely forced to” and do not “understand, let alone research” their obligations can still be regarded as acting reasonably, the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 27th November 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Jump in unrepresented defendants as legal aid cuts continue to bite – The Guardian

‘The number of unrepresented defendants in crown courts is rising sharply, the head of the Criminal Bar Association has warned, as cuts to legal aid increasingly affect the criminal justice system.’

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The Guardian, 24th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Good practice for lawyers towards litigants in person – Family Law

‘Despite there being a variety of reasons why someone may choose to represent themselves in the family courts – this decision isn’t an anomaly. Now only 20% of family court cases have both parties represented. It’s a trend we’ve seen grow in recent years.’

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Family Law, 19th November 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Go to the LAA for civil contempt funding, not us – High Court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 18th, 2019 in appeals, civil justice, injunctions, legal aid, litigants in person, news, solicitors by sally

‘Litigants in person and solicitors should go through the Legal Aid Agency, not the High Court, for public funding in civil contempt proceedings, a judge has said in a bid to clear up confusion over who has the power to grant legal aid.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 15th November 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

£500 “not enough” to pay for LiP’s legal advice on settlement – Litigation Futures

Posted November 12th, 2019 in costs, employment tribunals, fees, litigants in person, news, unfair dismissal by sally

‘Employers paying for an employee to speak to a lawyer about settling a dismissal dispute need to stump up significantly more than £500 for proper legal advice, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 12th November 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Court users with limited access to technology at risk of being left behind by court modernisation programme: MPs – Local Government Lawyer

‘Court users with limited access to computers, poor literacy or limited understanding of how the law works could be disadvantaged and potentially left going through a case with no legal advice as a result of the courts and tribunals modernisation programme, MPs have said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Imprisoned former LiP fails Denton test over appeal four months late – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Lawyers have become used to running the gauntlet of the Denton test for relief from sanctions – but now the yardstick for out-of-time applications has resulted in a litigant staying behind bars.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 22nd October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Inquisitorial inquests and barrister-blaming – Counsel

‘Families have no automatic right to legal aid at inquests where the state may be implicated and legal aid is means tested. Thus at many such hearings, the family fends for itself while culpable public bodies are represented at taxpayers’ expense.’

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Counsel, September 2019

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Judge praises LiPs denied adjournment to find solicitors – Litigation Futures

Posted September 20th, 2019 in adjournment, legal representation, litigants in person, news, probate by sally

‘A deputy master hearing a probate dispute in the High Court said the way litigants in person ran their defence justified a decision not to adjourn the case so they could instruct new lawyers.’

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Litigation Futures, 20th September 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Legal charities urge government to delay whiplash reforms – Legal Futures

‘Four leading legal charities have urged the government to delay next year’s whiplash reforms over fears that litigants in person and the organisations supporting them will be overwhelmed by the new regime.’

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Legal Futures, 13th August 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Employment tribunals: ‘I sued my boss and won’ – BBC News

‘In the early stages of a difficult second pregnancy, Charlotte Loubser had been sick, nauseous and found herself unable get out of bed.’

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BBC News, 23rd July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk