Freedom of Information and Data Protection: Case Law Update 2014 – Thirty Nine Essex Street

‘This paper covers key information rights cases in 2014. The breadth of issues covered below, from legal professional privilege, human rights to vexatious requests, demonstrates the overlap between information law and many other areas of public law. This paper is intended to provide guidance, even for those who are not steeped, day-to-day, in the workings of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA”) and the Data Protection Act 1998 (the “DPA”), on the practical implications of these developments.’

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Thirty Nine Essex Street, February 2015

Source: www.39essex.com

Judicial review reforms will discourage “ill-conceived and vexatious claims”, experts say – OUT-LAW.com

‘Changes to the rules governing judicial review (JR) claims will ensure that those challenging the decisions of public bodies face a “fair level of financial risk”, the Government has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 7th February 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Government defamation costs reforms ‘could have chilling effect’ – Daily Telegraph

“Government proposals to allow people of ‘modest means’ to sue for libel without having to pay the other side’s legal costs if they lose could have a ‘chilling effect’ on free speech, a leading media lawyer has warned.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judicial Review reform: What does “totally without merit” mean? – Paul Bowen QC – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 26th, 2013 in civil procedure rules, judicial review, news, vexatious litigants by tracey

“What is the test the Court should apply in deciding whether an application is ‘totally without merit’? The question is prompted by the Lord Chancellor’s announcement on 23 April 2013 that he will press ahead with plans to reform judicial review procedure to target ‘weak, frivolous and unmeritorious cases’. A key change will be to give judges of the Administrative Court, when refusing permission to apply for judicial review on the papers, the power to certify a claim as ‘totally without merit’ (TWM), thus depriving the claimant of the right to renew the application before the court at an oral hearing.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 25th April 2013

Surce: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Vexatious and manifestly unreasonable requests: definitive guidance from the Upper Tribunal – Panopticon

Posted February 8th, 2013 in freedom of information, news, vexatious litigants by sally

“Public authorities often have cause to consider whether to treat requests for information as vexatious (section 14 of FOIA) or manifestly unreasonable (regulation 12(4)(b) of the EIR). Precise definitions of those terms are difficult to pin down. They are not supplied by legislation. There is no binding authority from appellate courts or tribunals on their meaning in the information rights context. The Information Commissioner’s guidance is long-standing, but First-Tier Tribunals vary in the extent to which they use that guidance.”

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Panopticon, 7th February 2013

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Appeal tribunal slaps down serial employment litigant – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 15th, 2012 in employment tribunals, news, vexatious litigants by sally

“A litigant who began 31 sets of employment tribunal proceedings over 28 months has been told he can bring no more cases without the Employment Appeal Tribunal’s express permission.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 15th June 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Star Reefers Pool Inc v JFC Group Co Ltd – WLR Daily

Posted January 24th, 2012 in appeals, injunctions, jurisdiction, law reports, vexatious litigants by sally

Star Reefers Pool Inc v JFC Group Co Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 14; [2012] WLR (D) 3

“A judge’s decision that a party’s foreign proceedings were vexatious or oppressive was an evaluative judgment in a matter on which there was a right or wrong answer, not an exercise of discretion. Accordingly it was open to the Court of Appeal to conduct a serious review of the issue.”

WLR Daily, 20th January 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

High cost of compensation culture and ‘human rights’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 13th, 2011 in compensation, human rights, news, tribunals, vexatious litigants by tracey

“Natasha Sivanandan has spent 25 years pursuing tribunal cases and has now secured her biggest victory with a £425,000 payout.”

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Daily Telegraph, 11th June 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Supperstone v Hurst and another – WLR Daily

Posted June 11th, 2009 in law reports, restraining orders, vexatious litigants by sally

Supperstone v Hurst and another [2009] EWHC 1271 (Ch); [2009] WLR (D) 176

“The court did not have jurisdiction to make an extended civil restraint order which prevented the person subject to the order from engaging in any form of mere communication with the person for whose benefit the order was made.”

WLR Daily, 10th June 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Ewing v Director of Public Prosecutions – WLR Daily

Posted August 4th, 2008 in judicial review, law reports, prosecutions, vexatious litigants by sally

Ewing v Director of Public Prosecutions; [2008] WLR (D) 276; [2008] WLR (D) 276

“It was necessary for a person who was the subject of a civil proceedings order to seek leave, under s 42(3) of the Supreme Court Act 1981, to make an application for permission to proceed with a claim for judicial review notwithstanding that the underlying decision he sought to challenge related to a criminal cause or matter.”

WLR Daily, 1st August 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.