The ‘shifting’ burden and the drawing of adverse inferences – 3PB

‘The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed this appeal concerning two questions of law:
(i) whether a change in the wording of equality legislation has altered the burden of proof in employment discrimination cases, and
(ii) when a tribunal may draw adverse inferences from the absence of a potential witness.’

Full Story

3PB, 9th August 2021

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

High Court judge orders Liverpool City Council to reconsider refusal of indemnity for former elected mayor – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 4th, 2021 in bribery, costs, indemnities, intimidation, local government, news, witnesses by sally

‘A High Court judge has told Liverpool City Council to revisit whether it should grant an indemnity to its former elected mayor Joe Anderson to defend criminal allegations.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 3rd August 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Malleable memory and the reliability of witness evidence in a digital age – Litigation Futures

Posted June 22nd, 2021 in artificial intelligence, documents, evidence, news, witnesses by sally

‘One of the topics explored by a recent panel of international experts at London International Disputes Week was the malleability (and thus fallibility) of human memory and the resultant impact on reliable witness evidence.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 22nd June 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Individuals and the court process: Proposed changes to CPR 45 in light of recent amendments to the overriding objective – St Philips Barristers

‘Benjamin Clayton discusses proposed amendments to CPR 45, in the context of the recent update pertaining to vulnerable witnesses. Such changes not only take greater account of individual differences, but also put to bed long standing arguments between claimants and defendants.’

Full Story

St Philips Barristers, 4th June 2021

Source: st-philips.com

Immigration removal and an Article 2 inquest – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R (Lawal) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (2021), Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), Unreported, JR/626/2020 (V).
The death of an immigration detainee, as with all prisoners, is rightly subject to legal scrutiny. This is because detainees are completely under the state’s control. Article 2 ECHR requires that the state carry out an effective investigation into all deaths in detention where there is a reasonable suspicion that the death was unnatural. A coroner is required to hold an inquest into all deaths in custody, and specifically a jury inquest where there is reason to suspect the death is violent or unnatural. In this case, a two-judge panel of the Upper Tribunal (President of the Upper Tribunal, Mr Justice Lane, and Upper Tribunal Judge Canavan) found that the respondent Home Secretary had breached her Article 2 procedural obligations in respect of deaths in immigration detention. In particular, she had failed to ensure that crucial witness evidence was secured for use at an inquest and had failed to halt the deportation of a relevant witness.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 29th April 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Home Office breaching human rights law by failing to investigate detainee deaths, court rules – The Independent

‘The Home Office’s policy for investigating deaths in immigration detention has been found to breach human rights law.’

Full Story

The Independent, 15th April 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Remote hearing “did not stop witness admitting he had lied” – Litigation Futures

Posted March 30th, 2021 in coronavirus, deceit, news, probate, remote hearings, wills, witnesses by tracey

‘Holding a trial over the validity of a will remotely may have helped a witness admit that the contents of his affidavit were not true, the High Court has suggested.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 30th March 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Shrewsbury 24: how industrial action led to 47-year fight for justice – The Guardian

‘The industrial action that led to the convictions of union activists and a 47-year campaign to clear their names took place as Edward Heath’s Conservative government sought to weaken the economic power of trade unions.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Shrewsbury 24: court of appeal overturns 1970s picketing convictions – The Guardian

‘Court of appeal judges have overturned the criminal convictions of a group of trade unionists, including the actor Ricky Tomlinson, after a campaign lasting more than four decades.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge allows use of documents shared by mistake – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 23rd, 2021 in disclosure, documents, evidence, news, privilege, solicitors, witnesses by sally

‘A High Court judge has granted defendants permission to use documents inadvertently shared by the claimants’ solicitors before trial.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 22nd March 2021

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Court allows defendants to use statements disclosed by mistake – Litigation Futures

Posted March 22nd, 2021 in disclosure, documents, evidence, news, privilege, solicitors, witnesses by tracey

‘The High Court has granted permission to defendants to use the contents of four otherwise privileged witness statements which were disclosed by the claimants’ solicitors by mistake.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 22nd March 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Our Treatment of the Vulnerable – Challenges for the Family Justice System – Transparency Project

Posted March 17th, 2021 in children, coronavirus, families, family courts, news, witnesses by sally

‘This is the text of a paper by Sir James Munby (lately President of the Family Division) delivered at the Royal Holloway University of London Symposium : “Inequality and Rights – Contemporary Challenges in the Child Protection and Family Justice Systems before and during the Pandemic”, which was held remotely on 16 March 2021. It is reproduced with kind permission.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 17th March 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Fairness and Adjournments: Guidance from the Court of Appeal – No. 5 Chambers

Posted March 11th, 2021 in adjournment, fraud, health, human rights, news, VAT, witnesses by sally

‘In Bilta (UK) Ltd (in liquidation) & Others v Tradition Financial Services Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 221 the Court of Appeal examined the principles to be applied when a party seeks an adjournment because a witness is unable to attend the trial due to ill-health.’

Full Story

No. 5 Chambers, 4th March 2021

Source: www.no5.com

Ground Rules – Vulnerable witnesses – Becket Chambers

Posted March 10th, 2021 in chambers articles, children, families, news, practice directions, witnesses by sally

‘We have a new Practice Direction 3AA which covers participation in proceedings for vulnerable person who will be required to give evidence, which is effective from February 2021.’

Full Story

Becket Chambers, 26th February 2021

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

New Requirements for Witness Statements – 3 Hare Court

‘From 6 April 2021, a new regime for witness statements in the Business and Property Courts will come into force. Practice Direction 57AC will introduce significantly tighter requirements that will apply to all trial witness statements signed on or after 6 April 2021, including those in claims that have already been issued.’

Full Story

3 Hare Court, February 2021

Source: 3xuhxi1g279p1z966c3knla6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com

A new approach to witness statements in the Business and Property Courts: the new Practice Direction 57AC – Hardwicke Chambers

‘The new Practice Direction 57AC (Witness evidence at trial) is set to significantly alter the approach taken to witness statements in the Business and Property Courts (B&PCs) by introducing new rules to deal with “the phenomenon over-long, over-lawyered trial witness statements” (paragraph 10 of the Factual Witness Evidence in Trials before the Business & Property Courts: Implementation Report of the Witness Evidence Working Group (31 July 2020) (Implementation Report). It will apply in the B&PCs to witness statements signed on or after 6 April 2021 in both new and existing proceedings (paragraph 1.1, PD 57AC. Note that certain types of proceedings are excluded unless the court directs otherwise: see paragraph 1.3).’

Full Story

Hardwicke Chambers, 4th March 2021

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

New Requirements for Witness Statements – 3 Hare Court

Posted February 25th, 2021 in documents, news, practice directions, witnesses by sally

‘From 6 April 2021, a new regime for witness statements in the Business and Property Courts will come into force. Practice Direction 57AC will introduce significantly tighter requirements that will apply to all trial witness statements signed on or after 6 April 2021, including those in claims that have already been issued.’

Full Story

3 Hare Court, February 2021

Source: 3xuhxi1g279p1z966c3knla6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com

New witness statements Practice Direction approved – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted February 19th, 2021 in civil procedure rules, evidence, practice directions, press releases, witnesses by tracey

‘The Civil Procedure Rule Committee has approved new Practice Direction PD57AC which seeks to promote and enforce best practice on the preparation of witness statements.’

Full text

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 18th February 2021

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

The show must now go on – St Ives Chambers

Posted February 11th, 2021 in adjournment, chambers articles, coronavirus, news, remote hearings, witnesses by sally

‘In the recent case of Bilta (UK) Ltd and others v SVS Securities Plc and others [2021] EWHC 36 (Ch) Mr Justice Smith considered an application on behalf of the Fifth Defendant, Traditional Financial Services (‘TFS’), for an adjournment 1 week before the commencement of a 5 week trial. The case was to be heard in the Rolls Building as part of the Financial List.’

Full Story

St Ives Chambers, February 2021

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk

Solicitor lied to High Court in claim brought by former partner – Legal Futures

Posted February 11th, 2021 in disciplinary procedures, evidence, news, solicitors, witnesses by sally

‘A solicitor who lied to a High Court judge during the trial of a dispute with a former partner in his law firm has been struck off.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 11th February 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk