Archive

Two cases in the High Court of Chancery in Northern Ireland highlight the activities of those who attempt to introduce into argument, concepts which have no place or efficacy in the legal system. In Santander UK PLC v Scullion and Scullion 2020 NICh 1, McBride J was required to adjudicate on an Order 88 application for […]

Readers of the last blog will know that the statistics last week, did not support tales of a pandemic nor did they support the excuse for the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) which stated in its opening: “These Regulations are made in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health which is posed by […]

This judgment should cause both McKenzie friends and those who use them to stop and think. An unqualified legal adviser has been ordered to pay more than £260,000 in compensation after he caused a man to miss out on damages and incur huge costs in a medical negligence case. A High Court judge said that […]

JUDGMENT In the matter of an application by Geraldine Finucane for Judicial Review (Northern Ireland) before Lady Hale, President Lord Kerr Lord Carnwath Lord Hodge Lady Black JUDGMENT GIVEN ON 27 February 2019Heard on 26 and 27 June 2018 Hilary Term [2019] UKSC 7On appeal from: [2017] NICA 7 Appellant Barry Macdonald QC Fiona Doherty […]

Lee v Ashers Baking Company Ltd [2018] UKSC 49 (‘gay cake’ case) has probably not escaped the attention of any public lawyer. As Anurag Deb & Conor McCormick have usefully pointed out in a recent blog post, however, what may have been overlooked is that this case is not only important from a human rights […] […]

The victims caught between two worlds

My latest piece for iNews, on the Supreme Court decision concerning the victims of John Worboys and their fight for compensation for police failings in the investigation into Worboys’ crimes, is available to read here, should this sort of thing be of interest: https://inews.co.uk/opinion/police-fight-compensation-awarded-victims-john-worboys/ via Quick Q&A: The Supreme Court decision on John Worboys’ victims and […]

If I were a Whitehall mandarin, I would consider how to deal with the unpleasant and inconvenient issue of ‘victims’ of the Troubles. First rule of the Civil Service-do nothing and deny everything. Second rule, if that doesn’t work-obfuscate Third rule-promise something you know that you will never deliver. Enter, stage left the “Victims Groups”. […]