Civil Litigation

In this part of our blog we discuss current civil litigation news including current newsworthy cases and changes to civil litigation procedures. It is a broad subject that can cover international law suits for breach of contract or negligence, and cases involving individuals suing companies or government agencies.

Many people will be involved in civil litigation at some point in their lives, whether personally or as part of their employment. Check our blog regularly so you remain up-to-date with changes to the law, as they may become relevant to you.

If you do become involved in civil litigation, Contact Law can put you in touch with a local recommended solicitor. You can get in touch today.

MI6 ‘licence to kill’ to be investigated

Two Libyan dissidents have instructed their lawyers to bring a civil claim against Sir Mark Allen, a former senior MI6 officer. The lawyers are suing Allen over allegations that he rendered the two dissidents to Libya where they say they faced severe ill-treatment. The two men are suing Allen for ‘complicity in torture’ and ‘misfeasance [...]

Lord Justice Jackson highlights significant cost of legal professionals misunderstanding e-disclosure

Lord Justice Jackson addressed the matter of e-disclosure in his seventh lecture on implementing his proposed reforms to civil litigation. Jackson noted that legal professionals need to become better in dealing with e-disclosure as failure to do so will effectively waste financial resources. Presently, Jackson noted, “Relatively few solicitors and even fewer barristers really understand [...]

Civil Justice Council passes code of conduct for third-party litigation funders

A large part of the legal profession has been overwhelmingly critical of the Government’s legal aid budget cuts and the potential harm on access to justice. The cuts to legal aid are expected to cause a rise in third-party litigation funding, an area which currently lacks regulation. It is now hoped that a voluntary code [...]

Lady GaGa wins injunction against the cartoon Lady Goo Goo

Eccentric pop star Lady GaGa has been granted an injunction by the High Court in London against the creators of the popular kids’ website, Moshi Monsters, in order to stop one of their characters, Lady Goo Goo, from releasing a single. The single is called the Moshi Dance and was set tobe released after the [...]

Assange’s autobiography is published without his permission

Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, has failed to stop his autobiography from being published today by the publisher Canongate. The book, which was written by ghost writer Andrew O’Hagan after 50 hours of interviews, contains details of his childhood in Australia and the early days of Wikileaks. It also discusses his encounters with the [...]

Does the internet mean I can represent myself?

The internet is an amazing resource but it cannot always be trusted. Some websites can be informative if you have a general interest in the way the law works but others can be seriously misleading. If you are considering taking someone to court or are being taken to court yourself, you are always best off [...]

Enforcing a judgement

Once a claimant has been successful in obtaining a judgement against the defendant in civil proceedings, the defendant will normally pay the amount he has been ordered to pay without any further process required. If however, the defendant fails to pay the amount stated in the court order, the claimant will have to take swift [...]

Property agent sues for share of St Pancras revamp profits

A property agent has launched a legal claim for 25% of the profits that will be made by the developers of the St Pancras Chambers building renovation, which has transformed the Grade 1 listed building into the new St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Charles Lissack is claiming a finder’s fee for introducing the Manhattan Loft Corporation [...]

Families sue lawyers over failed MMR class action

Three families are suing lawyers for professional negligence after a class action over the side effects of the mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine failed in 2003. The families have children who suffer from various conditions caused, they believe, by encephalitis, a rare side effect of the MMR vaccine. However, their claims were included in [...]

Harry Potter and the case of the plagiarism claim

Harry Potter author JK Rowling and her publisher Bloomsbury have won their seven-year legal battle with Paul Allen, who claimed JK Rowling stole her idea for the fourth Harry Potter book from an existing story by Adrian Jacobs. Jacobs wrote a 16-page story called Willy the Wizard. He died in 1997 and Allen was appointed [...]