The appellant was involved in very substantial litigation with the respondents. As a member of the Saudi Royal family he said that by convention he was not allowed to sign a witness statement, and appealed inter alia against orders requiring him to do so.
Held: The appeal failed. This had been a case management decision, and it would be inappropriate for an appellate court to reverse or otherwise interfere with it, unless it was ‘plainly wrong in the sense of being outside the generous ambit where reasonable decision makers may disagree’. Disclosure in its standard form at a case management hearing would require a personally signed by the party making the disclosure. The circumstances here did not justify departure from that practice.
Lord Neuberger, President, Lord Clarke, Lord Sumption, Lord Hughes, Lord Hodge
[2014] UKSC 64, [2014] 1 WLR 4495, [2014] WLR(D) 515, [2015] 1 Costs LO 79, UKSC 2014/0208, [2015] 1 All ER (Comm) 1183
Bailii, WLRD, Bailii Summary, SC, SC Summary, SC Video Summary
England and Wales
Citing:
Appeal from – Prince Abdulaziz v Apex Global Management Ltd and Another CA 31-Jul-2014
The Prince appealed against orders requiring his personal signature to two witness statements concerning disclosure, rejecting an application to vary that order, imposing an unless order for non-compliance, entering judgment and refusing relief . .
Cited – Broughton v Kop Football (Cayman) Ltd and Others CA 20-Dec-2012
Application for leave to appeal against case management decisions.
Held: Lewison LJ said that as a case management decision, it would be inappropriate for an appellate court to reverse or otherwise interfere with it, unless it was ‘plainly . .
See Also – Apex Global Management and Another v Global Torch Ltd and Others ChD 30-Oct-2013
The court rejected an application by Prince Abdulaziz for a variation of case management orders. . .
See Also – Apex Global Management Ltd and Another v FI Call Ltd and Others ChD 29-Nov-2013
The court dealt with several case management applications including for relief from sanctions. Prince Abdulaziz claimed that he should not be required to provide a personal statement because as a member fo the Saudi Royal Family there was a . .
At First Instance – Global Torch Ltd v Apex Global Management Ltd ChD 13-Feb-2013
Applications within unfair prejudice petitions. . .
Leave – Global Torch Ltd and Others v Apex Global Management CA 18-Apr-2013
Oral renewal of an application for permission to appeal . .
See Also – Global Torch Ltd v Apex Global Management Ltd and Others CA 10-Jul-2013
. .
Appeal from – Apex Global Management and Another v Global Torch Ltd and Others ChD 30-Oct-2013
The court rejected an application by Prince Abdulaziz for a variation of case management orders. . .
Cited by:
Cited – ZC v Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust QBD 26-Jul-2019
Defamation/privacy claims against doctors failed
The claimant, seeking damages for alleged defamation, now asked for the case to be anonymised.
Held: The conditions for anonymisation were not met. The anonymity would be retained temporarily until any time for appeal had passed.
As to . .
Cited – BPP Holdings Ltd and Others v Revenue and Customs SC 26-Jul-2017
The Revenue had challenged a decision by the FTTTx to bar it from defending an appeal as to VAT liability. It had failed first to meet procedural time limits and on the issue of an unless order had failed to comply. The Revenue challenged the . .
Cited – Barton v Wright Hassal Llp SC 21-Feb-2018
The claimant litigant in person purported to serve his statement of claim by email, but had not first sought the defendant’s agreement as required. The solicitors allowed the limitation period to expire without acknowledging service. The claimant . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Litigation Practice
Leading Case
Updated: 11 November 2021; Ref: scu.539182