Losses arose from the misvaluation of a company before its purchase. The respondent had funded the purchase, relying upon a valuation by the predecessor of the appellant firm of accountants. Further advances had been made when the true situation was revealed. Held: The accountants’ appeal succeeded. As a general rule ‘collateral benefits are those whose … Continue reading Lowick Rose Llp v Swynson Ltd and Another: SC 11 Apr 2017
The plaintiff was an eighteen year old girl who had had a friendship with the defendant, aged 28. The friendship broke down and the plaintiff said she would have no more to do with him, but the defendant did not accept this. There were many complaints against the defendant, including assaults, threats of violence, and … Continue reading Khorasandjian v Bush: CA 16 Feb 1993
Lord Justice Ralph Gibson said: ‘Before dealing with Mr Marr-Johnson’s submissions reference must be made to what are, in my judgment, certain basic principles of the law of contract. (i) An offer which, upon acceptance, is relied upon as altering the legal relationship between the parties, must be construed objectively. Evidence to show what the … Continue reading Hooper v British Railways Board: CA 1988
The claimant suffered psychiatric injury in a rail crash caused by the defendant’s negligence. Under this condition of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the claimant had later gone on to kill another person, and he had been detained under section 41. He now sought damages for his loss of earnings through detention in prison and mental hospital. … Continue reading Gray v Thames Trains and Others: HL 17 Jun 2009
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The claimant, the Rail regulator appealed a decision that he had to apply to court for directions under the 1986 Act before allowing other rail operators access to the track after the company had gone into railway administration. Held: Section 17 of the 1993 Act was sufficient to allow the regulator to make such an … Continue reading Winsor v Bloom and Others; In re Railtrack plc (in railway administration): CA 10 Jul 2002
Citations: [2002] EWHC 1027 (Ch) Links: Bailii Statutes: Railways Act 1993 59 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Transport, Insolvency Updated: 04 October 2022; Ref: scu.171278
The tenant appealed against an order granting possession. The tenancy, being held of a mutual housing co-operative did not have security but was in a form restricting the landlord’s right to recover possession, and the tenant resisted saying that it was worded to create a lease for life (applying the LRB case). Held: The tenant’s … Continue reading Berrisford v Mexfield Housing Co-Operative Ltd: SC 9 Nov 2011
The department complained that the defendants had entered into a transaction with their farm at an undervalue so as to defeat its claim for recovery of sums due. The transaction used the grant of a tenancy by the first chargee. Held: The farmers’ appeal as to the farm transaction failed: ‘beyond argument that DEFRA was … Continue reading Feakins and Another v Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Civ 1513): CA 9 Dec 2005
A school board employed staff to manage a residential school for vulnerable children. The staff committed sexual abuse of the children. The school denied vicarious liability for the acts of the teachers. Held: ‘Vicarious liability is legal responsibility imposed on an employer, although he is himself free from blame, for a tort committed by his … Continue reading Lister and Others v Hesley Hall Ltd: HL 3 May 2001
The claimant succeeded in her claims for general damages against the respondent for personal injury, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution, but appealed refusal of the court to award aggravated damages against the chief constable. Held: The Chief Constable was potentially liable for aggravated and or exemplary damages for the tortious acts of his officers. An … Continue reading Rowlands v Chief Constable of Merseyside Police: CA 20 Dec 2006
The respondents appealed against a finding of unlawful sex discrimination. The claimant had been seeking psychotherapy, and the defendant sought discovery of her therapy history. Held: The notes may have been relevant, and an order should have been made for their disclosure. Citations: [1997] UKEAT 220 – 97 – 1802 Links: Bailii Statutes: Employment Appeal … Continue reading A v B and Another: EAT 18 Feb 1997
The grant of a temporary planning permission did not operate to cancel an existing established use. A planning condition requiring removal of hangars was invalid because it did not fairly or reasonably relate to the permitted development. The grant of an unnecessary planning permission does not exclude a landowner from relying on an existing use … Continue reading Newbury District Council v Secretary of State for the Environment: HL 1981
Reference to Parliamentary Papers behind Statute The inspector sought to tax the benefits in kind received by teachers at a private school in having their children educated at the school for free. Having agreed this was a taxable emolument, it was argued as to whether the taxable benefit was the cost to the employer, or … Continue reading Pepper (Inspector of Taxes) v Hart: HL 26 Nov 1992
Rylands does not apply to Statutory Works The claimant laid a large gas main through an embankment. A large water supply pipe nearby broke, and very substantial volumes of water escaped, causing the embankment to slip, and the gas main to fracture. Held: The rule in Rylands v Fletcher continues to exist as a remedy … Continue reading Transco plc v Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council: HL 19 Nov 2003
The Court was asked how different storeys under common occupation in the same block are to be entered in the rating list for the purpose of non-domestic rating. In this case the firm’s two offices were in the same building, but the connection between them was only by way of a communal lift. Held: The … Continue reading Woolway v Mazars: SC 29 Jul 2015
The House endorsed the practice of imposing negative conditions in planning consents, upholding the validity of a condition that the development of the site could not commence until the road on the western boundary of the site had been closed by a road closure order which the Secretary of State would have to confirm which … Continue reading Grampian Regional Council v Secretary of State for Scotland: HL 1983
No damages for Psychiatric Harm Alone The House considered claims by police officers who had suffered psychiatric injury after tending the victims of the Hillsborough tragedy. Held: The general rules restricting the recovery of damages for pure psychiatric harm applied to the plaintiffs’ claims as employees. An employer has a duty to protect his employees … Continue reading White, Frost and others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire and others: HL 3 Dec 1998
The claimant sought release of a report prepared by the respondent as to its coverage of the Arab/Israel conflict partly for journalistic purposes, and partly for compliance. Held: The appeal failed. Where the report was prepared even if only in part for jurnalistic purposes, it was exempt from disclosure under the 2000 Act. Lord Wilson … Continue reading Sugar v British Broadcasting Corporation and Another (2): SC 15 Feb 2012
In the course of ancillary relief proceedings in a divorce, questions arose regarding company assets owned by the husband. The court was asked as to the power of the court to order the transfer of assets owned entirely in the company’s names. The judge had made such an order, finding evidence that the companies had … Continue reading Prest v Petrodel Resources Ltd and Others: SC 12 Jun 2013
The court was asked as to the liability of employers in the knitting industry for hearing losses suffered by employees before the 1989 Regulations came into effect. The claimant had worked in a factory between 1971 and 2001, sustaining noise induced hearing losses before 1989. The defendant companies now appealed against a finding of liability. … Continue reading Baker v Quantum Clothing Group Ltd and Others: SC 13 Apr 2011
A claimant sought as part of her damages for the cost of hiring a care whilst her own was off the road after an accident caused by the defendant. She agreed with a hire company to hire a car, but payment was delayed until the claim was settled. Held: The arrangement was a consumer credit … Continue reading Dimond v Lovell: HL 12 May 2000
The House had to consider whether the arbitrator had acted in excess of his powers under s38, saying the arbitrator had misconstrued the contract. The arbitrator had made his award in different currencies. Held: The question remained whether the arbitrator had exceeded its powers, not whether they had been wrongly exercised. An error of law … Continue reading Lesotho Highlands Development Authority v Impregilo Spa and others: HL 30 Jun 2005
Prorogation request was non-justiciable The claimant sought to challenge the prorogation of Parliament by the Queen at the request of the respondent. Held: The claim failed: ‘the decision of the Prime Minister to advise Her Majesty the Queen to prorogue Parliament is not justiciable in Her Majesty’s courts.’‘The Prime Minister’s decision that Parliament should be … Continue reading Miller, Regina (On the Application Of) v The Prime Minister: QBD 11 Sep 2019
(New Zealand) The plaintiff, an MP, pursued a defamation case. The defendant wished to argue for the truth of what was said, and sought to base his argument on things said in Parliament. The plaintiff responded that this would be a breach of Parliamentary privilege. Held: A Defendant may not use libel proceedings to impugn … Continue reading Prebble v Television New Zealand Ltd: PC 27 Jun 1994
The student, a Muslim wished to wear a full Islamic dress, the jilbab, but this was not consistent with the school’s uniform policy. She complained that this interfered with her right to express her religion. Held: The school’s appeal succeeded. The school had acted responsibly and carefully seeking to balance and respect several interests when … Continue reading Begum (otherwise SB), Regina (on the Application of) v Denbigh High School: HL 22 Mar 2006
The defendant had obtained a licence to extract oil from its land. In order to do so it had to drill out and deep under the Bocardo’s land. No damage at all was caused to B’s land at or near the surface. B claimed in trespass for damages. It now appealed against an order reducing … Continue reading Star Energy Weald Basin Ltd and Another v Bocardo Sa: SC 28 Jul 2010
