The appellant complained that the judge had accepted a case of no case to answer before the close of the claimant’s case and without putting them to their election. The claimant estate agents sought payment of their account. The defendants alleged a fraud by an employee of the claimants who had now left. The claimants had been unable to call his evidence to support their claim.
Held: ‘Rarely, if ever, should a judge trying a civil action without a jury entertain a submission of no case to answer. That clearly was this court’s conclusion in Alexander -v- Rayson and I see no reason to take a different view today, the CPR notwithstanding. Almost without exception the dangers and difficulties involved will outweigh any supposed advantages. ‘
Scott Baker LJ: ‘It seems to me that the wise words of Romer LJ in Alexander v Rayson in 1936 still hold good today. Only in the most exceptional circumstances should a judge entertain a submission to dismiss an action at the close of the claimant’s evidence without putting the defendant to his election. This was not such a case and it is difficult to envisage many situations when such a course would be appropriate.’
Judges:
Lord Justice Simon Brown Mr Justice Keene Lord Justice Scott Baker
Citations:
[2003] EWCA Civ 1794
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Boyce v Wyatt Engineering and Others CA 1-May-2001
The discretion of a judge to deal with a case at the close of the claimant’s case, and without putting the defendants to their respective election was only to be exercised with the greatest caution. There was a risk that, if the claimant appealed . .
Cited – Bentley v Jones Harris and Co CA 1-May-2001
The judge below acceded to a submission of no case to answer without putting the defendant to his election.
Held: ‘At the time of this trial it was, it seems, common ground between counsel for both parties and the judge that under the CPR . .
Cited – Lloyd v John Lewis Partnership CA 1-Jul-2001
The judge allowed the defendant’s submission of no case to answer without putting them to their election and again the claimant’s appeal succeeded. The trial judge had been persuaded that the rule in Alexander -v- Rayson had been altered by the . .
Cited – Miller (T/A Waterloo Plant) v Cawley CA 30-Jul-2002
At the end of the claimant’s case the defendant wished to submit that there was no case for her to answer. The judge then put the defendant to an election as to whether or not she would call any evidence. She appealed.
Held: It is not . .
Cited – Wisniewski v Central Manchester Health Authority CA 1997
The court considered the effect of a party failing to bring evidence in support of its case, as regards the court drawing inferences: ‘(1) In certain circumstances a court may be entitled to draw adverse inferences from the absence or silence of a . .
Affirmed – Alexander v Rayson CA 1936
The action was for arrears of rent. The evidence at trial was that the plaintiff granted a lease to the defendant at a rent of pounds 1200 and contracted that certain services in connection with the flat would be performed. The plaintiff sent the . .
Cited by:
Cited – Neina Graham v Chorley Borough Council CA 21-Feb-2006
The defendant had submitted after the close of the claimant’s case that it had no case to answer. The judge did not put the defendant to its election as to whether to call evidence, but instead decided to accede to the submission. The claimant now . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Litigation Practice, Agency
Updated: 14 November 2022; Ref: scu.188848