Keates v Lewis Merthyr Consolidated Collieries Ltd: HL 17 Jul 1911

An employer company claimed damages for breach of contract against a workman in a summary court. Certain wages were due by the company to the workman which were not yet payable, and which he did not claim in the proceedings. The magistrate set off the damages against the wages and made a corresponding award.
Held, upon a construction of the statute, that the magistrate had jurisdiction to adjust and set off the workman’s claim for wages notwithstanding that the workman had lodged no claim to them.

Judges:

Lord Chancellor (Loreburn), Lords Atkinson, Shaw, and Robson

Citations:

[1911] UKHL 661, 49 SLR 661

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Employment

Updated: 11 June 2022; Ref: scu.619211