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10 March 2021
Issue: 7924 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Civil way
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Civil way: 12 March 2021

B&PC witnesses to go into hiding; housing reform; latest FPR update; flexible challenge; damages whipped and lashed.

WITNESS STATEMENT ORDEAL

We complete our look at the 127th CPR update (see ‘Civil way’, NLJ 26 February 2021, p14) with the dreaded new PD 57A and its statement of best practice on Pts 7 and 8 trial witness statements in the Business and Property Courts (B&PC). The essential first step is to establish when you can ignore it. Chuckle away if you can get your witness statements signed before 6 April 2021, you are not litigating out of a B&PC or the statements are for an interim hearing or proceedings specified at para 1.3 of the PD (including most insolvency business and claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and if they don’t amend the PD to put in the ‘and’, I will impose the strictest sanction known to man). Admiralty proceedings commenced by forms ADM1/1A/15/20 escape as well but a practice note from the

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DAC Beachcroft—Clare Dewar

DAC Beachcroft—Clare Dewar

DAC Beachcroft strengthens Scottish real estate capabilitywith partner appointment

Womble Bond Dickinson—Brendan Ryan

Womble Bond Dickinson—Brendan Ryan

Womble Bond Dickinson appoints Brendan Ryan as partner in Public Law Projects team

Parklane Plowden Chambers—five appointments

Parklane Plowden Chambers—five appointments

Parklane Plowden Chambers welcomes five new barristers

NEWS
A time-restricted bank tax, a ‘roadmap to fiscal devolution’, extension to parental leave, entrepreneur’s relief and a giveaway on energy bills for households are the headlines in Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey’s 2026 Autumn Budget
A Court of Appeal judge has lamented the ‘very concerning’ state of the law on employee inventor compensation after a chemist’s case took five-and-a-half years to reach court, eventually being listed for a 37-day trial next year
The Law Society has emphasised that responsibility remains human, in a practice note on artificial intelligence (AI)
Respect orders, which enable police, councils, housing associations, transport networks and other authorities to take enforcement action against anti-social behaviour, have come into force across England and Wales
The Land Registry has launched two consultations aimed at making its information more publicly accessible, ‘Restructuring HM Land Registry fees’, and ‘Future of access to HM Land Registry information’
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