header-logo header-logo

Civil way: 14 February 2025

14 February 2025 / Stephen Gold
Issue: 8104 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Civil way , Intellectual property
printer mail-detail
No hiding for claimants; leasehold qualifier gone; Ogden Obliges; the world of ETs; cloudy lemon cider.

CLAIMANTS EXPOSED

The government is to legislate to include in the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, run by Registry Trust, the name —but neither the address nor the favourite knuckleduster supplier—of the claimant. One of the outcomes not considered is that claimants will be bombarded at the wrong office by registry snoopers with pleas to be told what dirt they have on the defendant, whether they know if they own a garden water feature which could be easily taken away by a bailiff, and are they going to bring bankruptcy proceedings or not.

These days, the registry catches money judgments of both the High Court and county court, excluding orders in family proceedings and judgments for arrears of mortgage instalments or rent unless and until the claimant takes a step to enforce. And—this is the big exclusion—a judgment arising out of a contested hearing (even though the defence was a pile of nonsense

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
back-to-top-scroll