header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us
07 July 2017 / Stephen Gold
Issue: 7753 / Categories: Features , Civil way
printer mail-detail

Civil way: 7 July 2017

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.

It was the judge wot did it; At a Laugh; Files separated: Latest!

Judicial immunity prevails ...but

Before I embark on this little tale, let me put you straight. So long as they act in good faith, as they always do, judges incur no liability for erroneous decisions. So that’s alright, then. And the Crown has no liability for anything done by any person discharging judicial responsibilities? Not quite, as highlighted by LL v The Lord Chancellor [2017] EWCA Civ 237, [2017] All ER (D) 123 (Apr). If a court orders a person to be arrested or detained in contravention of Art 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights then that person is entitled to damages in a claim against the Crown (ss 7(1) and 9 of the Human Rights Act 1998) and proceedings would have to be brought against the Lord Chancellor (as if he didn’t have enough to worry about already). Detention will be unlawful if the court acted without jurisdiction (which is why judges should take the Green Book with them

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

Read All
Sponsored by
Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
Read All
NLJ this week: Is inequality undermining trust?
The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles
NLJ this week: Freemasons ruling backs police transparency over privacy claims
A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons
NLJ this week: Right to grieve marks ‘major shift’ in employment law
Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners
NLJ this week: AI privilege battles expose risks
Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost
NLJ this week: Experts warned—AI use must be transparent
New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll