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28 July 2023 / Stephen Gold
Issue: 8035 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Civil way , CPR
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Civil way: 28 July 2023

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Cross-examiner crisis; new possession help; interest on costs; bank liability for fraud.

ABOUT TURN

Need a few bob? Frequent and widespread difficulties are being encountered in finding advocates to act as qualified legal representatives (QLRs) to cross-examine vulnerable witnesses under ss 65–66 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (see ‘Civil way’, 172 NLJ 7985, p15). We know because the president of the family division has reported on this serious state of affairs. In this month’s View from the President’s Chambers, he suggests that if there are no takers within 28 days, the court should list the case for directions and direct that some summary information is provided by HMCTS about the difficulties that have been encountered. FPR PD 3AB, para 8.1(b) permits termination of a QLR appointment. Giving consideration to termination, he says, will provide a further opportunity to canvas any other options such as directly instructing an advocate. Notwithstanding the guidance that the court should not itself conduct the cross-examination, this did not trump the overriding objective

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NEWS
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NLJ this week: Sanctions ruling casts ‘wide net’ over global finance
A landmark Supreme Court ruling has underscored the sweeping reach of UK sanctions. In NLJ this week, Brónagh Adams and Harriet Campbell of Penningtons Manches Cooper say the regime is a ‘blunt instrument’ requiring only a factual, not causal, link to restricted goods
NLJ this week: England’s courts cement status as fraud battleground
Fraud claims are surging, with England and Wales increasingly the forum of choice for global disputes. Writing in NLJ this week, Jon Felce of Cooke, Young & Keidan reports claims have risen sharply, with fraud now a major share of litigation and costing billions worldwide
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Litigators digesting Mazur are being urged to tighten oversight and compliance. In his latest 'Insider' column for NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School provides a cut out and keep guide to the ruling’s core test: whether an unauthorised individual is ‘in truth acting on behalf of the authorised individual’
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Conflicting county court rulings have left landlords uncertain over whether they can force entry after tenants refuse access. In this week's NLJ, Edward Blakeney and Ashpen Rajah of Falcon Chambers outline a split: some judges permit it under CPR 70.2A, others insist only Parliament can authorise such powers
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A wave of scandals has reignited debate over misconduct in public office, criticised as unclear and inconsistently applied. Writing in NLJ this week, Alice Lepeuple of WilmerHale says the offence’s ‘vagueness, overbreadth & inconsistent deployment’ have undermined confidence
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