header-logo header-logo

Disclosure: justice & propriety

03 November 2017 / Claire Darwin
Issue: 7768 / Categories: Features , E-disclosure , Procedure & practice , Budgeting
printer mail-detail
nlj_7768_darwin

Claire Darwin identifies familiar themes running through the judicial approach to disclosure failings

  • The consequences of non-compliance with the duty of disclosure.

Whether a case concerns civil, criminal, family or regulatory proceedings, disclosure failings may constitute a fatal blow to the fairness of proceedings leading to a stay or strike out or other adverse consequences.

In criminal proceedings, it is well-established that a stay for abuse of process may arise either because it is no longer possible to have a fair trial (limb one); or because it offends the court’s sense of justice and propriety to try the accused in the particular circumstances of the case (limb two), see R v Maxwell [2010] UKSC 48, [2011] 4 All ER 941, per Lord Dyson SCJ at [13]. In limb one cases, if the court concludes that an accused cannot receive a fair trial, it will stay the proceedings without more. No question of the balancing of competing interests arises.

The court’s inherent power to protect the integrity of judicial proceedings constitutes

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