header-logo header-logo

Deceased claimant included on claim form

24 February 2021
Issue: 7922 / Categories: Legal News , Property , Procedure & practice
printer mail-detail
A High Court judge has expressed concern that solicitors in a county court case failed to mention that one of the claimants was deceased.

The dispute concerned title to a passageway between a petrol station and a Costcutter supermarket, in Amirtharaja v White [2021] EWHC 330 (Ch). There were three claimants to the action: William White, Frances White and their son, Colin White, who together purchased Hollis House, which was situated at one end of the passageway.

Finding in favour of the claimants, Mr Justice Michael Green said: ‘An extraordinary aspect of this case is that Mr William White died in September 2017 yet he was included as the first claimant on the claim form when it was issued on 14 January 2019.

‘At the trial no one referred to the fact that Mr William White remained a claimant and the judge clearly assumed in his judgment that he was still alive. Neither of the respondents, both of whom gave evidence, mentioned that he had died.’

Issue: 7922 / Categories: Legal News , Property , Procedure & practice
printer mail-details

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
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
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
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll