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Judicial line: 6 & 13 January 2023

13 January 2023
Issue: 8008 / Categories: Case law , In Court , Judicial line
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This week: swindling the tax man; debtor instalments; blocking final divorce; European enforcement; new law divorce challenge.
  • Swindling the tax man.
  • Debtor instalments.
  • Blocking final divorce.
  • European enforcement.
  • New law divorce challenge.

Illegal but unpleaded

Q If it transpires from the evidence at a civil trial that the parties have agreed to evade charges for VAT and income tax on a contract price, is it open to the trial judge to dismiss a claim arising out of that contract on the ground that it is void for illegality and despite neither contracting party having pleaded illegality?

A The court has power to dismiss a claim on the ground that it is tainted by illegality. It is unsurprising that an arrangement to evade taxes goes unpleaded and we consider that the general rule that it is not for the court to raise an issue that has not been raised by a party, might not apply in this situation. However, the court would need to be satisfied that enforcement

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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
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