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NLJ this week: Pay your debt or surrender your passport

07 February 2025
Issue: 8103 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , International , Jurisdiction
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While rare, the courts can make passport orders to prevent judgment debtors leaving the country. In this week’s NLJ, Chris Bryden and Clara Parry discuss the use of this legal technique and how these orders are enforced.

The subject of the order will surrender their passport so the court can be sure they will not abscond. Bryden, barrister, and Parry, pupil barrister, 4 King’s Bench Walk, write: ‘Given the significant interference to the liberty of the respondent to those actions and given the nature of the order, it is not to be used as an enforcement sanction in and of itself. Rather, in appropriate cases, it is a tool that can facilitate enforcement.’

They examine the circumstances and parameters for which such an order would be appropriate, setting out relevant caselaw. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

National Pro Bono Centre—Esther McConnell & Sarah Oliver Scemla

National Pro Bono Centre—Esther McConnell & Sarah Oliver Scemla

Charity strengthens leadership as national Pro Bono Week takes place

Michelman Robinson—Akshay Sewlikar

Michelman Robinson—Akshay Sewlikar

Dual-qualified partner joins London disputes practice

McDermott Will & Schulte—Karen Butler

McDermott Will & Schulte—Karen Butler

Transactions practice welcomes partner in London office

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