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A step too far

16 May 2014 / Michael Zander KC
Issue: 7606 / Categories: Opinion
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Michael Zander QC does not support the Court of Appeal’s decision in Mitchell

The decision in Mitchell v News Group Newspapers [2013] EWCA Civ 1537, given by Lord Dyson MR for a unanimous Court of Appeal, has been described as the most important civil procedure decision of the past 40 years. As someone who has over the years taken some part in public debate about civil procedure, I have to say that I do not support the decision.

A tougher approach

A few days before the Jackson reforms went live on 1 April 2013, Lord Dyson gave the 18th in the series of Jackson Implementation Lectures. In his lecture Lord Dyson explained why it had become necessary to adopt a tougher approach to implementation of the CPR. The relationship between justice and procedure had changed. The justice system was now to be concerned with more than the instant case. “It is a system that has to command public confidence through securing for the majority, many of whom have limited resources, access to a system

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
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