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04 September 2026 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 8175 / Categories: Opinion , Profession , Costs , Liability
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The insider: 4 September 2026

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© Getty images
Spoons: Supporter of independent door control
Enforcement headaches, reluctant judgments & surprising outcomes: Dominic Regan surveys the legal landscape

Securing judgment is often only the start of a drawn-out process to secure satisfaction of the order. In DBLP Sea Cow Ltd v Stefensen [2026] EWHC 1735 (Ch), the claimant had judgment for US$7.125m. To date, it had recovered a modest £119. This was a contempt application, the defendant having failed to comply with orders to reveal where the money had gone. The excellent David Reade KC secured a maximum two-year sentence, although the defendant was outside the jurisdiction. On the plus side, Mr Justice Mellor went out of his way to praise a lovely skeleton accompanied by a beautiful bundle.

A vigorous approach to enforcement was seen in 56 Fellows Road Ltd v ABC Block Management Ltd [2026] EWCA Civ 401. Here, a High Court enforcement officer went in pursuit of an unsatisfied judgment of £7,700 against the Fellows Road property company of which Mr Wolanski was a director. In order to make a point,

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NEWS
Indemnity costs remain exceptional, but parties cannot ignore a case that deteriorates around them. In Lawrence v Associated Newspapers, Mr Justice Nicklin ordered the claimants to pay indemnity costs after finding their conduct, viewed cumulatively, fell ‘well outside the norm’
Public law is in flux following reversals and robust appellate intervention, according to the latest public law update by the team at HSFK for NLJ
Neurotechnology is turning the human mind into an operational domain, exposing gaps in the laws of war
Foreign judgment creditors have gained a route to recovery after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Drelle v Servis-Terminal
Surrogacy is growing in popularity, but parents-to-be face a complex legal framework
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