tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33863298720765142142024-02-19T02:30:49.309+00:00legalchaplegalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-10480796284722401092019-10-15T16:31:00.001+01:002019-10-15T21:06:11.789+01:00Centres of excellence<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today’s post brought a first for
me – though I would be delighted to hear from any other lawyers who have had a
similar experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We have just issued proceedings
in a personal injury claim arising out of a road traffic accident. We sued the
negligent driver who knocked our client off his brand new motorcycle, and her
insurers under the 2002 Rights Against Insurers Regulations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today we received notices of
issue from the County Court Money Claims Centre in Salford. Just to be clear,
these are the first and only notices of issue that we have received at this juncture. If that seems an odd statement then the explanation is that both the
documents are stamped, in red, as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">‘<i>AMENDMENT
PURSUANT TO CPR 40.12’</i></span></span><i style="font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hands up if you have any ideas at
this point. Nobody?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For those who might be wondering,
there is nothing else on the face of the document that gives any clues. Procedural
pedants in the audience will, I hope, quickly have picked up the fact that
40.12 is very specific in its application to correction of errors in <u>judgements and orders</u>. It tells us at sub-paragraph (1):-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">‘<i>The court may at any time correct an
accidental slip or omission in a judgment or order</i>’ </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not a notice (of issue) then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We gave up and rang the
court office. My assistant tells me that the lady at the court was as confused
as we are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But it is reportedly good that we are
closing court offices all across the country, making redundant people who have
been doing the job for years (and know what they are doing), in favour of focusing
resources in 'centres of excellence' to develop the specialist knowledge and
expertise etc, etc...</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-86058075934047684812019-05-14T21:58:00.000+01:002019-05-14T21:58:19.976+01:00Out of order<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With so many
cut price unqualified outfits now offering “legal services” it’s surprising
that real solicitors can keep going if they don’t know what they are doing. Somehow,
some do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a cracking example last
month.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A local lady
got in touch with us to explain that mother was appointing her attorney within
an LPA and she needed to make an appointment with a solicitor to witness her
signature and certify her identity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are used
to people contacting us about the ‘need for a solicitor to witness their
signature’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The actual requirement can
be for one of a number of things from detailed advice on a guarantee liability
or occupiers rights to a simple oath or statutory declaration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometimes
it’s just the witnessing of well, the signature of an attorney on an LPA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That can of course be anybody other than the
donor or an attorney.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t need a
solicitor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nor, as far
as I and two of my better qualified colleagues are aware, is there any need at
all for the witness – solicitor or otherwise – to obtain and certify
identification of the signatory. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, we were
curious, and asked to see a copy of the letter from mother’s solicitor….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sure enough,
it stipulated that a solicitor would need to complete an ID1 which, for those
who aren’t familiar with it, is a standard form of identification questionnaire
typically used in connection with land registration applications and which
requires amongst other things a certified photograph to be attached.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The point is,
it’s not a two-minute job and even with the various elements divided
efficiently between support staff and lawyer, it’s a time-consuming task for
which we like others generally charge a few quid.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In this case,
we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">haven’t</i> charged anything for
explaining to the local lady that she doesn’t need to come and spend money with
us going through all this rigmarole. She doesn’t need us to witness her
signature either.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What she <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> need to do is ask the solicitors
acting for her mother to also review their requirements for signature of the
LPA…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Inspection of
their letter and enclosure reveals that only one page of the LPA has been sent
to the attorney.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not difficult to
see why this poses a problem. All one has to do is read that page of the
document and the bold statement above the signature boxes which declares that:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: orange;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: orange;">By signing this section I
understand and confirm all of the following:-<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>…
<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; margin-left: 72.0pt; margin-right: 51.0pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">I have read
this lasting power of attorney (LPA) including section 8 ‘your legal rights and
responsibilities’, or I have had it read to me.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, as far
as we know, the document has not been read over the telephone to our local lady
and why would it be, when one can do as we do and post the entire LPA to the
person who needs to read it and then sign – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">after
</i>the donor and the certificate provider have signed, not before.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There may be
a further clue in the requirement that our lady should sign but “please ensure
that the form is not dated”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have seen
this done a few times, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
inference always to be drawn is that the signatures may not happen in any
particular order but if all the dates are left blank then those can be filled
in afterwards, to ensure an appearance of compliance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Compliance in
that respect is important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a
strict sequence set out in regulation 9 of the LPA Regulations 2007. A letter
such as the one we saw will cast doubt on the validity of the LPA, probably
when it’s too late to fix the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, as they
say in our beloved Eurovision, it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nul
points</i> for this bunch of ‘experts’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They probably deserve to be named but I am not that unkind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just be on your guard if you are in the South
Bucks area.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Simple stuff,
badly done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-65889897478117939682019-04-11T18:09:00.000+01:002019-04-11T18:11:18.416+01:00Artificial 'intelligence'<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; text-align: justify;">First thing this morning, I am in hurry to
check a couple of things through online banking...</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am not helped by the large pop-up that first
appeared at the beginning of the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This tells me that in light of regulatory changes, from September 2019
all users will need smart cards and upgraded readers to log on to the
server.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because these will be posted
“over the coming months” I need to ensure that our address and all user
addresses, emails etc are up to date.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Apart from the fact that we already know they
are, we have double-checked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ominously
there was no facility anywhere to verify, to confirm that we had performed this
task.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, the pop-up keeps popping up as pop-ups do,
getting in the way, opening another screen when I am trying to navigate through
the information behind it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then, I
have an idea…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s give this “webchat” a try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All that pink box at the top of the screen has done since it first
appeared years ago is get in the way and irritate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps it can be useful on this occasion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’ll ask it how to get rid it of its much
larger colleague that obscures a quarter of the screen below.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There’s a drop-down menu of course and I don’t
see as an option “how do I stop your infuriating pop-ups?”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked the nearest subject and type
something similar.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now I am connected to “Cara”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cara doesn’t understand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s put it another way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope - Cara still doesn’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Perhaps Cara will understand ‘Artificial “intelligence”
– fabulous!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The one cheerful event in all this is that Cara
recognizes sarcasm and knows, apparently, when to summon help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Umar arrives in the conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In answer to the natural question, Umar
confirms that he/she is a human being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Umar also advises that the pop-ups can’t be
stopped. 😢</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am a big fan of technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We use email and other systems to an extent
which visibly upsets some of the less progressive within our industry who can’t
seem to let go of envelopes, stamps and cheques.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Online banking is a marvellous thing but features
such as those I have described above aren’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I worry that these things have become an acceptable norm and will
multiply and expand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As a lawyer, I dread to think of the results of
deploying this sort of “intelligence” in the creation of online courts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-37458719113505261232019-03-17T21:18:00.001+00:002019-03-29T07:17:50.354+00:00Educashun new's<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A new low in standards last week from one of our industry’s supposedly leading education providers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The
advert for a webinar about the fine line between acceptable litigation tactics
and the criminal offence of blackmail caught my eye because of an experience
late last year. A young assistant at another firm on my patch told us that his
client wanted three times the amount that his former employer wasn’t obliged to
pay him anyway or he’d pursue his complaint to the ICO that his demand for a
copy of every single document with his name on or in it which would “<i>cause
your client a significant time and financial burden in order to comply with its
obligations”</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> had not been met<i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Long story short – I told the lad’s supervising
partner (who sprang to his cub’s defence like a pride male lion in his prime)
that there was no prospect of any apology and that all offers were withdrawn.
Ex-employee actioned his threat to complain to the ICO and was told that his
request was manifestly unreasonable. It was satisfying to hear that the
complaint had vaunted a copy of my letter mentioning “the B word”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, my attention focuses on an email warning that
it’s easy to overstep the mark. I don’t feel I need the webinar but I’m
interested enough to read the summary – in which I learn about “The Blackmail
Act”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No, me neither.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I care enough about these things to have mailed the
course provider and asked for the date of this statute. Naturally that has
exposed the fact that the law is still s21 Theft Act 1968, as it was before
Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The seminar presenter will no
doubt ‘explain’ the error. I bet there’ll be some who still won’t get rid of
the idea that there’s some new legislation on the books (chance would be a fine thing). Many others who have read the
emails advertising this educational event will now have it in their heads and
be citing it to others, only a few of whom may know enough to ask “WTF?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Next...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A few months ago my early morning reading included
this little gem. There isn’t actually any error of law here but just look at the
spelling, grammar and general presentation from one of the industry’s leading
legal library providers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gP86-jUICinQdrsdAnCeldGWz2HHXOftS3AdA8paTuPXMpnLh9__c8_vQV_6USSeS-xBXvzNB0qubtClfw1lV17h8qwortYkFBJslB3RfJii0GBOC3OWtxwGqwFJsMQOKzNsJW5sLMLJ/s1600/LN+extract.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="544" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gP86-jUICinQdrsdAnCeldGWz2HHXOftS3AdA8paTuPXMpnLh9__c8_vQV_6USSeS-xBXvzNB0qubtClfw1lV17h8qwortYkFBJslB3RfJii0GBOC3OWtxwGqwFJsMQOKzNsJW5sLMLJ/s400/LN+extract.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yes, you’ve guessed it – Mr Angry wrote to them
too. Nice letter just referred to the highlighted deficiencies and invited
comment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Response? Nothing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No “you’re right – that doesn’t meet the high
standards our customers are entitled to expect of us and we’re sorry about
this.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not even a “thanks for drawing that to our
attention and we’ll investigate further”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Absolutely nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Why not? Are they too dumb to understand there’s a
problem? Do they perhaps resent the fact that I’ve pointed out their
inadequacy. Do they just not know what to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Whatever the explanation, it’s not good enough. At
least the webinar providers came back to me within an hour or so to acknowledge
the error and thank me for drawing attention to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The broader disturbing point is that the teachers
seem to be incompetent. This is ultimately an ‘achievement’ of organisations
who seem hell-bent on ripping standards down to the level of the only people
who are prepared to work within those organisations and frankly wouldn’t have a
clue what to do in the real world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See you at the bottom. Or maybe not.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-4303340226933620662019-02-05T21:49:00.002+00:002019-02-05T21:56:25.024+00:00Out of the frying pan...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoxMrqxEVgAS_tsw5i8dvg23EO0FVl3VU0B9U5sTy2RcPqZIbYLSs7Lp_5gTe8tMcDOgulFi7FdGMcaGPTocDnQP_vt4X5K6k6ln3Y1m-8oYoHovjkuulEISJQeT5D8L0f6_4Z6iJSpv-/s1600/Out+of+the+frying+pan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoxMrqxEVgAS_tsw5i8dvg23EO0FVl3VU0B9U5sTy2RcPqZIbYLSs7Lp_5gTe8tMcDOgulFi7FdGMcaGPTocDnQP_vt4X5K6k6ln3Y1m-8oYoHovjkuulEISJQeT5D8L0f6_4Z6iJSpv-/s200/Out+of+the+frying+pan.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove
reported last month in damning terms on the performance of the Criminal
Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The headnote on her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twitter</i> page <a href="https://twitter.com/VictimsComm" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;"><i>@VictimsComm</i></span></a>
says that “survivors of violent and sexual crime are being retraumatized by the
CICA and left alienated and frustrated”. </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That’s a terrible indictment of an
organisation that was set up to fill a gap so often left by shortcomings of the
criminal courts, loopholes in the civil law and the impecuniosity of many
perpetrators.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The report appears to identify unnecessary
demands for information and the withholding of compensation on arbitrary
grounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is plainly wrong, but sadly
it is nothing new. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The case that always sticks in my mind is that
of a young matelot stationed at Yeovilton a number of years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was violently assaulted by a nightclub
doorman during a “run ashore” in Chesterfield one Saturday evening.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yes, he drank probably more than he should have
done and might otherwise not have been quite so persistent in his attempts to
persuade the dinner-suited sentinels that he should be allowed the opportunity
to keep the party going.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But nothing he did could justify the actions of
the bouncer who pushed the rest of his patient colleagues to one side and
landed a punch that laid our young serviceman out cold on the pavement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cracked his head on the kerb as he landed,
lost consciousness and subsequently lost interest in a promising, well paid and
secure career in the Navy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Expert evidence from a consultant psychiatrist
established that the change in our client’s psychological state was probably
caused by the head injury he suffered as a result of the unlawful assault that
evening.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On first application, he was awarded the
princely sum of £6,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing
that was clear was that the award was insufficient.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So we appealed and eventually a new award was
made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time it was zero.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some bright spark got hold of the file and
noted that the final chapter of the demise in our young man’s naval career was
a spell of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">military correction </i>at
Colchester<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>barracks<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i> This was incorrectly viewed as a term
of imprisonment equivalent to a sentence imposed by a criminal court and on
that basis the applicant was deemed unfit to receive compensation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When after approximately five years we finally
dragged it to an appeal half-way up the country, a capable tribunal decided
that the appropriate award was of a sum approximately 25 times the original
award.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Result.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even net of the substantial costs that were
inevitably incurred in this unnecessarily long journey, our client was left
with a sum of money sufficient to buy himself a house and give him a real start
in a new career outside the Navy. It demonstrated to me, though, the terrible
flaws in the system which were only overcome by a great deal of persistence and
doggedness on the part of all the good guys. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This, unfortunately, is so often the face of
“administrative justice”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anybody who
has dealt with some of the ombudsman services which are so called created to
provide Joe Public with affordable justice will understand the frustration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There’s a sense that these bodies are there to
draw in the unsuspecting hopefuls whose enthusiasm and will to live is then
broken by what seems to be a mission only to protect the fund or those who
might in theory be ordered to part with some money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The route to redress is often limited, or
virtually non-existent and where there is a chance to appeal, it’s a long and
rocky road. As this latest inspection shows, things just get worse when they
should get better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For so many unfortunates who were persuaded to
go it alone – that they didn’t need ‘expensive’ lawyers – it’s a journey out of
the frying pan into the fire.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It isn’t good enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well done to Baroness Newlove for carrying a
torch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope the consequences of her
report are a much-needed reform of the CICA.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I hope also that it will foster a recognition
that many of these organisations, which members of the public are encouraged to
use on the ticket that they don’t need the assistance of a lawyer, are often
traps for the unwary to be cheated and maltreated and left feeling that they
wished they had never bothered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-88605432176718355842019-01-25T13:31:00.000+00:002019-01-25T13:54:03.535+00:00A criminal waste of time and money..<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zuVl3uETuk1pDCzlmAYP9pLrmejcb3DMUNgCYAZ5Z_MsKXMf0hjMo2bltQG7IIswvDmB8r0VgeCkTjMvmidyxn6qrjqlnMM57jLL7g5VQv3HiDOB16uQv4ToYqKx3Bc_3vH7VlOkysll/s1600/Money+to+burn+%2528crop%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="548" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zuVl3uETuk1pDCzlmAYP9pLrmejcb3DMUNgCYAZ5Z_MsKXMf0hjMo2bltQG7IIswvDmB8r0VgeCkTjMvmidyxn6qrjqlnMM57jLL7g5VQv3HiDOB16uQv4ToYqKx3Bc_3vH7VlOkysll/s200/Money+to+burn+%2528crop%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s over two decades since I got to my feet in
a criminal court of any description and, as a firm, we don’t deal at all with that area of work. </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So,
whilst I'm pulling my hair out daily at the inadequacies of the civil court
system, my understanding of the lamentable state of affairs on the other side
of the fence comes from reading the depressing reports from many others
(including an anonymous caped rabbit)<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"> <span style="color: orange;">[See footnote]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This week, however, came a chance to witness at
first hand – well, via one of my team – whether or not it’s really as bad as
they say it is…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yes, it is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What are we doing mucking about in the magistrates,
first of all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer is that we are
running a road traffic accident claim for a cyclist who says that he was forced
to leap from his (expensive) conveyance seconds before a large truck flattened the two of them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Before he had even instructed us last year, our
lad had received emails from the police assuring him that dashcam footage had
been recovered from the owner of an oncoming vehicle and this showed that the
incident occurred exactly as our client alleged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all felt good about that and the prospects
of a guilty plea from the truck driver. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sure enough, charges of driving without due
care and attention, failing to stop and failing to report followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was some debate about the failure to
report where the police had stopped him a quarter of a mile up the road anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also had some argument about failing to
stop but the boys in blue really couldn’t have been more confident about the
due care. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our client was told to ask us to get in touch
with them for a copy of the dashcam footage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were then told to
apply elsewhere – to ‘the decision makers’. Hold that thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we were told we couldn’t have it until
after the prosecution was concluded. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the meantime, remarkably it seemed, the
truck driver’s insurers declined to admit liability.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A fortnight before Christmas, our client was
notified that he would be required at Exeter Magistrates on Wednesday of this
week for a trial, starting at 11:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After some deliberation, we decided that a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">watching brief</i> might be a good idea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the hearing was brought forward to
10:00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing what I do from my daily
interaction with the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twittersphere</i>, I
wondered if that was a good idea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Well, just for the record, on the day there
were of course half a dozen customers in the cells that needed to be dealt with
before our trial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The morning and early
afternoon passed, punctuated only by brief trips to the court room to be told
to come back in an hour or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">By mid-afternoon, there was talk of a possible
adjournment and then at 15:00 the prosecutor announced that following
discussions the two minor charges would be dropped and the driver was going to
plead guilty to the due care and attention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Well…at some point the defendant’s solicitor
had caught mention of some dashcam footage and remarked that this had not been
seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The video evidence was shown to
the defendant who promptly put his hands up and explained that he simply hadn’t
seen our client or his bicycle.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Having regard to the size of the vehicle he was
driving, the court administered seven penalty points and a bill for nearly
£1,500 in fine, costs, compensation and victim surcharge. One would think that an
admission of liability in the civil claim will now follow, promptly or otherwise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I struggle to understand how it is that a
simple case like this can reach five hours after the appointed time before
somebody – anybody – looks up and says, “this dashcam footage - shall we have a
butcher’s at it while we’re waiting?”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My assistant overheard the conversation after
lunch when the (Romanian) defendant’s solicitor told the translator that the
CPS had dashcam footage but he hadn’t yet seen it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had also explained to the CPS, in response
to the suggestion of an adjournment, that they were paying for the translator
to be there and would have to meet that expense again if the case wasn’t dealt
with today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Whatever the explanation, there is a short
piece of film from 9 months ago that, once shown to the defendant, immediately
proved to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i> that he had indeed
fallen into error on that day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This fits with what the police told our client
and us from the outset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If matters had
proceeded then as we were led to believe, we would have been in a position to
show that evidence to the insurers who, if they were paying the bill for
representation, would probably have made known the hopelessness of the
defence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Why is it that from the point where the file
moves from police to prosecutor and then until the brink of an adjournment nobody but the prosecution representatives get to see the simple damning
evidence?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Why wasn’t this brief footage simply given to
the defendant himself from the outset?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He may not be able to read English but visual images need no
translation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The result, apart from a due care conviction on
a guilty plea (oh, well done indeed the CPS!) is a wasted day with attendant
expenses and losses for the defendant and three witnesses. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Also, there’s the wasted cost to the public
purse of a prosecuting solicitor, an interpreter and precious court
resource.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You and I will pay for that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Presumably the cost of the defence solicitor
will fall to insurers who will use that and similar cases as part of the excuse
for putting up our next motor premium.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yes, I lost an assistant for a day and I gained
very little for her remuneration and travel expenses but I had already accepted
that that would be irrecoverable whatever the outcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, it could have been spared. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What a calamitous waste of everybody’s time and
money just because there is nobody with the wit and motivation to play an incredibly
easy ball.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br clear="all" />
</span><br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Footnote:</span></span></span></span> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For anyone who doesn’t recognise it,
the reference is to <i>T</i><i>he Secret Barrister</i>
<span style="background-color: black;">(</span></span><span style="background-color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span class="username u-dir" dir="ltr" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; direction: ltr; font-family: "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700; outline: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed;"><a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/BarristerSecret" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "segoe ui", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700; outline: 0px;"><span style="color: orange;">@<span class="u-linkComplex-target" style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration-line: underline !important;">BarristerSecret</span></span></a>) </span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-32028920174468074332019-01-11T09:09:00.001+00:002019-01-11T09:12:53.526+00:00Not much COP<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the foulest of mornings at the
start of last November, counsel set off from Cardiff at hideous o’clock bound
for Telford and a dispute resolution hearing in a deputyship application in the Court of Protection (COP).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Don’t ask me why this event took
place in Telford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was marginally less
inconvenient for our septuagenarian client who had to travel from
Gloucester.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing that doesn’t
call for much explanation is the fact that there was no sortie from this office
in the darkness, wind and (copious) rain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It all seemed worthwhile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Counsel – and others involved – did an
admirable job of achieving agreement on all matters except the costs which in
turn all agreed to leave open for further argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile, a fairly acrimonious dispute between
three sisters about the welfare of their ageing mother took a big step towards
conclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Counsel was required to perfect,
agree with our opponents and email to the court a very long draft order that
same day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After waiting (perhaps too)
patiently five weeks for the court to print the order that everyone including
the judge had agreed and apply a seal to it, we wrote on 14 December to ask
what had happened to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a nice
email telling us that it had been referred to the judge on 9 November and they
had received no reply.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>“However, looking at your email it
was already stated that the order had been approved by the DJ…”</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There followed the reassurance that
the court had <i>“moved the order to urgent tops”</i> with the hope that they would
<i>“draw (??) and send the order out by no later than..”</i> 21 December.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Naturally we chased again at the
beginning of this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then comes the
explanation that, apparently, they are not allowed to “emboss” an order in
Birmingham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has to go to London for
this complex procedure to be performed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I suppose I should be thankful that
we are actually getting communications direct from the court at the
moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since this case was transferred
to the Midlands Regional Hub the court office has consistently ignored the fact
and reminders that we went on record at the start of proceedings (the London
office got that right too) and insisted on sending notices by post to our
client.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the first occasion, in July, the notice
was unseen for a period of three weeks because our client was away from
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The upshot was that we
had a week’s notice of the first hearing and yet had to go to the expense of a
formal application to adjourn to the beginning of October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That hearing was later adjourned at a week’s
notice for we don’t know what reason.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It all creates unnecessary expense
and worry for the children of the patient who themselves are of advancing years
and prefer not to have to travel half way up and down the country at short
notice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s also the delay of many
months before the financial affairs of the patient can be dealt with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even now we don’t have the essential
deputyship order two months after the agreed draft was filed by email ready to
print.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Far and away the greatest share of
responsibility for the delay, expense and frustration rests with The Court
Service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure that at Birmingham,
as elsewhere, there are well-meaning and capable people – good people – who are
doing their best and I intend no criticism of them for that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I do intend criticism of the MOJ,
and the government, for emasculating a service which in consequence is not
providing the protection it should to the increasing numbers of our ageing
population. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-66294744220968538832018-10-26T10:07:00.000+01:002018-10-26T10:08:20.362+01:00Oh, my Lord!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Lord Peter Hain’s maverick act in the House of
Lords yesterday, if unchecked, will represent a new low point for the rule of
law in this country. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Despite the existence of an interim court injunction
forbidding the disclosure in the press of the identities of the parties to
pending litigation, Lord Hain got to his feet under the gaze of the television
cameras to declare it his “duty” to name the central figure as Philip Green.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He did so under the cloak of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parliamentary privilege</i> which ancient
concept still has an important role in our democracy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It enables those involved in making our
legislation to say things in the course of debate which might otherwise expose
them to claims of defamation, criminal proceedings and – most pertinent in this
case – contempt of court.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's a privilege that needs to be exercised
very carefully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His Lordship doesn’t
seem to have understood that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I don’t know, any more than the vast majority
of people so far, all the circumstances of Philip Green’s lengthy and expensive
efforts to suppress the Daily Telegraph’s report – still less the merits of the
underlying allegations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be that
he has acted unlawfully and that it is, or rather will be, in the public
interest for all the allegations to be known and followed as the substantive
dispute is resolved in court.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It may be that there is a force for change in
relation to non-disclosure agreements but whether reform is needed, it hasn’t
happened yet and one man amongst hundreds has no individual power to legislate.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For the moment it is – or was – a matter for
the courts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three senior judges doing
their best, and probably getting it right, decided that Philip Green’s name
should not be splashed all over the media.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What Lord Hain appears to have done is to say
“to hell with that – I know better than these judges and everybody else and I
am going to do what I believe is right”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Well, let’s be absolutely clear Lord Hain, you
are wrong. The proud little speech yesterday was a contempt of court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It won’t be actionable because it happened
within the Palace of Westminster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Outside on the street it would have been a very different story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s an appalling example of a senior figure
abusing his rights and privileges and taking the law into his own hands. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I hope the Committee on Standards and Privileges
will see fit to act on this and suspend if not expel Lord Hain from the
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something like this is “one strike
and out”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He clearly doesn’t understand
the extent of the trust that has been placed in him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stable doors and horses, some will say but if
this is allowed to pass then next it will be some matter of national security
with even worse consequences for our society. It’s seven years since similar
actions by MP John Hemming which (rightly) drew a good deal of criticism. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the meantime, anybody thinking of looking to
enforce their legal rights through the proper channels in a civilized and law
abiding fashion must now factor in the risk that some loose cannon in Parliament
may sweep it all aside because he knows best. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Access to justice is increasingly a privilege
of the wealthy and that’s wrong. It doesn’t follow that in front of the judges,
money buys ‘justice’. They apply the law as it should be, objectively and
independently. What’s needed is a return to access to justice for all, but by lawful means.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-46432080490119634242018-02-02T14:48:00.001+00:002018-02-06T21:27:29.952+00:00Attacking the symptoms<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDVhprTVWu8Sa3JvcWY_Psbeqt8GWo4YiPwiMEaicGtgYADe9y0MEB_m4eJPO8AGE-YxQzPOmH_2ybNEqwDiyi7Jcbvt9-4LdKqvkuQvFRGN4dHKn4eaF4yedbNjvwzNEje_FoxFdrHso/s1600/Prevention+better+than+cure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDVhprTVWu8Sa3JvcWY_Psbeqt8GWo4YiPwiMEaicGtgYADe9y0MEB_m4eJPO8AGE-YxQzPOmH_2ybNEqwDiyi7Jcbvt9-4LdKqvkuQvFRGN4dHKn4eaF4yedbNjvwzNEje_FoxFdrHso/s200/Prevention+better+than+cure.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As I sat at the kitchen table
with the day’s first mug of tea very early this morning, two things leapt out
at me from my social media.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First, I saw a post by a client
and friend of a lovely photograph which heralded the news that her husband had
finally lost his long battle. I can be
sure that she will have nothing but admiration and thanks for the neurosurgeons
and others at one of our region’s leading hospitals who tried so hard over many
months to cure him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I reflected also upon my own personal (and thankfully non-critical) experience of the NHS and the wonderful people
I have met.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Almost the next thing I saw,
ironically, was the headline on a BBC news page:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <i><span style="color: orange;">“Curb
rising NHS negligence pay-outs..”.</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The backdrop to the story hasn’t
changed. It’s the fact that the NHS is
having to part with eye-watering amounts of money to compensate the victims of
clinical negligence.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That's <i>compensate - </i>not punish, not criticise. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It has been on the agenda for
years. In the past these outcries have
led with an attack on the victims and their lawyers. The apparent desire has been to silence the
critics, rather than examining the problem.
See for example <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/sick.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Sick</span></a>, <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/the-bitterest-pill.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">The bitterest pill</span></a>,</i> and <o:p></o:p><i><span style="color: orange;"><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/legal-highs.html"><span style="color: orange;">Legal highs</span></a>.</span></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There are signs that what I have
previously described as the <i>culture of
cock-up, cover-up and clam-up</i> has improved.
Notably, there has been widespread recognition that the dysfunctional
National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA) was a massive part of the
problem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have not had any personal
experience of it myself, but there are reports of softening in the attritional
approach to claims resolution. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The degree of transparency is
always difficult to judge but there’s no denying that the service has issues. The
main one is that it is starved of money at one end and haemorrhaging it at the
other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You may as well fill a sack with
a hole in the bottom. What somebody
needs to do is fix the hole.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Remember, remember – every single
payment is the product of a proven or admitted mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course, we are always focused
on the cost of it. For too long,
commentators – and influencers – have obsessed with the price of it and in
particular the legal costs. One hopes
that the culture of <i>defend, deny and
delay</i> has been so comprehensively exposed as to demonstrate why that’s the
fault of neither victims nor their lawyers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now it seems that the message is
simply one of affordability. The article
quotes the letter as saying:-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">“We fully accept that there must be
reasonable compensation for patients harmed through clinical negligence but
this needs to be balanced against society’s ability to pay.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is chilling from the point
of view of victims and those of us who think we live in a society that should
give priority to the needs of its vulnerable members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Compensation for personal
injuries, whether as a result of clinical negligence or otherwise, is not as
many people seem to believe some sort of bingo win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s right that there’s an
element of injury awards or settlements that compensates for <i>pain, suffering and loss of amenity</i>
(PSLA) – and why not – but many people would be surprised what it is that
really makes up some of the bigger awards about which we hear and read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The reality is that those cases
in which millions of pounds are awarded or voluntarily paid are built on the
need of the innocent victim for many years of medical and nursing care, special
accommodation etc necessary just for them to live the rest of their terribly
impaired life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What do the economists here
propose that we do with the children and others who have been horribly brain-damaged
or rendered tetraplegic, often at birth?
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Smile sympathetically and tell
them, or their carers, that we are dreadfully sorry but really, we can’t afford
to do anything to help them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How lawless and helpless are we
going to become in this country?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What is so ridiculous here is
that the problem should be soluble. As
the wailers proclaim, we are spending money paying for cock-ups that should be
spent preventing them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That could change, just by
re-directing the spending. Invest in a
proper service and it will be self-funding.
Arguably, this is just (yes, I know) a matter of cash flow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Before that, though, it’s still a
matter of culture. As anyone who has spent any time looking at this objectively
knows, that headline should have read:-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: orange;">“Curb rising NHS
negligence”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We have to attack the problem, not the symptoms.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-38723737605676521542017-09-08T17:50:00.004+01:002017-09-08T17:50:59.492+01:00Balancing act<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_RGP3jINUuAo4B7UEKAAnVnlX7jZnrTDAcCk4R4zshIIErIBqN5NRriNp6r5USywpnm_HFHjkQktErEj02EnogC1S3uBTjFA41HXYKRG_pUUTyoi3KYRCVymGI1tySmwAC_wUrAoDFxL/s1600/Lady+of+Justice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_RGP3jINUuAo4B7UEKAAnVnlX7jZnrTDAcCk4R4zshIIErIBqN5NRriNp6r5USywpnm_HFHjkQktErEj02EnogC1S3uBTjFA41HXYKRG_pUUTyoi3KYRCVymGI1tySmwAC_wUrAoDFxL/s320/Lady+of+Justice.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s good to see the autumn parliamentary
term kick off with the government being put on the rack about the estimated £32
million in refunds that it owes to all the individuals who were unlawfully
charged fees to pursue Employment Tribunal claims over the last four and a
quarter years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Seven judges of the Supreme Court
delivered their unanimous judgment in <i><span style="color: orange;">UNISON
v The Lord Chancellor</span></i> six weeks ago.
It left the government with no option but to concede that the fees taken
since Spring 2013 must be returned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since then all we have seen or
heard have been vague mutterings about working out how and when this is going
to happen. Quite right that Shadow
Justice Minister Richard Burgon should this week demand to know what’s going
on. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Good on the Shadow Minister also to
invite an apology from the Minister of State for Courts and Justice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dominic Raab’s curious response
is:-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">“<i>We admit we got the balance wrong and took
immediate steps to address this. Of
course I am happy to say sorry to anyone who was impacted by this and that is
why we are putting in place measures to ensure people are compensated.”</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He added that these plans are to
be published “shortly”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, you are right – you <i>did</i> get the balance wrong. “Immediate
steps to address this”? That seems to
have passed me by.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What I saw was four years of many
people in this profession and industry telling your government, as they had
done before the fees were introduced, that it was unfair and would amount to a
denial of access to justice for meritorious claims.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">See <i><span style="color: cyan;"><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/government-has-now-unveiled-its.html">Fire
at will</a> </span>and</i> <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/access-denied.html"><span style="color: cyan;">Access denied</span></a>
</i>for example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After the new fees began to bite
and the effects were as foretold, proving undoubtedly that the balance was
wrong, your government took no steps to address it – other than to dismiss
criticisms and fight the judicial review proceedings brought by <i>Unison</i>.
The Supreme Court judgment was the culmination of two applications in
the High Court followed by an unsuccessful expedition to the Court of Appeal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The truth is that the government
has ignored and defied the entirely justifiable criticisms levelled at it
throughout a period of approximately five years including the “consultation”
(in now typical format) and taken no steps to correct its error.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Even now, this shameless
administration is stalling, maintaining its clutch on individual sums of
hundreds of pounds which represents significant amounts as far as each of the
claimants is concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s repugnant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The whole episode of grotesque
behaviour by our democratic government is only – and briefly so far – eclipsed
by the dazzling splendour of Lord Reed’s judgment, in particular at paragraphs
67 to 69:-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“<i>67</i>. <i>It may be helpful to begin by explaining briefly the
importance of the rule of law, and the role of access to the courts in
maintaining the rule of law. It may also be helpful to explain why the idea
that bringing a claim before a court or a tribunal is a purely private
activity, and the related idea that such claims provide no broader social
benefit, are demonstrably untenable. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">68. At
the heart of the concept of the rule of law is the idea that society is
governed by law. Parliament exists primarily in order to make laws for society
in this country. Democratic procedures exist primarily in order to ensure that
the Parliament which makes those laws includes Members of Parliament who are
chosen by the people of this country and are accountable to them. Courts exist
in order to ensure that the laws made by Parliament, and the common law created
by the courts themselves, are applied and enforced. That role includes ensuring
that the executive branch of government carries out its functions in accordance
with the law. In order for the courts to perform that role, people must in
principle have unimpeded access to them. Without such access, laws are liable
to become a dead letter, the work done by Parliament may be rendered nugatory,
and the democratic election of Members of Parliament may become a meaningless
charade. That is why the courts do not merely provide a public service like any
other. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: orange;">69.
Access to the courts is not, therefore, of value only to the particular
individuals involved. That is most obviously true of cases which establish
principles of general importance. When, for example, Mrs Donoghue won her
appeal to the House of Lords (Donoghue
v Stevenson [1932] AC 562), the decision established that producers of
consumer goods are under a duty to take care for the health and safety of the
consumers of those goods: one of the most important developments in the law of
this country in the 20th century. To say that it was of no value to anyone
other than Mrs Donoghue and the lawyers and judges involved in the case would
be </span></i><i><span style="color: orange;">absurd”.</span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have reached a worrying
position where the executive needs to be reminded of the purpose of a democracy
and then reminded of its duty to comply with the findings of the senior
judiciary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course, many are saying
– with some force – that there is more to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white;">Lord Reed also said, with
the approval of all his colleagues, that:-</span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">“</span><i><span style="color: orange;">People and businesses need to know, on the
one hand, that they will be able to enforce their rights if they have to do so,
and, on the other hand, that if they fail to meet their obligations, there is
likely to be a remedy against them. <u>It
is that knowledge which underpins everyday economic and social relations”.</u> </span><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span></i>[My emphasis].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This observation, and the general
tenor of the judgment, exposes again the complete absurdity of the suggestion
from Lord Faulks, two and a half years ago, that litigation is an <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/optional-activity.html"><i>Optional activity</i></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was his Lordship’s
justification for the hurried introduction of the huge increase in civil court
fees (county and high courts) which saw the price of bringing a claim at some
levels rise to <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/road-to-ruin.html">760%</a> of
what it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There’s no doubt that these fees
represent a denial of access to justice.
Nobody can say that the levels were so wrong beforehand. It’s all part of the government’s policy of turning
courts into profit centres – if it possibly can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">QED, yet again, the ill-fated
attempt by the former Lord Chancellor (sic) to hike probate court fees by, at
the top end of the scale, a factor of 129!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The parliamentary commission that
laid the stinger in the tracks of that juggernaut observed that Miss Trust’s
planned changes “Seemed to have the hallmarks of taxes rather than fees”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That’s exactly what it is – all
of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That particular robbery was thwarted
in its planning stages. Thanks to the
heroic efforts of Unison, the ET heist has been stopped and – hopefully – the
ill-gotten gains will be returned to the victims.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s now high time justice was
done in relation to the rest of the court fee system. Time to get the balance
right.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-49319565521465316422017-05-18T21:39:00.001+01:002017-05-18T21:47:52.968+01:00Late charge<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSi-QOu7oLgv7zZGM2MbFAE9Y-JMLA2zwC0DniK_G1wdl41DFcTlm-Va9bZtrsLsfkYlGJ7XHlH1CVdm3aUwrhMV-8LC-EUT8x1QV-7vskgXbIuAmnJBkvmBqYw6DFqn_oYYtXkuNMhYm/s1600/Snail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSi-QOu7oLgv7zZGM2MbFAE9Y-JMLA2zwC0DniK_G1wdl41DFcTlm-Va9bZtrsLsfkYlGJ7XHlH1CVdm3aUwrhMV-8LC-EUT8x1QV-7vskgXbIuAmnJBkvmBqYw6DFqn_oYYtXkuNMhYm/s320/Snail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Charging orders have long been an
important tool in the enforcement and asset recovery kit. Procedure has
“evolved” over the years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I can remember a time when these
applications were governed by the provisions of the <i>County Court Practice</i> (aka “The Green Book”). The remarkable feature then was that a
hearing would always be listed, as a matter of routine, to decide whether the
initial <i>order nisi</i> should be made <i>absolute</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the nineties (whoops!) I led a
team of people dealing with enforcement work including charging orders. Every week we would organise attendances at
hearings where the debtor did not turn up and the charging order was confirmed
along with fixed costs that never covered the actual expense of being prepared
to deal with whatever happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I wrote to the chief
clerk (sic) of our favourite and most-used local court suggesting that a better
system would be to require the debtor to give notice if he or she intended to
oppose the making of a charging order absolute.
If they did so, we would have a hearing in the usual way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If they didn’t give the requisite
notice at least seven days before the hearing, we could simply rely on a
request for the charging order to be made absolute in absence. If the debtor then turned up, having failed
to give notice, the application would be either granted or adjourned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The suggestion was quickly
accepted and implementation followed in a number of other courts and was later
adopted within the CPR. It’s basically
what then happened for a number of years until last April.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now we have a new system whereby
all charging order applications have to be made to the CCMCC in Salford,
following the lead of the requirement that all “money claims” be issued out of
that court rather than local county courts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now the procedure is that after
an <i>interim order</i> is made and served
within 21 days, we wait another 28 days to see if the debtor has any objections. If by the end of “Day 49” no objection has
been filed, the court will make a <i>final
order</i> without the need for a hearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, it gets better and better… or
does it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here’s the message that we
received from the CCMCC in response to the latest enquiry last week about an
overdue order:-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">“<i>We are aware that there is a delay in the
receipt of final charging orders after “Day 49” pursuant to the centralisation
of charging orders protocol. Currently
it is taking around 33 days for you to receive a final charging order from day
49. We apologise for this delay and are
doing our upmost (sic) to address the situation to bring it back in line with
the protocol. We are working closely
with the judiciary bringing extra DDJs into the business to work through the
increased amount of work which has built up.”</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We are not aware that there is
any objection in this case. So what is
it taking nearly five weeks to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The answer would appear to be to
“rubber stamp in the absence of any objection from the debtor the interim
charging order that was made perhaps as long as three months ago or longer”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How can such a seemingly simplified
system have become so wretchedly ineffective? Why does it need to go “on the
shelf” (Lord Briggs, are you there?) and wait for a judge to look at it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Charging orders couldn’t be
simpler in most cases. If the judgment is unpaid and the debtor owns the
property – bingo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Like all the other changes,
including the <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/760.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">660%</span></a> rise in court fees, this is an innovation aimed
at achieving greater efficiency. Actually it’s all part of a system which is
costing the user more and delivering shrinking benefits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile I cheer, ironically, as
a notice of issue of a claim form arrives. The notice itself confesses that our
proceedings were received at the CCMCC on 21 April – 4 weeks ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">As Gladstone said, justice
delayed is justice denied. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-59764433191165843392017-03-01T20:38:00.001+00:002017-03-02T21:17:15.090+00:00Imperfect storm<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Insurance costs rocket
as weather turns nasty...</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsOjRDFAJxRHOBQjHQjQA24cvpWWIZTDn_TILSmZRCctMktfi9_LSk92OJZrlHurhJl8R0tIDI3dDZrodAaoVbNywxYF-UlNdatkNqmr7CmSeBvJ0zXPD1-sX1MLIkxr4hgZG-lKzG7fi/s1600/White+cloud+in+blue+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsOjRDFAJxRHOBQjHQjQA24cvpWWIZTDn_TILSmZRCctMktfi9_LSk92OJZrlHurhJl8R0tIDI3dDZrodAaoVbNywxYF-UlNdatkNqmr7CmSeBvJ0zXPD1-sX1MLIkxr4hgZG-lKzG7fi/s400/White+cloud+in+blue+sky.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">By our underhandwriting correspondent
Polly C Hikes</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The motor insurance world was rocked to its foundations today
by the prospect of having to pay up on claims. Insurers have announced a steep
rise in the price of ‘cover’ after an unexpected breeze threatened to bring
chaos to Britain’s roads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Seconds after a 'menacing' cloud (pictured) neared the
south-west coast of Cornwall underwriters warned of the need to raise prices
immediately. </span>A spokesman for the Avaricious B******s Institute wept uncontrollably
as he explained to sleeping politicians that the risk of some stronger drizzle
than had been anticipated this week would force a 100% increase in the cost of
the average policy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Taking a freshly peeled onion from his pocket, Mr Bruce Fibbs blamed fraudulent weather forecasting for the crisis but reassured everyone
that the industry would be able to crack down on the villains. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Fortunately, we have a direct lying (<i>Is this right? Ed</i>) to Whitehall and should be able to rush through
legislation – sorry, I mean lobby for early action,” he consoled, bravely. “My
wife, Sheila, wails every time an injured claimant is compensated in accordance
with the law.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">His colleague, Mr High Heavens, quickly agreed. “This is
hugely damaging to executive salaries and shareholder dividends and it’s clear
that government must act. Policyholders have enjoyed the promise of a possible
reduction in costs – one fine day - for long enough now and it’s time we reneged
on that again as we always do”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A spokesman for the Hatchet Insurance Co added his voice to
the protests. “The problem is all these wretched accident victims trying to
take our money away from us. If they think we’re going to pay compensation for
their injuries and losses, they must be deluded.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“We’ve been running a charity for years”, he sobbed. “People
don’t seem to understand that these painfully low interest rates have meant
that we can no longer sit on our arses watching other peoples’ money earn us a
fortune. We’ve got to the point where we don’t just need to hold on to the cash
for as long as possible – we need to keep it!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“It wouldn’t be quite so bad,” he spluttered, “if we could
just be left alone to deal with these misguided people direct and settle their
claims fairly - with a bunch of flowers and maybe a massage for the catastrophic
cases. The problem is that some of them hire lawyers who know what the claims
are truly worth and then make us pay for trying to rip-off their clients. These
people are deluded if they think….” <i>(to
be continued… and continued… and continued…)</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But the Minister of Injustice reacted quickly and
supportively to insurers’ concerns. “It’s a no-brainer”, said Miss Trust, “and
I, more than anybody, recognize that”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Unveiling a new criminal offence of being injured or killed
by somebody else’s negligence, she warned that this would not become law
until next week. Furthermore, there would be a consultation on the new measures
later in the year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“It’s desperately important that the rights and
misfortunes of ordinary individuals are not seen to be more important than
corporate profits and political favour”, she cautioned wisely. </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-76411815175698960292016-10-25T22:03:00.002+01:002018-04-04T07:01:48.994+01:00Fundamental dishonesty<div class="MsoNormal tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is said increasingly that we
are living in a <i>post-truth</i> age,
particularly with reference to modern politics.
Fairness and fact are usurped by false rumour and appeals to emotions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many solicitors dealing with
personal injury claims will tell you that the insurance industry is a far from
shining example of this murky culture.
We say you can’t trust them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">They have convinced recent past
governments, and much of the population, that injured people pursuing claims
for compensation are largely if not entirely fraudsters and that these claims,
and the costs associated with them, are responsible for relentless rises in
motor insurance costs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The headline claims are
untrue. This has more to do with the
impact on profits and capital reserves of depressed interest rates over a long
period of time. See <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/smokescreen.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;"><i>Smokescreen</i> </span></a>for more on this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Recently we’ve had yet further
headlines about the rising cost of policy premia, the average expected to hit
£700, despite all the so called curbs on costs that the industry duped a supine
government to implement. Still insurers
insist that whiplash isn’t real and inflate their statistics for “fraud” by the
inclusion of routinely abandoned claims.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The more audacious the yarn, the
bigger the impact – see <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/make-lie-big.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Make the lie big</span></a></i>. It all seems to be one way traffic. No wonder.
The Association of British Insurers (“ABI”) is a well organised and vocal
body representing huge and powerful corporations. It goes without saying they are well funded –
with our money. We pay them to mislead
us - and then pay them more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We are hearing now about
the reported successes of insurers in defeating claims for what is known as <i><span style="color: orange;">fundamental dishonesty</span></i>. This was another deterrent introduced a
little over three years ago whereby the penalties for false claims and
exaggeration were increased substantially.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s quite right of course that
people who pursue fraudulent claims should face the consequences but the latest
rules have created a climate where ordinary decent people pursuing genuine
claims for compensation to which they are entitled as a matter of law are
terrified of the risks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Leading defendant law firms now
boast about the number of cases they have seen off by alleging fundamental
dishonesty and we know that a large section of the population would not now be
inclined to pursue a claim following an accident because of the stigma and
fears of this so called “compensation culture”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Insurers portray themselves as
the white knights on the battlefield, protecting the premium-paying public from
these abuses. They tell the world that
it would be fine to change the rules so that all these expensive claimant
lawyers will drop out of the equation.
Genuine victims, they say, have nothing to fear and can trust insurers
to deal fairly with them and seek that they receive that to which they are
entitled by law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Believe that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If so, you may want to do
something about those long, furry ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For an example of how fair and
virtuous liability insurers can be, see the report that we posted on our
website earlier this month in the case of <i><a href="http://www.mrw-law.co.uk/news/2016/10/06/council-trips-up/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">McLachlan v South Somerset District Council</span></a></i>. It’s
a heart-warming tale of justice being done, despite the skulduggery of the Dark
Side. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The success or failure of public
liability claims often depends on whether or not there have been similar
accidents in the past which alerted the defendant to a need for action. You will see in the website report one of the
highlights of the trial which was the judge’s question “How many people have to
injure themselves before you realise there is a design issue?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, you don’t have to be any sort
of expert in this field to understand that if the knowledge and existence of
previous and similar claims can be suppressed and concealed, it’s going to be
far more difficult for the claimant to succeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In this case, the District
Council’s insurers lied to us repeatedly about the history of this car
park. They did so in correspondence, in
answer to pointed questions and despite at one stage information from us that
we already knew of at least one claim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were told in a letter of 28
June 2014 from insurers that: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: orange;">“All
other users of the car park negotiated the area without incident”. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We asked them:-</span></div>
<blockquote>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> “Are you referring to a particular space in time and group of users or the world at large at any time during which the kerbs have been in place?”.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Claims handler Charlotte wrote to
tell us on 18 July 2014:-</span></div>
<blockquote>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> “We can confirm that we are saying there were no other incidents prior to your client’s accident”.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were at that stage already on
to the fact that the “walking wounded” often limped to the nearest source of
assistance, the Octagon Theatre – see the headline to the report. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ironically, the defendant council
as owner and control of the Theatre where – according to the manager who gave
evidence at the trial – so many victims reported, produced no records of any
such matters during the course of the proceedings. False disclosure statements,
anyone?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We made that point to them in a
letter dated 6 February 2015. We were
subsequently told, again, on 1 July 2015:-</span></div>
<blockquote>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> “We note your comments, we can confirm that our insured are not aware of any other similar incidents or complaints in relation to this matter”.</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In fact there had been at least
eight prior incidents. The complaint by one victim, who was injured approximately
five years before our client fell, was presented by then Somerset County Councillor
Cathy Bakewell MBE. In answer to
correspondence from the Head of Engineering and Property at the District
Council, she wrote:-</span></div>
<blockquote>
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> “Might the council consider highlighting the edges of the kerbs in order to make them stand out more, especially in the evening? Whilst there is lighting in the car park, it does not illuminate the kerbs. Might it be possible for the council to consider some additional lighting to assist pedestrians to avoid tripping over the kerbs?”</span></i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The trial judge said, “It is
difficult to think of a starker picture and I find it mind-boggling that the
defendant did nothing”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But the key point of this piece
is to highlight the seemingly fearless – yet at times inept – attempt to
conceal the truth, with deliberate false statements about the history of the
matter that was crucial to success or failure of a meritorious claim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Injury claimants who tell lies in
support of their fraudulent claims face the real prospect of going to prison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Solicitors who connive at such
claims face the risk of being struck-off, losing their livelihood and perhaps
joining their clients behind bars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What happens to insurance
companies and their employees who tell lies in support of their case?</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nothing. They can pick up the next file and do it all
over again.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-85688435572128037542016-10-21T17:25:00.000+01:002016-10-21T17:28:32.929+01:00In ruins<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I could weep as I read the latest
direct evidence of how the <i>Ministry of
Injustice</i> has smashed up our civil justice system. I fear we’re close to
the end of that <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/road-to-ruin.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Road to ruin</span></a></i> I wrote
about 18 months ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Latest example comes in a case
where we are acting for a creditor whose debt was to be paid, by agreement and
consequent approval of the court, through a scheme of monthly instalments
backed up with a series of adjournments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It worked well for a couple of
months but then fell victim to the state of affairs at our local court where it
seems that the minimum period of time now to process routine paperwork,
including formal orders, is 5 to 6 weeks.
In the last few months the scheme of adjournments has fallen off the
rails, with the most recent being more than two months. It’s no surprise the payments have dried up
and we are now trying to get it back on course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No answer to correspondence so
one of my team telephones the court yesterday morning. She speaks to somebody who is new to her role
and doesn’t yet have access to the email system – so she can’t even tell us if
our communication has been received never mind dealt with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Asked if there was somebody else
that we could speak to who might be able to help us, the answer is that they
are “incredibly short staffed” – so, no.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We could send another email marked
“urgent” to bring this up through the backlog in correspondence but there is no
guarantee because of course our call handler has no idea what’s on the system. Would
we have more luck calling tomorrow when somebody with access might be
available? Well, we are welcome to try
but there is no guarantee… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The last telephone case
management conference I dealt with in the same court, a few weeks ago, was a
farce because British Telecom couldn’t get anybody to answer the phone for half
an hour. I made small talk to the litigant
in person on the other side whilst the judge sat at his desk doing box work and
wondering why the telephone didn’t ring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He did his best with only 15
minutes of a 45 minute case conference left.
Hopefully next time (if the court is still there) we shall be given a
direct dial number for the usher instead of waiting for somebody to man the
switchboard that also handles all business for the criminal and family courts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In two other recent instances
final hearings have been postponed because there was no judge available.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This used to be such a reliable
and effective court. We had very capable
and helpful district judges - still do - supported by an administrative team
who always had too much to do but <i>got it
done</i>. We used to complain when they
told us that they were three weeks behind but they would find some more
resource and bring it up to date.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Things happened then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I talked at the end of last year
to one of the people responsible for that culture – somebody whom you could
always depend on when it was necessary – a real “leave it to me” (and it will
get sorted) type.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I listened then to how the
5-week-old pile of post would come out of the cupboard each day and, after all
the more immediate and urgent stuff had been dealt with, go back in the
cupboard at the end of the day – the only change being that the pile was a
little higher. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I saw the look of desolation in
the once-bright eyes and understood the anxiety to retire and escape at the
first opportunity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The good people have gone, or are
going. To the extent (partial) of their
being replaced then it’s with young recruits who lack experience, knowledge and
training. Not their fault but they don’t have it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In response to the last
provisional assessment request we filed came a notice that the “detailed
assessment hearing” had been listed on a date when we should attend and “2
minutes 30 minutes (sic) has been allowed for the hearing”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We pointed out the error and in
response received “notice that the provisional assessment hearing will take
place…” and in this instance 1 hour and 15 minutes had been allowed. Another
letter to the court drew the assurance that no attendance at the hearing was
necessary. The next order enclosed the
bill provisionally assessed by the district judge in the absence of the
parties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since then and approximately a
month later, we have had another ‘order’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“IT IS ORDERED
THAT this case is on the list today.
However the bill has already been provisionally assessed…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Magnificent. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am waiting for an “order” one day <i>“that I will be on holiday four weeks from
today so list that for when I get back – and I am just going out to get a
sandwich now”.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is “justice” at work
nowadays. This is what people pay us to
grapple with to obtain orders that are a civilised society’s alternative to
self-help and anarchy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile we have people in
Salford who can’t process anything in less than a fortnight hunting for minor
arithmetical miscalculations or errors of procedure (that aren’t) and then
having to refer files to district judges whilst we wait weeks for news of
something happening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In one case where “proper
officer” and district judge were both doing different conflicting things on the
file on the same day we ended up with a proper procedural mess which cost The
Court Service more than £3,000 in wasted costs (and that was just our side).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I can’t wait for Lord Briggs’
wonderful online courts, monitored by people who don’t have access to the
system and available to people who know nothing of law and procedure. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That
should cure all..</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70geN96C3kswYaL9S3RHmP5Z0EVpE4eKB2_KrhcMPOw921k6IOVOndtnuVtH-_Grzvdl-e2iDH98jNEdxC7_RB8dv0lTkX_1TTj3xypnPBVqlrgGMW5A7JJR_gzyNBRXZCdvhId9rx96f/s1600/Abandoned+factory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70geN96C3kswYaL9S3RHmP5Z0EVpE4eKB2_KrhcMPOw921k6IOVOndtnuVtH-_Grzvdl-e2iDH98jNEdxC7_RB8dv0lTkX_1TTj3xypnPBVqlrgGMW5A7JJR_gzyNBRXZCdvhId9rx96f/s320/Abandoned+factory.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-71130729440421832702016-10-09T22:02:00.002+01:002016-10-10T14:41:28.242+01:00Sick<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Stephen Adams’ ugly polemic in
the Mail on Sunday seems to be branding all lawyers – certainly those involved
in the business of suing the NHS for compensation for victims of clinical
negligence - vultures. What a sweet guy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He rants about the amounts paid
in costs during the last year in relation to damages claims (excluding costs)
that have trebled from £323 million to around £950 million over the last
decade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All the rhetoric aside this is
fairly simple. Compensation is only paid in cases where a court decides that the
NHS has been negligent and so the claimant is entitled, according to the law,
to compensation or the NHS accepts that is the likely outcome and settles
before trial.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So – the first fact to get on
board is that all of these expenses arise because of proven or admitted
blunders for which the law says the innocent victim should be compensated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In other words – and this is the <i>real</i> point of concern – cock-ups are
increasing at a frightening rate. No wonder where the service is so
under-funded and demoralised. No consolation there for the victims of that
growing number of mistakes who, our law says, should be compensated in the only
way possible – by the provision of funds to alleviate their suffering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And as for costs – guess what? Yes,
they are only payable in successful cases so all the outrage is about the
expense of suing the NHS to pay damages they are liable to pay for getting it
wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Forget the hardworking
individuals in this scenario. I admire them too. This is not about caning well-meaning folk who
are doing their best. It’s about recognising that because these lovely, caring
people are overworked and under-resourced, other innocent citizens are being
failed and in some cases very badly injured or worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s be grown up and accept that
if you mess up, you need to make amends. By the way, an apology is a cracking
good start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I expect that many sane people
see that but may ask, “Yes, but what about the <i>amount</i> of the costs?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Good question. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First, there are many cases where
there is no justifiable complaint about the costs incurred by the claimant’s
solicitors. Remember that those sums – however much they are – form part of the
total costs paid alongside damages in claims which are proven or admitted to
have merit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Secondly, there are too many
cases where the people tasked with fighting these claims on behalf of the NHS
lose all objectivity and pragmatism – fighting for the sake of it, where
sensibly they should be conceding the claims and working with victims’ lawyers
to make sure the right amount of compensation is paid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But they don’t. As the MoS
article briefly mentions, it’s a “culture of defend, deny and delay”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, this pushes the costs up –
inevitably. There’s a good claim. Victim’s lawyers know it. What do they do?
Say, “Oh, the NHS are digging in – we’ll have to give up”? Of course not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">See <a href="https://kerryunderwood.wordpress.com/2016/01/14/nhsla-201415-another-disingenuous-report-to-parliament/">Kerry
Underwood’s analysis</a> earlier this year which contains links to cases where
the NHSLA has been fiercely criticised by judges for its attritional approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At this point it’s worth
repeating the unarguable message that the answer to this problem
comes, to a large extent, in two simple parts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Don’t screw up (please)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->If you do, ‘fess up – promptly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finally, yes there are cases where
the fees claimed – even though the case succeeded – are too high. In some cases there is a genuine disagreement about what is reasonable. In others,
disreputable lawyers – a minority - are claiming too much. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The easy answer is always that
the court controls, by a formal process of <i>detailed
assessment</i> the amount payable. If the NHSLA thinks the bill is too high,
then it simply forces the matter before the court and if it makes sensible
offer of payment along the way, it can expect to recover its costs of fighting
the assessment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Problem? There isn’t one – except
the culture of cock-up, cover up and clam up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Remember – every single payout is
the product of a proven or admitted mistake. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The NHS, NHSLA and parts of the
media are all sick in various ways. Lawyers fighting fairly for justice are
sick of two of them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As for Stephen Adams, he’s
succumbed to the temptation for personal gain to tar all lawyers with the same
brush. All generalisations are dangerous…</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It would be like reading the Mail
and concluding that <u>all</u> newspapers are full of rubbish.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeMdqP0a5onhaVcOP_sc2_Ipah3bBp-sx4teAVUFLBourLzN0zdI5xbHBINxQ-XbOTHyiCRVrS1eyJqefxEiXyofPyqRUAmkpM16Fl1DAICgLlKarWv9p4r3cJI82YcVVZfby2bHHVvvq/s1600/Justice+here+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeMdqP0a5onhaVcOP_sc2_Ipah3bBp-sx4teAVUFLBourLzN0zdI5xbHBINxQ-XbOTHyiCRVrS1eyJqefxEiXyofPyqRUAmkpM16Fl1DAICgLlKarWv9p4r3cJI82YcVVZfby2bHHVvvq/s400/Justice+here+%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-45234162743853408532016-08-20T17:51:00.000+01:002016-08-22T08:29:07.836+01:00Smokescreen<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I see <i>The Times</i> has lapped up the latest propaganda about the cost
of car insurance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This time we are back to whiplash,
giving fraud a rest for a few days, with the claim that at least £64 has been
added to your average car insurance premium during the last year under the
heading “Whiplash claims bump up car insurance costs”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's another big fib from the <i>Dark Side</i> of the industry that so many
of us know well enough. Government
figures confirmed only three weeks ago that whiplash claims were falling, as
reported by <i><a href="http://www.scottrees.com/whiplash-claims-falling-govt-figures/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Scott Rees & Co</span></a></i> , for example.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, how can this be?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Well, fundamentally the explanation
is that one story is true and the other isn’t.
Anyone who keeps an eye on this particular area or the financial markets
will understand why there is a renewed drive right now to cover up the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Half year results are out. Let’s have a look at how three of the big
names in motor insurance are faring amidst this battlefield of whiplash, fraud
and fat cat lawyers…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First - good old Aviva. One of my former assistants will remember
them as the people who recommended that she <i>didn’t</i>
obtain independent advice on her claim against their insured (<i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/livin-aviva-loca.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Livin’ Aviva Loca!</span></a></i>).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The former <i>Norwich Union</i> began in 2016 “from a position of strength”. <i>The
Telegraph</i> reported in March this year <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/03/10/aviva-shares-jump-as-insurer-posts-bumper-profits/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">“Aviva shares jump as insurer posts bumper profits”</span></a>. Dividends were raised by 15%.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It seems like it has continued to go
well for Paul Whitehouse’s chums with the <i><a href="http://www.aviva.co.uk/media-centre/story/17651/aviva-plc-2016-interim-results-announcement/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">interim results announcement of 4 August 2016</span></a></i> . Mark Wilson Group Chief Executive Officer
tells us:-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: orange;">“Operating profits are up
13% and the dividend is up 10%. We are
delivering consistent, stable and predictable growth despite challenging market
conditions”.</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www.axa.co.uk/about/our-company/financial-results/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">AXA half year results</span></a></span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> on 3 August 2016 show income and
profitability rising across the board although they were cautious enough to
mention “rising claims costs in motor classes”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Perhaps the briefing in the summer
was tighter than it was at the beginning of the year when AXA had announced
gleefully an earnings increase of 25% in its UK and Ireland operations. This included, according to Group Chief
Executive Paul Evans:-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.axa.co.uk/newsroom/media-releases/2016/AXA-UK-and-Ireland-earnings-rise-by-25-percent/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">“UK direct motor revenues increased by 12% to £0.4 billion at a combined ratio of 91.4% thanks to both rate increases and an 8% increase to one million direct motor policies in the UK. Total motor revenues increased 11% to £0.9 billion due in part to premium increases of over 30% in the Republic of Ireland to reflect the material increases seen in court awards for personal injury”.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No mention there of rising claims in
the UK or that profits are static, or worse, despite massive increase in
revenue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Direct Lying (remember them and the
lovable hound <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16611668" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">tampering with complaint files </span></a>before they went to the FSA?) were
reported at the beginning of March as seeing “profits rise on strong motor
business”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/03/01/direct-lines-profits-rise-on-strong-motor-business/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">“Gross written premiums (sic) in its motor section rose 4.8%to 1.4 billion pounds as premium rates rose across the car industry as a whole…with pre-tax profits of £507.5 million”.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Meanwhile, they spin the story that these hikes are all a product of opportunist and dishonest claimants assisted by unscrupulous lawyers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The bolder and brassier you are, the
more you can get away with. This sort of
thing has happened on a terrifying scale in the past and shown just how much
selfish desire can be satisfied if you <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/make-lie-big.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;"><i>Make the lie big.</i></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Just occasionally, these con tricks
are properly exposed. Unfortunately
events such as the grilling of top executives from these companies by a tenacious
parliamentary sub-committee chair never seem to get the profile they deserve. See
<i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/hey-diddle-diddle.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Hey diddle diddle..</span></a><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At the end of the day all this wailing
about whiplash and fraud is utter rubbish. Here’s the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Insurers will whinge as they always
have done that motor never makes a profit, never has. I’ve no doubt that the
accounts they present will 'prove' that. They were more than happy to be in the
business though and collecting huge swathes of cash from the punters whilst
double-digit interest rates enabled them to make a big turn on that money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We all know they would string out the
claims for as long as possible to keep earning interest for as long as they
could. Now interest rates are almost negative that profitable model is broken. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The hike in the cost of your policy
isn’t to counterbalance the effects of whiplash or fraudulent claims. It’s to
compensate for the disappearance of the revenue from capital reserves so they
can still post huge profits to pay fat salaries and rising dividends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The truth is ugly and embarrassing so it's dressed up and the activity of a tiny minority of criminals within a culture that insurers have created and cultivated is exaggerated, at increasing prejudice to genuine claims from innocent victims and access to justice.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And whilst we're all distracted by whiplash, fraud - even claims management - they'll be helping themselves to more of our money as usual..</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6rEfBpNpR2GKLNdTwu5Y5dL8UYvETJZDzt7KxPRL-pbYNiXdiReoq9312SdJmL_pWj7T_wPFS-mcuIp52OQXYPK8PSuuhTQO4-Yhsb3bsJVaa9k5NHiKVR-3pMa0K6-3QdArJfdBnj9N/s1600/dreamstime_xl_1430141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6rEfBpNpR2GKLNdTwu5Y5dL8UYvETJZDzt7KxPRL-pbYNiXdiReoq9312SdJmL_pWj7T_wPFS-mcuIp52OQXYPK8PSuuhTQO4-Yhsb3bsJVaa9k5NHiKVR-3pMa0K6-3QdArJfdBnj9N/s400/dreamstime_xl_1430141.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-14342423211653736562016-07-30T14:01:00.000+01:002016-08-01T13:14:36.591+01:00Under pressure<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnj6qSLHGx9Cf-NA_ghjmnqQxgZRZQOuIl2opoeI8e9slFMN2lfrOkhEJLkrH7xnsOzF20_1_SSQsz6a4P-xXRx8vnFza0B-MxFHWy6w3EnnoCF1nHNZde1xIFLwxsS1pKBkDS7X39vVNc/s1600/Under+pressure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnj6qSLHGx9Cf-NA_ghjmnqQxgZRZQOuIl2opoeI8e9slFMN2lfrOkhEJLkrH7xnsOzF20_1_SSQsz6a4P-xXRx8vnFza0B-MxFHWy6w3EnnoCF1nHNZde1xIFLwxsS1pKBkDS7X39vVNc/s320/Under+pressure.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Brian May’s blog about his
bruising experience in the civil courts showcases one of a number of ways in
which access to justice is being eroded by recent and continuing changes to the
rules that govern our civil court procedure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Queen’s legendary lead guitarist,
and astrophysicist, recently fell victim to what he understandably describes as
the “absurd proportionality rule”. In short, he ended up with a recovery of
around 20% of his actual costs of a ‘successful’ action against a noisy
neighbour. He describes the detail of it at his blog, <i><a href="http://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbjul16.html#32" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">The scam of 'proportionate' legal costs</span></a> </i>and makes some heartfelt
observations that resonate loudly with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At some time in our lives many of
us will become involved in a civil court action. We’re not talking here about
criminal offences which are dealt with by magistrates and Crown Courts but
claims for money, compensation, injunctions, restitution etc handled by our
County and High courts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We’ve probably all done a spot of
DIY around the house and garden. Law is no different in that you’re entitled to
run your own case – as a <i>litigant in
person</i> – and many more people are being forced to do so at present. But as
with anything else you’re more likely to get the best results if you hire an
expert, somebody who litigates for a living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you do engage a lawyer, you’ll
need to pay them for their services and litigation can be expensive. What makes
for a happy ending is being able to recover your legal costs, or the majority
of them, from your opponent. <i>Loser pays</i>
is a basic rule that has been a cornerstone of civil justice in this country
for hundreds of years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of course that has to be subject
to controls. It can’t be an open cheque book for those who can afford it to spend
lavish amounts on the priciest solicitors and barristers they can find and use
that enhanced threat to their advantage in the litigation. Courts use a process
of <i>assessment</i> to ensure if necessary
that the costs a winning party may recover at the end of the litigation are
reasonable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Reasonable” isn’t defined on a
whim. Costs judges have to exercise discretion and decide what they think is
right in all the circumstances of the case but they must do so in accordance
with established principles drawn from earlier cases. They’ll hear argument
from both sides – those paying and those receiving – before deciding all the
items in issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So far so good. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Good enough, many
would say. If for example your legal spend is many times the sum you eventually
recover or reasonably thought you would recover, then it’ll take some
explaining to persuade a costs judge that your bill is reasonable, surely?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, in 1998 along came
Lord Harry Woolf with what was to be the first of many shake-ups of the rules
and introduced the new concept of <i>proportionality</i>
in response to these concerns. The Lord Chief Justice himself presided over a
Court of Appeal that delivered a landmark judgment in 2003. It was in the case
of <i><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2861264/Lownds.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Lownds v The Home Office</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The facts of the case are
unimportant in this context. The focus of the judgment was on the successful
claimant’s costs which ultimately added up to more than five times the value of
the compensation that the defendant was ordered to pay. The court set out the
approach to be taken in applying the new rules on proportionality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In short there was to be a global
assessment first. Did the amount claimed appear disproportionate having regard
to various features of the case including notably the amount that the claimant
had pursued and/or won? If so, the court must then look at the winner’s bill
item by item applying a stricter test than normal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To be allowed, each element of
the costs claimed would have to be shown to be both reasonable <i>and necessary.</i> It was a game-changer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I was involved in a lot of costs
litigation last decade, some of it high profile, and largely in the context of personal
injury cases funded by conditional fee agreements. For those of us in that
arena the most important passage in the <i>Lownds</i>
judgment was at paragraph 39:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">“In deciding what is necessary the conduct of the other party is
highly relevant. The other party by co−operation can reduce costs, by being
uncooperative he can increase costs. If he is uncooperative that may render
necessary costs which would otherwise be unnecessary and that he should pay the
costs for the expense which he has made necessary is perfectly acceptable. </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">Access to justice would be impeded if lawyers felt they could not
afford to do what is necessary to conduct the litigation.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This was absolutely crucial, as
anyone who has ever been involved in litigation against an opponent with deep
pockets understands. Without that safeguard a party to litigation who can
afford to lose is able to fight a war of attrition against a party that can’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Or as Brian May puts it<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">,<b> </b></span><o:p></o:p>“It’s likely to make it almost impossible for the man in the street to fight back for justice against the bullies who trample all over him.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="background: white; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Liability insurers are particularly
prone to what I heard described in the Court of Appeal in 2003 as ‘behavioural
issues’. As a matter of policy and business ethos, they make life difficult,
not just for the claimant in one particular case but to deter others whose
lawyers will know that the same risks face them and their clients if they dig
in and fight for a fair result in the face of daft offers and spurious
arguments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All’s well that ends well if the
claimant lawyer’s assessment is right and ultimately the loser is made to pay
for “that which he has made necessary”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But in 2013, the man seen by many
as the nemesis of our civil justice system, Lord Justice Rupert Jackson, was to
turn it upside down. The rule change introduced in April that year reversed the
process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now the costs judge on a
contested assessment is required to assess the reasonableness of the items
claimed and <i>then</i> consider
proportionality. If it looks too much in the circumstances, then the court has
to cut the total allowed to a figure that looks and feels right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, everyone may spend days in
some cases debating and arguing to reach a figure that is reasonable having
regard to all the features of the case, including the losing party’s behaviour,
and then slash it because – well – it still looks too much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s a licence to insurers and
other faceless corporates to print money to fill a war chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In an article I wrote for the
Solicitors Journal in 2012 I examined how this would destroy <i><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2861264/Equality%20of%20Arms%20-%20SJ%20-%20July%2010th.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Equality of arms</span></a></i> – such an important
principle of our – any – justice system. It generally takes around three years
for the impact of such changes to be seen in the bigger cases that may then
reach the spotlights of the superior courts so we’re starting to see the
evidence of how momentous and potentially unfair this rule change will prove to
be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It means that the risk of a
Pyrrhic victory in any successful case rises sharply especially against a corporate
opponent where individuals are rarely held responsible for the sort of arrogant
and lawless behaviour one Lord Justice described as ‘an insouciance to their
obligations….that leaves one quite breathless” in the case of <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/b-reath-t-aking-e-xhibition.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: orange;">Brown-Quinn and others v Equity Syndicate Management</span></i><o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Disturbingly this is just one
more ingredient in a poisonous concoction that is killing off our justice
system. The growing imposition of fixed costs regimes is severely restricting the
amounts that deserving litigants may recover from a wrongdoer against whom they
have no other (legitimate) recourse. Mediation simply isn't an answer - you can't <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/speak-softly.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Speak softly</span></a></i> without carrying a big stick.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Still, the greedy insurance companies bay
for an increase in the limit below which virtually no costs are recovered by
the innocent victims to <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/five-grand.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Five grand</span></a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In consequence, numbers of claims
are falling. We’re not talking about fraudulent or frivolous actions but justifiable
claims that people can’t afford to run even if they rightly assume that they’ll
win. Lawyers who would effectively fund deserving claims with decent prospects
can’t afford to do so, because even if they win, they’ll lose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As litigation shrinks, so does
the system. Courts close, law firms go bust, able people get out. The
government speeds the process by hiking the fees, closing provincial courts,
starving the ones left of resources. It’s the <span style="color: orange;"><i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/road-to-ruin.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Road to Ruin</span></a>.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The trouble is that for most
people these are just the cries of self-interested lawyers – ‘fat cats’
starting to feel hungry. Actually, there are many of us who are motivated by
pride in something that we made our vocation and the desire to champion weaker
members of our society. Soon, though, there will be <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/no-more-heroes.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">No more heroes</span></a>.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Justice is an entitlement of
everyone in our society. It’s the state’s duty to provide it and make it
accessible when it is needed. Right now, it’s under immense pressure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-65918503553264825952016-05-16T21:19:00.002+01:002016-05-16T21:21:12.878+01:00Dead...end <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I was astonished to read yesterday
that the DPP has felt it necessary to ‘issue a reminder’ to chief constables of
police that dead people cannot be prosecuted. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Seriously, it's true. See, for example, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/may/13/cps-reminds-police-that-dead-cannot-be-prosecuted-over-past-child-abuse" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Saturday’s report in The Guardian</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Apparently, Inspector Hugh Tree
and Chief Superintendent Dawn Raid have lost perspective in the wake of the
Savile enquiry and similar investigations – many, I hasten to add, leading to
entirely justified and necessary prosecutions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For one thing it is right that
the grotesque conduct of people like Rolf Harris, Gary Glitter and others
should be directly punished, even after the passage of time. Better late than
never, one might say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Also vitally important is the
deterrent effect. It would be quite wrong to send out the message to the
perverts that if they run long enough, the law will give up and they will get
away scot-free. That mustn’t happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But dead perps are a different
kettle of fish. Any fool can see that. Whilst there might still be some benefit
in terms of the deterrent effect, I doubt it will add much and there certainly
won’t be any direct penal consequences. The faint hope that there might have
been some accomplices who are still alive and can be caught is pushing it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Reportedly this intervention by
the DPP was prompted by the news that Wiltshire Police are continuing enquiries
into the activities of the late former Prime Minister, Edward Heath. Already
some £370,000 of taxpayers’ money has been spent on this investigation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So why is the DPP a lone voice
here? Where is Mr Gove, the Prime Minister or even that nemesis of wasteful
causes, Lord Faulks? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If litigation is an <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/optional-activity.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">“optional activity”</span></a>, if
claims for minor injury (genuine ones by innocent, living people) are <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/make-lie-big.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">“unnecessary”</span></a>,
then why not arrest the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of pounds of
public money building a case to prosecute a corpse? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We could use the money and police
time saved to catch some live villains who are otherwise much more likely to
commit further crimes.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-10175252689738363322016-05-11T10:56:00.000+01:002016-05-11T11:00:23.801+01:00Make the lie big...<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Last week 'justice' minister Lord Faulks beamed down
again from his remote planet and landed in the midst of the annual personal
injury lawyers’ (APIL) conference with more on the latest pestilence for
innocent victims.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Faulks has something of a
penchant for the political burlesque having been the man who last year
described litigation as an <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/optional-activity.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Optional activity</span></a> </i>whilst he pushed 660% increases in court fees through the House of
Lords. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our ermine-clad hero is now championing the biggest
kick in the groin for (already) injured people that we’ll have ever seen if it
becomes law. This is the twin proposal from the delightful George
Osborne to abolish compensation for whiplash injuries and raise the small
claims limit to £5,000.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Faulks needs to beam up again and
stay there because this is more of the callous behaviour that ultimately even
IDS could stomach no more. It’s a shocking proposal. They are now talking about
‘unnecessary’ claims. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As <a href="http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/analysis/comment-and-opinion/unnecessary-is-the-new-black-in-pi-claims/5055161.article" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">John Hyde commented</span></a> last week, “Once damages
for any injury are deemed to be unnecessary, something fundamental has changed.
Simply targeting fraud clearly wasn’t profitable enough for the insurance lobby
– now they’re coming after the genuinely injured too.</span>”<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Whiplash has been in insurers’
sights for a long time. They like to tell the world that it’s some sort of
fabrication, that’s it’s all in the mind or just plain fraud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It isn’t. Whiplash is real. It’s
debilitating. It’s horrible for those who have suffered it. I wrote about one
of the more extreme cases I dealt with in <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/whiplash-backlash.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Whiplash backlash</span></a>.</i> That guy was absolutely genuine and deserved substantial compensation for the dreadful effects of his
injuries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The government wants not only to
sweep away whiplash claims but also to prevent injured people from effectively
pursuing claims for compensation in respect of other injuries where the value
is less than £5,000. This would remove the majority in number of accident
claims from the normal costs rules in the county court. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The result is in most cases to
make it unworkable for accident victims to instruct lawyers and leave them to
battle experienced and skilled insurance company claims managers and their
lawyers unassisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This has been on the agenda for a
long time. It doesn’t become any more attractive, as time passes, for those
people to whom <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/five-grand.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Five grand</span></a></i> is a
substantial sum of money. That doesn’t include Faulks, Osborne, Cameron or any
of the leading figures in the rapacious world of liability insurance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But why? How can a government do
this? Surely even as desperate and unscrupulous a bunch as we have at the helm
presently needs some apparent justification for what are undeniably harsh steps
where injured people are concerned and compensation claims are far from
‘unnecessary’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s all down to the data fed to
the government by the insurance industry. Some of it was openly discussed in
the deeply shameful (and very under-publicised) performance of a few of the top
boys in a parliamentary sub-committee grilling just under three years ago – read
<a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/hey-diddle-diddle.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: orange;">Hey diddle diddle..</span></i></a><i> </i>for the ugly detail<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The insurance industry has
consistently alarmed us with reports that 7% or more of claims are fraudulent
(see <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/hey-diddle-diddle.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Hey diddle diddle</span></a></i> again). Some
may say that’s too high yet still not horrifying but the statistic is false in
any event. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Association of British Insurers’ own data demonstrates that as
little as 0.25% of injury claims are proved to be fraudulent. See <a href="http://www.solicitorsjournal.com/news/personal-injury/road-traffic/26182/insurance-industry-%E2%80%98smokescreen%E2%80%99-will-impact-injured-motoris" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;"><i>Insurance industry ‘smokescreen’ will impact on injured motorists</i></span></a><i> – </i>Solicitors Journal 18 April<b>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As the incoming President of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers,
Neil Sugarman, has said, “Vulnerable people are being targeted in a game of
numbers”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s not much of a game either because one side plays by the rules and
the other doesn’t. Claimant solicitors observe professional ethics and codes of
conduct. Insurance companies? Well, how about...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16611668" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25p1L53Sx2OVJgV_6HGnPol96-393uFrOg9omhMwUFGbNnYbE4EllktGx6p9fniAn608XLNvuDMEiyQFbc5GqDd0xI01wbjHtTw2U8mRUppkvPPfVfaVNFbmdqUzPgbhyTAy4VMfnFJ5j/s200/Direct+Line+etc.JPG" width="143" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How bad does it get? Tampering with the evidence of complaints before submitting to the
regulator investigating them. It’s amoral and corrupt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Direct Lying and the Bull***t Hound were fined just over £2 million for
this appalling behaviour. That hardly grabbed a headline. A blip in the
accounts. No individual careers ruined. Imagine if that were a solicitor – one
of those “ambulance chasing fat cats”? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Look – this is all very well, you may say, but if there is fraud costing
the country billions of pounds then something has to be done. That’s what
insurers are saying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But here’s the deal (raw). Whiplash claims – including the painful,
debilitating, costly and perfectly genuine ones – will go. On insurers own stats,
those genuine claims will be the overwhelming majority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Claims worth less than a mere (!) £5,000 - including the painful,
debilitating, costly and perfectly genuine ones – will lose the assistance of
lawyers. On insurers own stats, those genuine claims will be the overwhelming majority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On any analysis this is throwing the baby out with the bath water. Worse
than that, it is founded on grossly exaggerated claims by the insurance
industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">9%? Or was that 0.25%? Hmmm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Remember that entire nations make very bad democratic decisions from time
to time. 80 odd years ago, Germany put its trust in a man who said <i><span style="color: orange;">"Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it".</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: orange;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-58818408464353661642016-03-30T20:52:00.000+01:002016-05-10T01:06:25.914+01:00Sold out<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today I asked one of my team to
make a call to the Land Registry to find out how much longer it will be before
our application to register the transfer of part of a plot of land will be processed.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The transaction was completed at
the end of last year and the application for registration lodged in January. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The response was disturbing – on two levels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First, we were informed that
there is currently a backlog of six months – yes, half a year. Imagine what
goes on (or can’t) in the property market over that period of time, even in
dull times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This was followed by the
illustrative report that the call-handler is currently dealing with
applications lodged in July 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, actually that’s 8 months, not
6, and you’re so disillusioned perhaps that you’ve lost track of time…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On any analysis this is lamentable.
I thought our local courts were a scandal, taking as they are 5-6 weeks to draw
an order (even when we have drafted and e-filed it). They are – but this is
just surreal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One couldn’t contemplate for one
moment of course that this is the product of some filthy trick by a government
committed to selling off the Land Registry that has until recently been so
efficient and would net them a chunk of cash to aid the hopeless task of
balancing the books..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">One way or the other, it’s an
ugly state of affairs.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o3ZHLKGUUkAxFb5PUTXYI8oJLSHgz6ZSJ10fEePbgtO7F6F7jUK0apdxOHhi6RiHbohOO-J3cYktYqJsGCbV021Y1axFshYCgDHNQOrkc6P9CS86b3FPBYL4hnSsJ4c8ioLzGf1ZVE1l/s1600/Sold+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o3ZHLKGUUkAxFb5PUTXYI8oJLSHgz6ZSJ10fEePbgtO7F6F7jUK0apdxOHhi6RiHbohOO-J3cYktYqJsGCbV021Y1axFshYCgDHNQOrkc6P9CS86b3FPBYL4hnSsJ4c8ioLzGf1ZVE1l/s320/Sold+out.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<o:p></o:p>legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-4627159455676802342016-02-05T13:07:00.004+00:002016-02-09T19:43:15.248+00:00The bitterest pill<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I see that
another debate has kicked off about how to make savings in the NHS, efficiency
expert Lord Carter concluding that up to £5 billion could be found. I don’t
know the merits of that and the true potential.
In principle it’s a perfectly valid discussion to have – as long as one
keeps an open mind to the possibility that it’s further investment, not cuts,
that we need.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It won’t be long before the old cracked record comes out of its
sleeve and we are being told that the biggest drain on the NHS is the army of
“ambulance chasers” and “fat cats”. That will be lawyers acting for victims of
clinical negligence.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In this country
we have, and have had for hundreds of years, laws that require (put in very
simple terms) people who act carelessly to compensate other people who are
injured and suffer loss as a result. We all fall into error during the course
of our daily life, often without any dire consequence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sometimes, though, it happens whilst we are
driving a vehicle, operating machinery or performing some other skilled
task. Acts of Parliament and other
subordinate legislation define and refine the standards that must be met as
well as prescribing in many instances insurance to meet awards of compensation
– and dare I say it, victims’ costs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All this doesn’t
exist just because somebody thinks it a fine idea for the sake of it. It is not there to create an industry – to
feed “fat cat” lawyers. It exists, as should all our laws, for moral and humane
reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One is that we are
(or were) a caring society that helps those who have been the unfortunate
victims of somebody else’s error, rather than simply shaking our heads, pursing
our lips and leaving them to get on with it.
Just as - if not more - important is the deterrent effect, to put it in
blunt terms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Positive aspects
of every misfortune are that it is a reminder of the risk and potential
consequences – a prompt to be more careful next time. We don’t rely on the wrong-doer’s
conscience alone, though in many cases that will be the most powerful control of
future behaviour. Awards of compensation
not only help the victim but also hit institutional culprits where it hurts,
where it will make them think again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even if they
have insurance, there will be an effect because those underwriting the cost
will by various means require better standards of behaviour in future as well
as upping the price of what they provide. Of course insurers, particularly
those in the road traffic market, don’t see better behaviour as the only way
forward. They will fight by any means to
avoid paying compensation – which achieves neither of our society’s aims (above).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Often, and quite
rightly, they lose and have to pay more.
Then they whinge and want the law changed. They are about to have some startling success
with their friends in the current government - but that is another macabre tale…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, back on the
ward, how do we save money? Well, I have
two suggestions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Before I tell
you, here is a clue to what they might be.
Ask yourself why in any particular case, the NHS should have to pay
compensation to somebody who claims they have been the victim of clinical
negligence and costs to their lawyers. Is it as simple as somebody coming out
of the hospital, accusing the medical professionals of carelessness and
demanding huge sums of money? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you are
struggling with that last question, let me help you also with the information
that the laws are applied by courts staffed by judges who are generally quite clever
and more to the point independent and objective people. Contrary to what liability insurers might
suggest to you, they are able and willing to sift out weak and dishonest claims
- if they get that far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Guess what
happens to the people running those cases?
One thing above all – they don’t get any money, nor do their lawyers – assuming,
as is almost always the case, that they are acting on conditional fee
terms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Turn that around
and you will understand, if you didn’t already, that money only spills out of
the public purse when a judge decides that it should by law or those defending
the claim see that as the likely end result and sensibly get to work on some
damage limitation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So the first
solution is prevention – try harder not to cock up in the first place. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am no more
certain of the recipe for that than all the clever people who have allegedly
worked on the problem before but I imagine it looks something like better
training, improved hours, better pay in some cases, improved performance
management etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh dear! That’s going to cost money isn’t it? Light bulb moment…that investment may
ultimately save money that we are currently having to pay for messing up. <span style="line-height: 150%;">Oh, and there
is another minor benefit of that scenario – fewer people die or have their lives
ruined along the way.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Looks good to
me. It won’t be foolproof, of course,
because nothing and nobody is perfect. But even after the event, we can make things better than they are at the moment.
How? Easy… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What you do is
inspire, failing that order, those handling claims on behalf the NHS to act
sensibly, to promptly admit fault where they should and agree reasonable sums
of compensation. The most disarming
response in most situations where a person is angry at another for what has happened
to them is for the wrong-doer to stick their hands up and say “sorry”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That is not all
of it, because people still need to be compensated according to the moral
standards that we maintain in our society – but it is a damn good start!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The National
Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA) is famed for not doing this. Just recently we have seen a reported case
where the NHS has been penalised for refusing to sit down and talk, to
participate in mediation.<a href="file:///C:/Users/michaelw/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/4YVLGH9S/Bitter%20Pill%20-%2005%2002%2016%20(3).docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That's a
damning indictment of itself but here is the sickly icing on the rotten cake –
the judge (quite correctly) hit them with an enhanced costs order so they have
had to pay even more to the innocent victim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is just
dumb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the government is
after a placebo, not a cure. In clinical
negligence claims, the current thinking is to fix and cap costs of lawyers
acting for the victims.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Surely that is a good thing?”
you may be asking yourselves. That is going
to cut down the costs paid in successful cases (i.e. where the claimant
deserves it) because there must be (yes there are) some unscrupulous people
including lawyers intent on milking the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But we already have a system of
costs assessment – always have had - which means that, just like the claim itself,
if the defendants think they are being taken for a ride then they force the
argument before a judge who will limit the payment of costs to what is
reasonable and if appropriate award the defendants their costs of bringing the
argument to the court. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It has already become much more
restrictive than it used to be. For
eleven years, we had a very clear statement of principle handed down by the Court
of Appeal in 2002<a href="file:///C:/Users/michaelw/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/4YVLGH9S/Bitter%20Pill%20-%2005%2002%2016%20(3).docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
about the need for costs to be proportionate but carving out an exception where
obstructive behaviour by defendants generated what would otherwise have been
unnecessary additional costs. In other
words, if defendants mucked around and kicked up a fuss rather than focusing on
resolution of the claim, they could expect to be ordered to pay for all the extra
time and money wasted as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even that has gone now. New rules on proportionality basically say
that the court can scrutinise all the elements of the claim for costs, decide
on a sum that is reasonable and then slash it in half or more simply because it
is out of proportion to the value of the claim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So why bring the claim if it is
going to cost, say, twice or three times the value to pursue it? Assume that it
is a perfectly good claim but those costs are generated because the defendants
simply won’t face reality and get it resolved at an early stage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You may say that the sensible
thing for the claimant to do is to give up, perhaps even before they have
started. That is of course exactly what
the insurance industry and major institutional defendants like the NHS want to
happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We are set to go a stage further
now with a scheme of <i>fixed costs</i>. “Fixed” doesn’t necessarily mean
“unreasonably low”, of course but I will wager that is where we get to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many lawyers will remember the
initial levels of costs within the <i>portals</i>
for dealing with low value road traffic claims, negotiated by agreement between
the two sides of the industry and felt to be fair to both sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Subsequently the insurance
industry pumped up the level of referral fees that they were trousering for
handing some lawyers cases to run against them, then said that most of the
fixed costs went on referral fees, rushed round for an exclusive clandestine
huddle with Mr Cameron and chums in Downing Street and had the figures slashed
by more than half.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Such is the way, generally, that
the law is now being manipulated in this country. Whether it is to the financial benefit of,
initially, insurers or the government the response to the cost of misfortune of
innocent victims and mismanagement of claims is to try and deny them justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Such is the culture within the
NHSLA at present. We don’t care if we
ruined your life and/or the lives of your family and friends and we don’t much
care if it happens again. We are not
paying you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If the only way to ensure that is to
kneecap the lawyers who will otherwise force us to pay for our mistakes, then
that is what the government will do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Silence the critics, so we don’t
have to answer to them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br clear="all" />
</span><br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/michaelw/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/4YVLGH9S/Bitter%20Pill%20-%2005%2002%2016%20(3).docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <i>Reid v Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust</i>
- 14 December 2015<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/michaelw/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/4YVLGH9S/Bitter%20Pill%20-%2005%2002%2016%20(3).docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <i>Lownds v The Home Office</i></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-57243094845429049592016-01-12T21:35:00.002+00:002016-01-12T21:44:30.156+00:00Parabis lost<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Details have now been published of the wreckage
following collapse of the Parabis empire last autumn.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The administrators appointed in November filed their
report during the interval between Christmas and New Year. All 142 pages are available to download from <a href="https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04411786/filing-history"><span style="color: orange;">Companies
House</span></a> or you can opt for the succinct <a href="http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/practice/parabis-unsecured-creditors-set-to-lose-46m-as-scale-of-collapse-laid-bare/5052858.article?utm_source=dispatch&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GAZ06012016"><span style="color: orange;">summary
from John Hyde</span></a> in the <i>Law Society
Gazette</i> of 6 January 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With more than 2,500 unsecured creditors set to lose
in aggregate around £46 million this is notable as the highest profile failure
so far of one of the relatively new <i>alternative
business structures</i> within the legal industry. The ABS was the legal regulatory
vehicle enabled by the Courts and Legal Services Act 2007 after the report of former
deputy governor of the Bank of England, Sir David Clementi, had concluded that
the legal services market would benefit from permitting non-lawyers to
participate in the ownership of law firms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One key thread of his brief was to find a framework
that would <i>“</i><i>best promote competition, innovation and the public and
consumer interest in an efficient, effective and independent legal sector”.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hold that
thought..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the best tradition, these new reforms would not
actually be implemented for another five years.
It was Spring 2012 before the Solicitors Regulation Authority finally
unveiled the identity of the first three successful applicants for an ABS
licence. One of those was our old
multi-talented chum, the Co-op.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Parabis was one of the first such structures to obtain
private equity investment and the Duke Street equity house is listed as having £43
million or so still invested at the time of the administration. At the end of
the day, they and other secured creditors will share a shortfall of around £41
million.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The list of unsecured creditors within the
administrator’s report rivals the closing credits of <i>Return of The King</i>. It’s not
just intergroup debts, large rate bills outstanding to city councils and unpaid
medical reporting agencies that make up the big numbers here. I can’t say I’ll
weep for many of those responsible for the likes of <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/abominable-dr-botox.html"><span style="color: orange;">The abominable
Dr Botox</span></a> </i>or <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/fun-boy-three.html"><span style="color: orange;">Fun boy three</span></a><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Herds of m’learned friends are left whistling, some of
them for hefty five figure sums. The
seasonable celebrations in the clerks’ rooms of a handful of London chambers
must have been particularly muted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyone remember old style law firms crashing and burning
on this scale? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, so what?
I’m not in that list and hopefully you’re not either. What does it matter?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It matters because of the damage done to the rest of
the legal profession (yes, <i>profession</i>),
the perception of the industry and the fabric of the law itself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">People motivated by profit alone pump-up these
leviathans with the aim of winning the market and part of that strategy is to
take business away from the established players – even better, put them out of
the game. The cost of that –
“efficiencies” as insurers love to call it – are part of the opening war of
attrition and the consequent damage to the rest of the infrastructure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The punters look on with no respect for these cheap turns,
interested only in paying as little as possible (they think), if they must pay
anything, and shifting responsibility for a shoddy job (which they won’t
recognize, anyway) onto somebody – anybody – else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And when they crash there are plenty of cheers for
what they think is the pain inflicted on ‘fat cat’ lawyers – ‘ambulances chasers’
that they were happy to get into bed with in the heat of the moment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well they’re right…and they’re wrong. “Tarred with the
same brush” may be an over-worked phrase but it’s hard to find something more
apt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The point is that every time these fast-buck merchants
hit the headlines with something like this they damage the perception of those
who actually care about the law and how it serves the individual. People who
will ultimately put reputation and pride in what they do ahead of profit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many of those people are disappearing from the
profession. I don’t say it was difficult to foresee but I wrote of this long
ago in <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/no-more-heroes.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">No more heroes</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Whilst the people who know slip quietly away to escape the
frustration and often loneliness of practising in an increasingly chaotic world
shaped only by the venality of insurers, the law withers and dies from misuse.
It’s going to be that rusty old machinery in the corner of the shed that I
described in <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/road-to-ruin.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Road to Ruin</span></a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I see in the reports the observations that Parabis entered into joint ventures with some major
insurance companies but “enjoyed little leverage”. No shit?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Having moved
into the insurance market, the group was then hit by two large insurers moving
significant volumes of work elsewhere, leading to the departure of key
fee-earners and reduced funds to cover the costs of maintaining the
infrastructure of the business.”</span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As one commentator on John Hyde’s report observed, if
you’re going to sup with the Devil then you need a long spoon. I’d rather not
even sit at the table.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaASYrviDaEGjCNpGXEpRapM16gLvFcJuKqH7HDPCGVJNFca0bLgh67-l_ZXYswALmOJw4SSeEOGHW3fARyhhMFD7uSH_2_D5gAPAV7DNHhxGclxAvHAk14w1C8r4KDdb5vwLv24mTK35c/s1600/Faustus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaASYrviDaEGjCNpGXEpRapM16gLvFcJuKqH7HDPCGVJNFca0bLgh67-l_ZXYswALmOJw4SSeEOGHW3fARyhhMFD7uSH_2_D5gAPAV7DNHhxGclxAvHAk14w1C8r4KDdb5vwLv24mTK35c/s320/Faustus.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-77275380302521388832015-12-18T17:53:00.001+00:002015-12-18T17:55:24.028+00:00Justice delayed..<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s mad Friday
and there is plenty to do, particularly with all that additional networking to
fit in on top of keeping the production lines rolling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The ever
increasing “efficiencies” at the many court offices we deal with are a big help
too...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The latest gem
to pass across my desk this morning was the letter from the Salford Centre of Excellence
which encloses one of those ugly forms from <i>Registry
Trust Limited</i> warning that until we supply the missing information about
one of the defendants we shan’t be able to enforce the judgment that we have
apparently managed to enter in default on behalf of our client.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It seems that <i>Registry
Trust</i> has not received (from the court office) the complete address of the
second of two husband and wife defendants so we have had to wait whilst this
goes backwards and forwards and is then dumped on us. Our reply today will
enclose a copy of the claim form that we filed at the time of issue with the
“missing” house number and street name highlighted in two places on the second
defendant’s copy. We wait now until after Christmas before we can take any
further steps to enforce judgment that we requested a fortnight ago. Great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That isn’t even
a remarkable case. But there is more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am reading the
report of yet another call from one of the costs muppets - as my old friend
(now retired) Martin Cockx used to call them - demanding a response to a daft
opening offer on a bill of costs in relation to a claim that settled without
proceedings but where we had to issue to obtain payment of the agreed damages. We've said repeatedly that we need to know what's happening at the court...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We kicked off
this case at the beginning of October.
An acknowledgment of service was filed by the defendants suggesting that
it wasn’t appropriate for the simplified Part 8 procedure. By 29 October we had both written to the
court with our short views on the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The file was
referred to the judge. We hear it ‘came
back’ on 4 December. We are told that
the average time for dealing with it from here (i.e. producing the order in the
terms directed by the judge) is 31 days. That’s <i>thirty-one.</i> A month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s hope that
when that finally arrives, some time next year, it is accurate. Recently, we had a matter with a three hour
time estimate listed for ten minutes and then vacated upon objection from the parties. At the subsequent hearing the judge told me
that he had asked for it to be listed for a ten minute directions appointment
by telephone initially but that information seems to have been lost forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In another case,
a notice of hearing with, again, a ten minute estimate was queried and met with
explanation that the court staff had misread the judge’s notes and that it
should have been in for an hour, which was what our opponents had very sensibly
requested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, from
another local court, comes the report that our bankruptcy petition listed for
hearing a fortnight ago was adjourned, as we had asked following inability to
serve an evasive debtor. The court staff
have absolutely no idea, they say, why at the same time the court did nothing
with our application for an order for substituted service which was lodged
contemporaneously with the request to adjourn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have just had
an apology from the wonderful MCOL - the <i>original
and best -</i> for sending us notice of allocation, directions questionnaire
etc in a case where we unbundled, drafted the defence for our client and filed
it along with a notice of acting in person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Perhaps the
biggest waste of time this month so far has been what was a nevertheless very
entertaining, and for my trainee illuminating, trip to one of our local courts on the increasingly
rare occasion of a real hearing, with live people all together in the same
room!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For me it was (happily)
a first taste of <i>relief from sanctions</i>
as I ran what looked to be a fairly promising resistance to an application to
set aside a default judgment that we entered after an agreed extension of time
expired and, still, no defence to counterclaim had been filed. During a comical discussion between district judge, counsel for the applicant and myself it
became apparent that we all had slightly different versions of what one might
loosely term a “court file”, originating from Greater Manchester.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In a perfect
storm of confusion oop North we seem to have had a couple of days during which
there were two notices of transfer and a judgment by the court of its own
motion on an application from us which wasn’t an application at all but a
request for entry in default of defence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">None of this would
have arisen if on receipt of our (clearly-labelled) request for judgment in default
of defence to counterclaim the court office had recognized that the defence (to
the claim) that accompanied, in the same document, the counterclaim in respect
of which we were requesting judgment did not constitute a barrier to that
request.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Consequently,
the court office did not need to “return” our email that filed the request -
still less ask us, when the error was acknowledged, to send it again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But we reached
that point anyway and then had an entertaining debate about whether a judge in
Lancashire could make an order in a case where the file had already made its
way to Somerset and touched upon such factors as that we now have one unified (sic)
county court system across the country. Sadly,
the point was decided by reference to apparent relative timing of two actions,
one judicial and the other clerical, with the conclusion that a court officer
had stayed the case before, later that same day, a judge purported to enter
judgment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So the order was
set aside and we shall wait to see whether some thousands of pounds of costs
wasted on both sides will be paid by the court administrator (ha!) when we go
back to argue for the costs reserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is all very
interesting (at least I hope so) but in none of these cases are we delivering,
yet, a commercial solution. We’re
spending more time and more money, whether it is ours or the clients, to
achieve at best a badly delayed outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s no longer
possible in many circumstances to achieve what the law and even the mutilated
rules of procedure envisage should be achievable within timescales that should
be achievable, if at all. There aren’t enough people to do it, and those who
are there don’t know enough because those who did have (largely) gone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Justice delayed
is justice denied as William Gladstone (allegedly) once observed. This emanation of the State continues to
decline and fail through the neglect of government. It remains on the <a href="http://www.legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/road-to-ruin.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;"><i>Road to Ruin</i></span></a>.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFzcxn8ZiOQkAUg1eUCMR39AFKJe-kuk7WomK-V8YFfOkNAEarDeEIVhFHuiIvJpqPLStHMGHIZ7dhE9ULzzjaE01wZgKfM6eRNOvlUHhc72YWB6qABk5rNDTPLzeCFLaCtrNv9D3Y_gd/s1600/County+courts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFzcxn8ZiOQkAUg1eUCMR39AFKJe-kuk7WomK-V8YFfOkNAEarDeEIVhFHuiIvJpqPLStHMGHIZ7dhE9ULzzjaE01wZgKfM6eRNOvlUHhc72YWB6qABk5rNDTPLzeCFLaCtrNv9D3Y_gd/s320/County+courts.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-70988663279071083532015-09-11T16:31:00.000+01:002015-09-11T16:31:02.549+01:00Speak softly...<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We had better not count chickens
but it was heartening to see the report by Chloe Smith in the Law Society
Gazette yesterday about evidence presented to a House of Lords committee this
week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The headline assertion is that
fees for Employment Tribunal claims are taking away the incentive for employers
to engage in the <i>Early Conciliation</i> scheme
(EC) introduced last year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On the face of it, EC was a
cracking innovation. The essence of it
is a rule that sacked employees and others with complaints against their
(former) employer cannot begin Tribunal proceedings until they have attempted
mediation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ACAS has a responsibility for the
management of the scheme. I have
expressed doubts about the adequacy of resources and procedures there before. I have seen very little information on how
the scheme has worked in practice over the last 12 months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But the big thing with mediation,
from the outset, has been the difficulty of forcing participation. I first
wrote about this in <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/mediations-achilles-heel.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;"><i>Mediation's Achilles heel</i></span></a> and have made the point that in this scenario you can usually make the horse drink
but the question is whether you can get it to water?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The EC scheme is clever in its
simplicity. You can’t begin a claim
unless you have attempted mediation and have a code number to prove it, to be
displayed on your application to the Employment Tribunal if and when efforts
fail. We all know of course about the
short time limits in the Tribunal and further legislation provides that time
stands still for a short period whilst attempts are made to settle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The new scheme came in a year
after the introduction for the first time of fees for Tribunal claims. The
detail was examined in <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/government-has-now-unveiled-its.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Fire at will</span></a></i>
and the most relevant statistic is that it now costs an unfair dismissal
claimant a total of £1,200 in tribunal fees to pursue a claim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That’s somewhere close to the
average monthly wage and, to be clear, that’s for tribunal fees only – no
solicitors costs included in that figure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A lot of us said that this would
have a devastating impact on claims and effectively amount to a barrier to
justice. The figures have demonstrated
that, as reported in <i><a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/access-denied.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Access denied</span></a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The trade union, <i>Unison,</i> has made two attempts to
judicially review the fees regime and been unsuccessful but was encouraged by
comments by Court of Appeal judges last week - see <i><a href="http://www.mrw-law.co.uk/news/2015/09/04/judges-urge-thorough-review-of-employment-tribunal-charging-regime/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Judges urge review of tribunal fees</span></a></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now the House of Lords Committee
has been told of the effects in practice.
One specialist said that there is a clear shift towards employers just
saying “no, issue your claim and then we will talk”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In individual cases, employers
are far more inclined to take the risk that proceedings will be issued, knowing
that the majority of claimants have so much to lose, sums that they simply cannot
afford. Worse than that, according to one employment silk, the collective
effect of this is that employers are being more bullish across the board
because they feel less pressure to settle matters generally and have more
available budget for legal fees to fight!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At the end of the day it is quite
simply a system that does not work because it is so horrifically one-sided. We can expect the same to happen
in many civil claims in our county courts as a result of the eye-watering
increases in court fees rushed in by the former Lord Chancellor, Christopher
Grayling, just prior to the election.
See <a href="http://legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/road-to-ruin.html" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: orange;">Road to ruin</span></i>.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I explained there why mediation
is not the silver bullet. It is
consensual. It won’t work where one side
holds all or most of the cards and simply wants to win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let’s have a quick look again at how that works in practice. I’ll play the bad guy, hell bent on winning at all costs... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Decent person – “this court business is all too expensive for me but fortunately there is a practical alternative to help us reach an agreement that you should pay me at least some of the money I think I am entitled to. Let’s go and mediate.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me – Go boil your head.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Decent person – Oh please! I can’t afford to go to court. Can’t we mediate? Everybody says it’s <u>such</u> a good thing.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me – “have a nice day – loser”.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="color: orange; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(Sound of door slamming followed by tears)</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is the weakness of mediation
– of which, don’t get me wrong, I am an advocate – because you can’t, save by
some fundamental changes to the principles of our justice system, force it upon
people. Some would say that it is akin to
trying to negotiate with a terrorist. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Former US president Theodore Roosevelt is famous for the maxim, “<i>speak softly and carry
a big stick”</i>. There are no two ways about it –
that is the reality of litigation. I am
all for speaking softly, nicely, collaboratively - and trying to engineer a
solution which is good for everybody involved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But rarely can it be done without
the threat of something more unpleasant if the opposition won’t play ball. It needs a big stick. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The trouble is – as this
government will now find on the road to Damascus – that all the big sticks
are on one side of the table, because nobody on the other side of the table can
afford one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3386329872076514214.post-7003631030750510602015-08-26T21:32:00.000+01:002015-08-27T17:40:28.436+01:00The waste land<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another postal delivery and
another familiar brown envelope. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No, we’re not talking about the
sort of package reminiscent of <i>Hamilton v
Al Fayed</i> but the distinctive – if that can be the right word – presentation
from the <i>Compensation Recovery Unit</i> (CRU)
of the <i>Department for Work and Pensions</i>
(DWP) in Tyne and Wear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These visibly austere wrappers
are complemented by the quality of the confetti inside them. Who remembers <i>Jeyes</i> and <i>Izal </i>??<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nothing wrong with that,
especially at a location where we’ll scan it on arrival and shred the
original. The country’s still broke, so
any reasonable economy is welcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s a pity that some cretin is
wasting the postage and the meagre effort to send it here when, along with a
couple of others earlier this week and many more in weeks past, they have
nothing to do with us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since the beginning of June 2015,
for reasons which are beyond me, this government department has been
supplementing the communications that properly relate to cases being handled by
my firm with a much larger number of notifications concerning people we’ve
never heard of. They started by sending
us fourteen in one post (all in separate envelopes of course) during the first
week of June. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Inspection revealed that these
were originally addressed to a firm of the same name in Christchurch,
Dorset. That’s about 54 miles from here
so close enough for us to know something about the place, far enough away to
obviate any confusion – or so you’d think. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Maybe we haven’t wasted enough of
our time looking but we can’t find any trace of a solicitor of this name in
Christchurch, past or present. There are
two separate firms in the North-East but the only outfit with a remotely
similar name in Christchurch apparently doesn’t deal with personal injury. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course, we’ve told the
CRU. We sent them back the first
fourteen letters, so it would be a visible problem. Has that achieved anything? No. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Somebody keeps pressing the
button. It’s curious, is it not, that
our references are always quoted as either “not provided” or the name of the
client we don’t act for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of our local courts has
recently come up with a variation on this type of puzzle. A couple of weeks ago we received a <i>Notice of adjourned hearing</i> that didn’t
identify either of the parties at all.
The document just has a big blank space top left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And of course the one piece of
unique information, being the case number, was in an altered format unrecognised
by our case-management systems. Fortunately
it didn’t take too long to guess at possibilities and check document folders
for a close match. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We still don’t know what prompted
that particular notice of adjournment for more than two months (though we can
guess at the part that may have been played by the opposition) because we can’t
get any answer from the court. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the Cornwall courts has
also made a decent bid for some kind of prize this month. This is similar stuff we’ve experienced in
Devon in the past but it gets better...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At the end of May we were
notified by the CCMCC in Salford that one of our actions was being transferred because of
an application by one of three defendants to set aside judgment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Knowing how long these things
take in the best of circumstances, we left it for two or three weeks before then
starting to chase. The terminally grumpy
letter went in the third week of July. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What we then exposed was the making
of an order, in the first week of July, setting aside one of the
judgments. There had been no hearing and
the order hadn’t been sent to us in the space of more than two weeks. There’s not much hope that we get onto
sophisticated stuff like notices of the right to apply to vary or set aside,
and a copy of the application which nobody had sent to us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So this comes to the surface
along with another order, essentially repeating the set aside of the same
judgment, but with the appropriate statements (CPR 23.9) that because the order
has been made without a hearing we can apply to set it aside. That's accompanied (why?) by the order made a
fortnight earlier that ostensibly already set aside the judgment but which is
obviously defective and ineffective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Neither</i> has with it a copy of the application which prompted the
making of the order. We have to chase
for that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">During the course of the week
that follows, a copy of that application is faxed to us. We’re right up to the time limit for filing
the application to set aside within seven days so as a precaution we send by
email, and ask for the fee to be debited to our account with the MOJ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here’s where we run into the problem that the
Rules still haven’t caught up with electronic payments so that we can’t file
such an application because it’s one that attracts a fee – even though it’s no
longer one that requires a cheque. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway, we fax it. When we telephone the court to check that the
application has been received and processed, we’re told that anything sent by
fax won’t have been received. The court
representative insisted that we couldn’t have sent anything by fax because the
machine has been turned off and not used for four years! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Confronted with the report that
we received a fax <i>from them</i> – on the
same number - the week before <i>and also</i>
that we’d received a delivery confirmation in response to our transmission, our
contact seemed…..well, confused. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nearly four weeks later we’re
still awaiting notification of the date to challenge an order made without
notice or consultation on an application that was apparently filed in Salford
nearly three months ago. This is just
great for the commercial client who wanted to move swiftly on recovery of an
unpaid and historically undisputed five figure debt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On a lighter, almost surreal,
note we come finally, for now, to this month’s bid from Lambeth – always a good
contender.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In one fairly recent example, we
telephoned this citadel of justice to chase issue of some proceedings to be told there was no trace of
them, even two or three weeks after they’d been posted, and that it was
currently taking somewhere in the region of sixty (yes, 60) days to issue. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There was a lot of nervous and bewildered
laughter this end when a notice of issue arrived in the post less than twenty-four
hours later clearly evidencing the fact that the case had been “in the system”
all the time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Standing back for a moment, this
is the administrative world that we have to grapple with day in, day out. We’re still trying to deliver something that
resembles an efficient litigation service despite incompetence and delay from
almost every direction in which we turn.
Daily, we’re trying to manage our own frustration and that of our
clients.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, Mr Gove seems set to
continue Count Grayling’s job of sucking the life blood out of our court
service. Apparently, we are going to
close another 91 courts across the country and save what will, frankly, be
peanuts within the overall scheme of things.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s clear that they can’t cope
now so how can we possibly take away yet more resources. At the same time, the
Lord Chancellor has the nerve to suggest that we’re going to have yet more
increases in court fees, doubling that grotesque £10,000 figure to
£20,000. (See <i><a href="http://www.legalchap.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/road-to-ruin.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">Road to ruin</span></a></i> and linked posts)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For what? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How about recognizing that
actually we need more and better resource, more people, more training, more
motivation? Instead we get more cuts to achieve savings that are a fraction of what
we waste on stuff which is a great deal less important than the civil justice
system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Perhaps we could console
ourselves with the thought that after a lot of screaming and shouting, things
often do happen eventually. Oh, that
reminds me – Lambeth...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They must have bucked the trend
there (perhaps because ordinary litigants have given up) or they have people
with special abilities because this morning we received a document – in a case
that we are dealing with – for named clients we do recognise – entitled “Notice
of Possession”. In the main body of the
document it tells us this:-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tKVDwvMmwrFY1f_M3YqG_THTSatnVxKpvsH9es20xAoI2xo2rRLW1MBH6dtGjCv5uV5gbuNdd8BjQQRYg-GnqMtBzT2K0ChJ1tnJN6W5UUMs62YXpRkcZt8WXi8EP0yTos-0HF2NwCVx/s1600/Possession.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tKVDwvMmwrFY1f_M3YqG_THTSatnVxKpvsH9es20xAoI2xo2rRLW1MBH6dtGjCv5uV5gbuNdd8BjQQRYg-GnqMtBzT2K0ChJ1tnJN6W5UUMs62YXpRkcZt8WXi8EP0yTos-0HF2NwCVx/s400/Possession.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Interesting – worrying,
even. I’m left asking myself whether the
exorcism will be listed immediately afterwards or whether that might be released
to another priest, possibly in a different dimension.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Will anybody notice, even after
the death of what was once the paragon of justice?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fear…in a handful of dust.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
legalchaphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05167704764175244994noreply@blogger.com0