May 5, 2026
A solicitor, acting for a borrower, sent a careless email to the lender falsely stating the entire loan was being repaid, causing the lender to discharge its security over retained units. The Supreme Court held she owed no duty of care as the lender's reliance without checking its own file...
May 5, 2026
Mr Barton, a litigant in person, attempted to serve a professional negligence claim form on the defendant's solicitors by email on the last day of its validity, without checking they would accept email service. The Supreme Court refused to validate service under CPR 6.15(2). Facts Mr Barton, acting as a...
May 5, 2026
Two victims of serial rapist black cab driver John Worboys sued the Metropolitan Police for failures in investigating his crimes. The Supreme Court held that article 3 ECHR imposes an investigative duty on police, and serious operational failures can breach it, entitling victims to compensation. Facts Between 2003 and 2008,...
May 5, 2026
Mr Mott, a salmon fisherman with leasehold rights to a putcher rank in the Severn Estuary, challenged the Environment Agency's severe catch limits as breaching A1P1. The Supreme Court held that imposing conditions eliminating 95% of his livelihood without compensation was a disproportionate burden. Facts Mr Mott held a leasehold...
May 5, 2026
A child placed with EU citizen guardians in Algeria under the Islamic kefalah system sought entry to the UK. The Supreme Court referred questions to the CJEU on whether she qualifies as a 'direct descendant' under the Citizens Directive, and confirmed appeal jurisdiction. Facts Susana, an Algerian national born in...
May 5, 2026
A mother took her two children from Australia to England for what was agreed to be a temporary stay. She later decided not to return. The Supreme Court considered whether habitual residence had shifted to England and whether 'repudiatory retention' exists, ultimately dismissing the father's Hague Convention application. Facts The...
May 5, 2026
A health and safety inspector served a prohibition notice on Chevron regarding corroded helideck access metalwork. Subsequent testing showed the metalwork was safe. The Supreme Court held that tribunals hearing appeals under section 24 of the 1974 Act may consider evidence arising after the notice was served. Facts Chevron North...
May 5, 2026
Ms Romein, born in the US in 1978 to a British-descended mother, was refused UK citizenship because her birth had not been registered at a consulate within a year. The Supreme Court held the registration condition inapplicable to female-line descent claims under section 4C. Facts Shelley Elizabeth Romein was born...
May 5, 2026
B, an Algerian national subject to deportation on national security grounds, could not lawfully be removed or detained under Hardial Singh principles. The Supreme Court held that SIAC had no power to grant immigration bail where lawful detention was no longer possible. Facts B, an Algerian national, had been in...
May 5, 2026
Chagossian representative Bancoult challenged the 2010 Marine Protected Area around the Chagos Islands, alleging improper motive to prevent resettlement and inadequate consultation regarding Mauritian fishing rights. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding the MPA was lawfully established by the Foreign Secretary. Facts The appellant, chair of the Chagos Refugees...
May 5, 2026
Mr Gibson, convicted of drug trafficking, faced a £5.4m confiscation order with a six-year default prison term. The Supreme Court held that credit for part payments should be calculated against the original sum, not the sum plus accrued interest, entitling him to 11 extra days' reduction. Facts Mr Gibson was...
May 5, 2026
Police obtained search warrants against Mr Haralambous under PACE section 8, partly based on information withheld from him on public interest grounds. The Supreme Court held that magistrates, Crown Courts, and High Courts on judicial review may all rely on such closed material without gisting being invariably required. Facts On...
May 4, 2026
Four part-time fee-paid judges claimed pension entitlements under the Part-time Workers Regulations 2000. The Supreme Court held that time for bringing a claim runs from retirement, not from the end of each fee-paid appointment, allowing their claims to proceed. Facts The appellants were four judges who had held one or...
May 4, 2026
The Supreme Court considered two conjoined appeals on the Zambrano principle, concerning derivative residence rights for non-EU nationals caring for EU citizen dependants. Mr Patel, caring for ill British parents, lost his appeal. Mr Shah, primary carer of his British son, succeeded. Facts Two conjoined appeals concerned the scope of...
May 4, 2026
The Supreme Court considered whether land held by public authorities for statutory education and health purposes could be registered as town or village greens. The majority held that statutory incompatibility defeated registration in both cases, extending the Newhaven principle. Facts Two conjoined appeals concerned applications to register land as town...
May 4, 2026
Grampian, an insolvent company, sold its principal property to Carnbroe for £550,000, well below its open market value of £800,000+. The Supreme Court held this was not adequate consideration under section 242 of the Insolvency Act 1986 but remitted to consider a flexible remedy protecting the bona fide purchaser. Facts...
May 4, 2026
Five asylum seekers were detained in the UK pending transfer to other EU states under the Dublin III Regulation. The Supreme Court held that the Secretary of State's policy in Chapter 55 of the EIG failed to meet Dublin III's requirement for objective criteria defined by law, rendering their detention...
May 4, 2026
Ms Jhuti, a Royal Mail employee on trial, made protected disclosures about her colleagues' improper conduct. Her line manager fabricated performance concerns leading an unwitting decision-maker to dismiss her. The Supreme Court held the hidden true reason, not the decision-maker's invented reason, constituted the reason for dismissal. Facts Ms Jhuti...
May 4, 2026
A former miner instructed solicitors to pursue a Vibration White Finger claim under a statutory compensation scheme but, due to negligent advice, settled without pursuing a services award. The Supreme Court held that later medical evidence was irrelevant to valuing the lost claim under the Scheme. Facts Mr Thomas Watkins...
May 4, 2026
The Supreme Court held that a developer's promise of a community benefit fund donation, tied to a proposed wind turbine, was not a material planning consideration. Planning permission cannot be bought through benefits unrelated to land use, reaffirming the Newbury criteria. Facts Resilient Energy Severndale Ltd applied to Forest of...
May 4, 2026
RR's housing benefit was reduced under the 'bedroom tax' despite his disabled partner needing a separate bedroom. The Supreme Court held that public authorities and tribunals must disapply subordinate legislation where applying it would breach Convention rights under the Human Rights Act 1998. Facts The appellant, RR, lived with his...
May 4, 2026
Agnes Reeves Taylor, ex-wife of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, was charged with torture under section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 for acts allegedly committed in 1990 as a member of the NPFL rebel group. The Supreme Court clarified the meaning of 'person acting in an official capacity'....
May 4, 2026
Singularis' chairman and sole shareholder fraudulently directed Daiwa, its broker-bank, to make payments totalling US$204m, misappropriating company funds. The Supreme Court held Daiwa breached its Quincecare duty and the chairman's fraud could not be attributed to the company to defeat the claim. Facts Singularis Holdings Ltd was a Cayman Islands...
May 4, 2026
A father sought the summary return of his young daughter from England to Israel. The Court of Appeal, having set aside a Hague Convention order, itself made a return order under the inherent jurisdiction. The Supreme Court allowed the mother's appeal, holding the jurisdiction was available but had been exercised...
May 4, 2026
Travelers insured Transform, a clinic supplying defective PIP breast implants. In group litigation, uninsured claimants sought a non-party costs order against Travelers under section 51. The Supreme Court allowed Travelers' appeal, holding it had not unjustifiably intermeddled in the uninsured claims. Facts The appeal arose from group litigation concerning defective...
August 25, 2026
National Case Law Archive
August 25, 2026
National Case Law Archive
August 25, 2026
National Case Law Archive