April 28, 2026
A husband and wife executed each other's wills by mistake due to their solicitor's oversight. After both died, the Supreme Court held the husband's will could be rectified under section 20 of the Administration of Justice Act 1982 as a clerical error, validating the intended bequest. Facts On 17 May...
April 28, 2026
Mrs Ilott, estranged from her mother for 26 years, was excluded from her will in favour of animal charities. She successfully claimed under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. The Supreme Court restored the District Judge's modest £50,000 award, overturning the Court of Appeal's more generous provision....
April 28, 2026
Anna Rea's 2015 Will left her house to her daughter Rita, who cared for her, excluding her three sons. The Court of Appeal overturned the trial judge's finding of undue influence, holding the evidence did not support coercion and admitted the will to probate. Facts Anna Rea, an elderly woman...
April 27, 2026
ICOS/Eli Lilly's patent claimed a 1-5mg daily dose of tadalafil (Cialis) for treating erectile dysfunction. Generic manufacturers challenged it as obvious. The Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal's finding that the dosage patent lacked an inventive step, as routine dose-ranging trials would inevitably have led to the 5mg dose....
April 27, 2026
SAE Education Ltd, a commercial education provider closely linked with Middlesex University, claimed VAT exemption as a 'college of a university'. The Supreme Court allowed its appeal, holding that integration of educational activities, not formal constitutional status, is the correct test. Facts SAE Education Ltd (SEL) is the UK arm...
April 27, 2026
Mrs Takhar sought to set aside a judgment she lost, alleging it was procured by a forged profit-share agreement. The Supreme Court held that a party seeking to set aside a judgment for fraud need not prove the fraud could not have been discovered with reasonable diligence. Facts Mrs Balber...
April 27, 2026
Lehman Brothers International (Europe)'s administration generated an unprecedented £7 billion surplus, with around £5 billion payable as statutory interest to creditors. The Supreme Court held that this statutory interest qualified as 'yearly interest' under section 874 of the Income Tax Act 2007, requiring administrators to deduct income tax at source....
April 27, 2026
A Jamaican national facing deportation made further human rights submissions after his appeal rights were exhausted. The Supreme Court held that such submissions must first be accepted as a fresh claim under rule 353 of the Immigration Rules before any right of appeal arises under section 82. Facts The appellant,...
April 27, 2026
KV, a Sri Lankan Tamil, claimed asylum alleging torture evidenced by burn scars from hot metal rods. The tribunal found his scars were self-inflicted by proxy. The Supreme Court allowed his appeal, holding the tribunal's reasoning flawed and clarifying medical experts' proper role. Facts KV, a Sri Lankan national of...
April 27, 2026
Hugh Jordan's son was shot by an RUC officer in 1992. After decades of delayed inquests, Jordan sought damages under the Human Rights Act for Article 2 breaches. The Supreme Court held the Court of Appeal wrongly imposed a near-automatic stay on such claims pending inquest conclusion. Facts Pearse Jordan...
April 27, 2026
A Czech national convicted in absentia of fraud challenged his extradition under an EAW, arguing he should be treated as 'accused' rather than 'convicted' because he had an unqualified right to retrial. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding he was properly categorised as convicted. Facts The appellant, Mr Karel...
April 27, 2026
Patrick Finucane, a Belfast solicitor, was murdered in 1989 by loyalist paramilitaries with state collusion. His widow challenged the government's refusal to hold a promised public inquiry. The Supreme Court declared no Article 2 compliant investigation had occurred but refused to order a public inquiry. Facts On 12 February 1989,...
April 27, 2026
Ms Cameron was injured by a hit-and-run driver of an insured Nissan Micra. She sought to sue the unidentified driver and have the insurer satisfy any judgment. The Supreme Court held an unidentifiable defendant cannot generally be sued where service cannot meaningfully be effected. Facts On 26 May 2013, Ms...
April 27, 2026
A retired miner with Vibration White Finger sued his former solicitors for negligently failing to advise him to claim a Services Award. The Supreme Court restored the trial judge's decision, holding the claimant had failed to prove he would have made an honest claim. Facts Mr Frank Perry, a retired...
April 27, 2026
An estate agent orally agreed commission terms with a vendor but never specified the triggering event for payment. The Supreme Court held a binding contract existed, with payment due on completion, and upheld partial enforcement despite breach of section 18 of the Estate Agents Act 1979. Facts Mr Wells, having...
April 27, 2026
Four individuals with minor or historic convictions, cautions or reprimands challenged statutory schemes requiring disclosure of their criminal records to potential employers as incompatible with Article 8 ECHR. The Supreme Court upheld the schemes broadly, but found the multiple conviction rule and disclosure of youth warnings/reprimands disproportionate. Facts The case...
April 27, 2026
Hallam and Nealon had their convictions quashed following fresh evidence but were refused compensation under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (as amended), which requires proof beyond reasonable doubt that the applicant did not commit the offence. The Supreme Court held, by majority, that this was compatible with...
April 27, 2026
The Attorney General for Northern Ireland referred five questions about the functioning of Northern Ireland departments in the absence of ministers. The Supreme Court adjourned the reference, holding that the issues should be determined against a clear factual matrix in pending interconnector litigation. Facts The Attorney General for Northern Ireland...
April 27, 2026
A Jamaican mother of a British child challenged her deportation, arguing her derivative Zambrano right of residence meant she could only be deported in 'exceptional circumstances'. The Supreme Court dismissed her appeal, holding no additional exceptionality hurdle applies beyond the established proportionality test. Facts The appellant, a Jamaican national born...
April 27, 2026
The Supreme Court unanimously allowed Heathrow Airport Ltd's appeal, overturning the Court of Appeal and holding that the Secretary of State lawfully designated the Airports National Policy Statement supporting a third runway at Heathrow, having adequately considered climate change obligations including the Paris Agreement. Facts Following recommendations from the Airports...
April 27, 2026
Walter Merricks sought to bring collective proceedings against Mastercard on behalf of 46.2 million UK consumers, alleging unlawful interchange fees were passed on through higher retail prices. The Supreme Court dismissed Mastercard's appeal, holding the Competition Appeal Tribunal had applied too strict a certification test. Facts Following a 2007 European...
April 26, 2026
A life prisoner successfully challenged a Parole Board decision refusing transfer to open conditions but was denied costs. The Supreme Court dismissed his appeal, holding that costs principles are matters of practice for the Court of Appeal, and the established Davies practice applied to the Board. Facts The appellant, Mr...
April 26, 2026
London Clubs Management provided free non-negotiable chips and vouchers to gamblers as promotions. The Supreme Court held these 'Non-Negs' were not 'stakes staked' with any value in money or money's worth for gaming duty purposes, dismissing HMRC's appeal. Facts London Clubs Management Ltd (LCM) operates casinos offering games such as...
April 26, 2026
Halliburton sought removal of an arbitrator, Mr Rokison QC, who accepted multiple appointments in related Deepwater Horizon arbitrations involving Chubb without disclosure to Halliburton. The Supreme Court held there is a legal duty of disclosure but dismissed the appeal on the facts. Facts Halliburton held a Bermuda Form liability policy...
April 26, 2026
UK-resident companies challenged the tax treatment of dividends from foreign subsidiaries as contrary to EU law, seeking restitution of tax paid under mistake of law dating back to 1973. The Supreme Court departed from Deutsche Morgan Grenfell on when limitation runs under section 32(1)(c) of the Limitation Act 1980. Facts...
May 1, 2026
National Case Law Archive
May 1, 2026
National Case Law Archive
May 1, 2026
National Case Law Archive