April 2, 2026
Dr Thaler sought patents for inventions allegedly created autonomously by DABUS, an AI machine. He claimed entitlement through ownership of the machine. The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed his appeal, holding that under the Patents Act 1977, an inventor must be a natural person, and ownership of an AI machine does...
April 2, 2026
Mr Griffiths contracted gastroenteritis during a package holiday in Turkey. His expert witness opined the illness was caused by hotel food. The defendant did not cross-examine the expert but criticised the report in closing submissions. The Supreme Court held this was unfair and allowed the appeal, establishing that expert evidence...
April 2, 2026
Local authorities sought injunctions against unidentified Gypsies and Travellers to prevent unauthorised encampments. The Supreme Court held that courts have jurisdiction to grant 'newcomer injunctions' binding persons unknown at the time of the order, subject to compelling justification and procedural safeguards including advertisement of applications and liberty to apply for...
April 2, 2026
Two appellants challenged refusals of indefinite leave to remain based on long residence. The Supreme Court considered whether section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 extends leave when applications are invalid for non-payment of fees, and interpreted 'disregarded' in paragraph 276B(v) of the Immigration Rules regarding overstaying periods. Facts Mr...
April 2, 2026
Ms Imam, a wheelchair user with three children, was owed a housing duty by Croydon Council under section 193(2) of the Housing Act 1996. Despite acknowledging the breach for nearly six years, Croydon failed to provide suitable accommodation. The Supreme Court clarified when mandatory orders should be granted against housing...
April 2, 2026
The Fisher family transferred their telebetting business from a UK company to a Gibraltar company. HMRC sought to tax the Fishers under the transfer of assets abroad code. The Supreme Court held that section 739 ICTA 1988 only applies to individuals who actually transfer assets, not to shareholders of a...
April 2, 2026
Deliveroo riders sought trade union recognition for collective bargaining through the Independent Workers Union. The Supreme Court held that the riders were not in an employment relationship within Article 11 ECHR, and that Article 11 does not confer a right to compulsory collective bargaining. The appeal was dismissed. Facts Deliveroo...
April 2, 2026
Asylum seekers challenged the UK Government's Rwanda policy, which proposed removing them to Rwanda for asylum processing. The Supreme Court held the policy unlawful, finding substantial grounds to believe asylum seekers faced real risk of refoulement due to deficiencies in Rwanda's asylum system, despite assurances given under the Migration and...
April 2, 2026
Mrs Potter took out a loan with payment protection insurance. The lender retained over 95% of the PPI premium as undisclosed commission. She brought a claim under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for an unfair relationship. The Supreme Court held the claim was not time-barred as the commission had been...
April 2, 2026
The Danish tax authority claimed it was defrauded of approximately £1.44 billion through false dividend withholding tax refund applications. The Supreme Court held that the revenue rule, which prevents enforcement of foreign tax laws, did not apply because no tax was ever due from the defendants – they were never...
April 2, 2026
Romanian authorities sought extradition of Mr Popoviciu following conviction for fraud. He alleged his trial was flagrantly unfair due to undisclosed corrupt relationship between the trial judge and a key prosecution witness. The Supreme Court addressed whether proving past flagrant denial of justice requires balance of probabilities or merely showing...
April 2, 2026
HMRC appealed against Vermilion Holdings Ltd regarding whether a securities option granted to an employee's nominee constituted an employment-related securities option under section 471 of ITEPA 2003. The Supreme Court allowed HMRC's appeal, holding that the deeming provision in section 471(3) applied, making the option taxable as employment income. Facts...
April 2, 2026
Ms Dalton challenged the Attorney General's refusal to order a fresh inquest into her father's death in a 1988 IRA bombing. The Supreme Court held that as the death occurred more than 12 years before the Human Rights Act 1998 came into force, the procedural obligation under Article 2 ECHR...
April 2, 2026
Target Group Ltd administered loans for Shawbrook Bank, including processing payments via BACS and maintaining loan accounts. The Supreme Court held that giving payment instructions which automatically trigger transfers does not qualify for VAT exemption under article 135(1)(d) PVD, as the exemption requires actual execution of transfers, not merely instructing...
April 2, 2026
Credit card holders sued RBS for repayment of PPI premiums, claiming unfair relationships due to undisclosed commissions. The Supreme Court held that limitation periods for section 140B claims only begin when the credit relationship ends, not when PPI payments were made. Claims brought within six years of relationship ending were...
April 2, 2026
Police officers and civilian staff claimed underpaid holiday pay dating back to 1998, as their pay excluded overtime. The Supreme Court held that the EU principle of equivalence allowed police officers to benefit from the 'series extension' for bringing claims, and that a series of deductions is not broken by...
April 2, 2026
Mozambique sued Privinvest and others alleging bribery and conspiracy relating to three supply contracts financed by sovereign guarantees. Privinvest sought a mandatory stay under section 9 of the Arbitration Act 1996, arguing disputes fell within arbitration clauses. The Supreme Court allowed the Republic's appeal, holding that the corruption claims were...
April 2, 2026
Worcestershire County Council disputed responsibility for after-care services under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 for an individual detained twice. The Supreme Court held that the duty to provide after-care services ends upon subsequent detention, with responsibility transferring to the local authority where the person was ordinarily resident...
April 2, 2026
Four landowners whose sites were compulsorily acquired for HS2 applied for certificates of appropriate alternative development (CAADs). The Supreme Court considered whether CAAD applications or decisions relating to other land could be taken into account when determining a CAAD. The Court held such materials may provide relevant evidence but are...
April 2, 2026
The Supreme Court considered when bankrupts have standing to challenge their trustee's actions under section 303(1) of the Insolvency Act 1986. The Brakes sought to challenge their trustee's dealings with a cottage they possessed. The Court held bankrupts only have standing where there is likely to be a surplus in...
April 2, 2026
The Supreme Court considered whether an oral agreement to transfer a 51% equitable interest in company shares to the legal owner created a vendor purchaser constructive trust, thereby displacing the writing requirement under section 53(1)(c) of the Law of Property Act 1925. The Court held that such a trust arose,...
April 2, 2026
Government departments unilaterally withdrew check-off arrangements allowing trade union subscriptions to be deducted from employees' salaries. The Union claimed third party rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce this contractual term. The Supreme Court held the Union could enforce the check-off term as the statutory...
April 2, 2026
A Russian trustee in bankruptcy sought English court assistance to realise a London property owned by the bankrupt. The Supreme Court held that the immovables rule prevents English courts at common law from assisting foreign trustees to claim interests in land situated in England, as such property is governed exclusively...
April 2, 2026
A Maltese bank claimed against a carrier for misdelivery of coal cargo discharged without presentation of bills of lading. The Supreme Court held that the one-year time bar in article III, rule 6 of both the Hague Rules and Hague Visby Rules applies to misdelivery claims occurring after discharge from...
April 2, 2026
Nexus sought rectification of a collective agreement recording a productivity bonus consolidation, claiming it mistakenly increased shift allowances. The Supreme Court held that while collective agreements can be rectified despite being legally unenforceable, the proper defendants are affected employees, not unions. The claim against unions was dismissed. Facts Tyne and...
April 30, 2026
National Case Law Archive
April 30, 2026
National Case Law Archive
April 30, 2026
National Case Law Archive