Stewart Gill sued Horatio Myer for unpaid contract sums. Myer sought to set off cross-claims for alleged breaches. Stewart Gill relied on a clause excluding set-off rights. The Court of Appeal held the entire clause must satisfy the reasonableness test under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, and found it unreasonable.
Sailors sought extra wages after two crew members deserted, with the captain promising to divide deserters' wages among remaining crew. The court held the agreement void for want of consideration, as sailors were already contractually bound to complete the voyage under all emergencies.
Andrew Tinkler, a founder and executive director of Stobart Group Ltd, was dismissed from employment and removed from the board following allegations of breaching fiduciary duties by briefing shareholders against the board and destabilising the company. The court upheld his dismissal, finding serious breaches of duty, but rejected the company's conspiracy claim.
Mrs Stocker posted on Facebook that her ex-husband had 'tried to strangle' her. The Supreme Court held that the trial judge erred by using dictionary definitions to interpret the phrase, rather than considering how an ordinary Facebook reader would understand it. The defence of justification succeeded.
Ms Grondona participated in a mortgage fraud to obtain finance for Mr Mitchell, using solicitors Stoffel & Co who negligently failed to register the property transfer. The Supreme Court held the illegality defence did not bar her negligence claim against the solicitors, applying the Patel v Mirza approach.
Stone & Rolls Ltd, controlled solely by fraudster Mr Stojevic, sued its auditors Moore Stephens for negligently failing to detect fraud perpetrated through the company against banks. The House of Lords held that the ex turpi causa defence barred the claim as the company was a one-man company where the sole directing mind and beneficial owner was complicit in the fraud.
Stone & Rolls Ltd, a one-man company used as a vehicle for large letter-of-credit frauds, sued its auditors Moore Stephens for negligent audits in failing to uncover and stop the fraud. The court held the illegality defence did not bar the claim, but struck out a compound interest head.
Miss Stone was struck by a cricket ball hit out of the Cheetham Cricket Club ground onto a public road. The House of Lords held the club not liable for negligence, as the risk of such an accident was so small that a reasonable person would not have taken precautions against it. This case established the principle that liability requires more than mere foreseeability of harm.
Mr Storer, a council tenant, sought specific performance after Manchester City Council refused to complete the sale of his council house following a change in political control. The Court of Appeal held a binding contract existed despite no formal exchange of contracts.
Mr Stott, a paralysed wheelchair user, suffered humiliating treatment on a Thomas Cook flight when not seated with his wife. The Supreme Court held that article 29 of the Montreal Convention precluded damages for injury to feelings under the UK Disability Regulations.
Mr Stovin was severely injured when Mrs Wise’s car emerged from a dangerous junction with poor visibility. Norfolk County Council knew of the hazard and had statutory powers to remove it but failed to act. The House of Lords held the council owed no common law duty to exercise that power, limiting public authorities’ tort liability for omissions.
Appeal against court sanction of a restructuring plan under Part 26A Companies Act 2006. The Court of Appeal held that the judge erred in sanctioning the plan as it departed without justification from the pari passu principle that would have applied in insolvency, unfairly placing greater risk of non-payment on later-dated noteholders.
A doctor built a consulting room at the end of his garden, next to a confectioner who had long used noisy industrial mortars. The Court of Appeal held the noise was a nuisance, rejected the defence that the doctor had ‘come to the nuisance’, and refused any prescriptive right to make the noise.
The Supreme Court considered the proper interpretation of paragraph 49 of the National Planning Policy Framework concerning housing land supply. Two planning appeals involving housing developments at Yoxford and Willaston were dismissed, with the Court clarifying that 'policies for the supply of housing' should be given a narrow interpretation.
Lord St Leonards, a former Lord Chancellor, died and his will could not be found. His daughter Charlotte reconstructed its contents from memory. The court admitted her evidence, granted probate of the reconstructed will and rejected the presumption of revocation.
Phyllis Sullivan, a job applicant who was unsuccessful in applications to the Council, claimed detriment for making a protected disclosure to her MP about alleged financial irregularities. The Court held that employment legislation protecting workers and NHS job applicants who make protected disclosures, but not job applicants generally, is compatible with Article 14 read with Article 10 of the Convention.
Sustainable Shetland challenged Scottish Ministers' consent for a 103-turbine windfarm in Shetland, arguing inadequate consideration of obligations under the EU Birds Directive regarding the protected whimbrel. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, upholding the Inner House's decision that ministers had lawfully considered the directive.
Four employees claimed damages for psychiatric illness caused by workplace stress. The Court of Appeal established practical principles for employer liability in occupational stress cases, allowing three appeals and dismissing one. The court held that foreseeability of psychiatric harm to the specific employee is the threshold question.
An adult 'paedophile hunter' posing as a 13-year-old boy on Grindr received sexual communications from Sutherland, who was convicted of sexual offences. The Supreme Court held admitting this evidence did not breach his article 8 ECHR rights.
A Bangladeshi villager alleged the British Geological Survey, part of NERC, negligently failed to test for arsenic and implied local tubewell water was safe, leading to his arsenic poisoning. The House of Lords held NERC owed no duty of care to Bangladesh’s population and upheld summary judgment.
The m/v RENOS suffered an engine room fire. Owners claimed a constructive total loss under their hull policy. The Supreme Court held pre-notice-of-abandonment costs counted towards repair costs, but SCOPIC environmental salvage charges did not, as they were unconnected with repairing the hull.
Miss Sweet, a teacher who let out her farmhouse to students, was convicted under section 5(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1965 after tenants smoked cannabis without her knowledge. The House of Lords held that mens rea was required, quashed her conviction, and reaffirmed the strong presumption against strict liability for truly criminal offences.
A Somali refugee charged under the Identity Cards Act 2006 for using a false passport claimed the CPS's decision to prosecute breached her Article 8 rights. The Supreme Court dismissed her appeal, holding that prosecuting Convention-compliant offences does not engage Article 8.
Owners appealed an arbitration award concerning damages for breach of charterparty maintenance obligations causing delay and loss of a sub-charter. The court upheld the tribunal's finding that lost profits on the cancelled sub-fixture were recoverable, clarifying that The Achilleas did not establish a new general test for remoteness of damages.
Tael transferred part of its participation in a syndicated loan to Morgan Stanley under LMA standard terms. When the loan was later repaid with a payment premium, Tael claimed the portion attributable to the pre-transfer period. The Supreme Court dismissed Tael's appeal, holding the premium did not accrue by reference to lapse of time.
October 4, 2026
National Case Law Archive
October 4, 2026
National Case Law Archive
October 4, 2026
National Case Law Archive