The ITF 'blacked' a flag-of-convenience vessel at Milford Haven, compelling the shipowners to pay $80,000 including $6,480 to a Welfare Fund. The shipowners sought recovery of the Welfare Fund contribution on grounds of resulting trust or economic duress. The House of Lords held there was no trust, but the demand was not connected with terms and conditions of employment, constituting recoverable economic duress.
The University of Stirling failed to consult trade unions about non-renewal of limited term contracts during a redundancy process. The Supreme Court held that non-renewal of such contracts for reasons relating to the employer's business needs constitutes dismissal as redundant, requiring collective consultation.
The UK Supreme Court held that English courts have jurisdiction to determine global FRAND licence terms for Standard Essential Patents and grant injunctions restraining UK patent infringement unless implementers accept such licences. The appeals by Huawei and ZTE against Unwired Planet and Conversant were dismissed.
A St Andrews resident challenged Scottish Ministers' approval of the Fife Structure Plan, arguing their statement of reasons failed to answer her landscape-capacity objection. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding the reasons, read as a whole and in context, were adequate under section 10(10) of the 1997 Act.
Developer BDW discovered structural defects in residential developments designed by engineer URS. BDW voluntarily carried out remedial works despite claims by homeowners being time-barred. The Supreme Court held BDW could recover costs in negligence, under the Defective Premises Act 1972, and for contribution, rejecting URS's argument that voluntarily incurred losses are irrecoverable as a rule of law.
A printing company sued a trade union for conspiracy and libel. The House of Lords held that section 4(1) of the Trade Disputes Act 1906 granted trade unions complete immunity from tortious actions, regardless of whether the tort was committed in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute.
The UK Supreme Court held that an unrecognised and unregistrable foreign judgment (a Russian judgment against a former director) can constitute a 'debt' under section 267 of the Insolvency Act 1986, sufficient to found a bankruptcy petition, reversing the Court of Appeal.
The House of Lords held that police had not breached Article 2 by failing to protect a threatened witness, Giles Van Colle, because the stringent Osman "real and immediate" risk test was not met, and that, generally, police owe no common law duty of care to protect individuals from criminal attacks.
A Dutch national was refused entry to the UK to work for the Church of Scientology, which the UK government considered socially harmful. The ECJ ruled that Article 48 EEC Treaty and Directive 64/221 have direct effect, allowing individuals to rely on them in national courts, while Member States retain discretion on public policy grounds.
Rebekah Vardy's libel claim against Coleen Rooney was dismissed after the High Court held Rooney's allegations substantially true. A 2025 appeal by Vardy concerning alleged misconduct over legal costs was also dismissed.
Four individuals sought by Rwanda for genocide-related crimes appealed against refusal to permit closed material procedures in extradition proceedings. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeals, holding extradition judges have no power to hear evidence withheld from the requesting state, though anonymous witnesses may be permitted.
Family members of Robert Crozier, who died of mesothelioma, claimed damages under the Damages (Scotland) Act 2011 despite his earlier settlement for asbestosis. The Supreme Court held that section 5 applies where someone dies of mesothelioma after discharging liability, regardless of whether mesothelioma existed at settlement.
Zambian villagers sued Vedanta, a UK-domiciled parent company, and its Zambian subsidiary KCM for toxic mine emissions. The Supreme Court upheld English jurisdiction, finding a triable issue on parent company liability and real risk that substantial justice was unobtainable in Zambia.
The owner of a coach company failed to check tachograph charts, thereby missing repeated drivers’ hours breaches. The House of Lords held that “permitting” includes failing to take reasonable steps, such as periodic checks, but remitted the case for retrial instead of ordering conviction.
The insured ship owners made a valid €3.2m marine insurance claim after engine room flooding, but recklessly lied about a bilge alarm to speed up payment. The Supreme Court held that such collateral lies, irrelevant to the claim's validity, do not forfeit recovery.
A former employee who co-founded a rival business was not liable for misuse of her ex-employer's trade secrets. She never knew the secrets and was unaware a consultant had used them. The Supreme Court held that breach of confidence turns on conscience and knowledge.
A fitter’s mate negligently caused serious flooding while working on ducting in a factory. The Court of Appeal held that both the subcontractor providing labour and the intermediary contractor were vicariously liable, recognising for the first time that dual vicarious liability is legally possible where control is shared.
Newman Industries delayed delivery of a boiler to Victoria Laundry by five months, causing loss of ordinary profits and a lucrative Ministry of Supply contract. The Court held that only ordinary loss of profits was recoverable, not extraordinary losses unknown to the defendant at contract formation.
Mrs Villiers, habitually resident in England after separating from her husband in Scotland, applied in England for maintenance under section 27 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 while divorce proceedings continued in Scotland. The Supreme Court held, by majority, that the English court had jurisdiction and no power to stay the application.
Coffee cargoes shipped in unventilated containers from Colombia to Germany were damaged by condensation. The Supreme Court held the carrier bears the legal burden of proving absence of negligence or that damage was caused by an excepted peril under the Hague Rules.
VWFS provided hire purchase finance for Volkswagen vehicles. The dispute concerned whether residual input VAT on general overheads could be partially attributed to taxable vehicle supplies. The Supreme Court dismissed HMRC's secondary ground on apportionment, referring the main issue to the CJEU.
Two female social workers were refused employment at a male prison due to their sex, with less qualified male candidates appointed instead. The Court established that national courts must interpret domestic law in light of EU directives to achieve their objectives, and that compensation for discrimination must be adequate and have deterrent effect.
Richard Vowles, a rugby hooker, was paralysed when a scrum collapsed after the referee permitted an inexperienced player to join the front row without proper enquiry. The Court of Appeal upheld that amateur referees owe players a duty of care to enforce safety rules, and the referee's breach caused the injury.
An English bank sued Russian-connected defendants for fraud inducing a US$225m loan. The Supreme Court, by 3:2, upheld the setting aside of service out of the jurisdiction because Russia, not England, was clearly the appropriate forum, and unanimously refused permission to amend to pierce RAP's corporate veil.
Approved foster parents told the local authority they would not accept a child known or suspected to be a sexual abuser. The authority nevertheless placed such a boy, who abused their children. The House of Lords held the parents’ psychiatric injury claim was arguable and should not be struck out.
