Tag Archive for 'judicial-review'

Just one small but crucial fact..

Tricky things, ex parte interim injunctions. Dealt with on the papers, or possibly by a phone hearing with a duty Judge, there is little time for detail and, obviously, no argument from the other side. Which makes it all the more important that the applicant gets things right. We noted some stern words on failure to follow protocol and failure to disclose material facts from Munby J here.

A further warning on the nature and extent of disclosure of material facts comes  in R (On the application of Konodyba) v Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea [2011] EWHC 2653 (Admin [Not on Bailii]. The case also involves the jurisdiction … Read the full post

Never Mind the Boxall

Bahta & Ors, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 895

This is not a housing case, but it is an important case on costs in settled claims for judicial review, which is a major issue for many housing practitioners.

The Court of Appeal considered five joined appeals in immigration judicial review claims all on the issue of costs following consent orders. In each case, no order as to costs was made. The issue was whether a) the Judges had correctly interpreted R (Boxall) v Waltham Forest LBC 21 December 2000 (2001) 4 CCL Rep 258 and b) whether … Read the full post

Judicial review costs redux

We’ve seen reports of a case called R (Ambrose) v City of Westminster (Admin Court 13 May 2011. Not on Bailii or reported elsewhere so far). It was a judicial review of a refusal to provide interim accommodation pending review. Westminster had apparently decided that because they had arranged housing in Hackney, it was for Hackney to carry out an assessment under s.17 Children Act 1989, rather than refer the applicant and child to its own social services department, although the child remained in school in Westminster.

An interim order to provide accommodation pending judicial review was obtained and unsuccessfully challenged by Westminster. Westminster eventually carried out a Children Act … Read the full post

I’ll get the lights…

Feeling cheerful? Good, we’ll soon change that. Whether Claimant or Defendant on disrepair, judicial review or other CFA funded claims, the world is about to shift on its axis somewhat, and both sides are going to have to rethink their positions and tactics.

The Government’s response to the consultation on reforms to civil litigation and costs (the Jackson reforms) has now been released.

The full response can be downloaded here [pdf] and the associated impact assessment is here [pdf]

The press release is here.

In short, the Government intends to go ahead with its original proposals. Expect legislation soonish.

From the perspective of housing practitioners, some things are not … Read the full post

Brave New World or Same Old Story

Pinnock v Manchester City Council [2010] UKSC 45 (Supreme Court pdf & BAILII links)

Whenever a battle weary group of housing lawyers gets together, conversation inevitably turns (after the routine complaints about the less congenial DJs) to the thorny issue of which is the most important housing law case of all. While bizarre to the outsider, this ritual actually takes the form of a Mornington Crescent-style game, in which the aim is to get to Street v Mountford before somebody plays Puhlhofer and ruins the whole thing. The route to get there varies, although it will normally take in Awua, Pereira, Runa Begum, Din v WandsworthRead the full post

Probably wrong but wholly academic

Raw, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Lambeth [2010] EWHC 507 (Admin)

This case is a vivid illustration of the difficulties of challenging a Local Authority’s apparent homelessness gatekeeping practices, or alternatively, if you are a Local Authority, a clear example of tactical defences to such a challenge.

The problem is that a claim for judicial review seeking to address, in part, the lawfulness of a policy, rests pretty much entirely on the impact of the policy on the individual claimant. Thus the astute Council settles the effect on the Claimant, leaving the broader policy issue as academic and pretty much impossible to pursue.

In this case, … Read the full post

Perhaps you should get a move on?

R (Joseph) v LB Newham [2009] EWHC 2983 (Admin)

We noted the permission decision in this case back in September 2009 when I expressed the view that, if Newham lost this case then some fish-based humiliation was due to them. Well, the claim for judicial review has now been allowed and I stand by my view. A woeful display by LB Newham, I think you’ll all agree.

Mr Joseph was the secure tenant of LB Newham in a one-bed property and had been since 1992. The property was now severely overcrowded, as he lived there with his wife and two children. Under the terms of the allocation scheme, he was … Read the full post



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