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NLJ this week: Fast and efficient summary judgment or slow path to trial?

23 February 2024
Issue: 8060 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice
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Does the slow route deliver better justice, asks Dr Anil Balan in this week’s NLJ

Balan is referring to summary judgment under Pt 24 of the Civil Procedure Rules, a ‘legal procedure that allows judges to rule on cases without a full trial if one party’s claim has no real prospect of success and there is no other compelling reason to have a trial, saving time and money for all involved’.

‘But like any shortcut,’ Balan notes, ‘it raises concerns: does it trample on the fundamental right to a fair trial?’

Balan sets out recent case law illustrating the pitfalls and safeguards at play. He highlights the advantages of a ‘robust appeal system’ and of judges working within a well-defined framework to ensure clarity and transparency. He writes that, with clear guidelines in place, the ‘crucial balance’ can be maintained.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
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