Cases

Clifford v Millicom Services UK Ltd

Reporting Restrictions - Rule 50, Employment Tribunals Regulations 2013 - Article 8 - Employment Tribunal

[2023] EWCA Civ 50 - Court of Appeal

Judge Lord Justice Lewis; Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing; Lord Justice Warby

Stoute v News Group Newspapers Limited

Misuse of private information – interim injunction – return dates

[2023] EWHC 232 (KB) - King’s Bench Division, Media and Communications List

Judge Johnson J

Soriano v Le Point & Anor

Libel - Specific disclosure - Subscriber data

[2022] EWHC 3370 (KB) - High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division

Judge Mrs Justice Hill

Pendragon Plc v Person(s) Unknown

Breach of Confidence – Blackmail – Injunction Against Person(s) Unknown – Application for continuation of interim injunction on return date – Default judgment – Derogations from Open Justice

[2022] EWHC 2985 (KB) - King’s Bench Division, Media and Communications List

Judge Collins Rice J

Hinduja v Hinduja

Open justice – reporting restrictions – Article 8 – Article 10 – Court of Protection

[2022] EWCA Civ 1492 - Court of Appeal

Judge Peter Jackson LJ, Baker LJ, Warby LJ

Smith v Backhouse

Enforceability and acceptance of undertakings - Settlement

[2022] EWHC 3011 (KB) - High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division

Judge Mr Justice Nicklin

Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney

Libel – Defence under s.2 of the Defamation Act 2013

[2022] EWHC 2017 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division

Judge Steyn J

Guardian News & Media v The Executor of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh (deceased) & Her Majesty’s Attorney-General

Open Justice - Non-Contentious Probate Proceedings - Whether the media has a right to be heard in proceedings in which it is not a party - Whether the President of the Family Division should have held a private hearing not on notice to the media - the role of the Attorney-General

[2022] EWCA Civ 1081 - Court of Appeal, Civil Division

Judge The Master of the Rolls, The President of the Queen's Bench Division, Lady Justice King

George v Cannell (CA)

Malicious falsehood - proper interpretation of s.3, Defamation Act 1952 - whether s.3 requires a claimant to prove actual pecuniary damage or only its likelihood at the time of publication - whether damages for injury to feelings are recoverable if pecuniary damage sustained is only nominal

[2022] EWCA Civ 1067 - Court of Appeal

Judge Underhill (V-P of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division)), Warby & Snowden LJJ

Soriano v Le Point & Anor

Libel – summary judgment – strike out – serious harm

[2022] EWHC 1763 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division

Judge Mrs Justice Collins Rice

(1) Kumlin (2) EEW Eco Energy World plc v (1) Jonsson (2) Agerman (3) Östlund (4) Realtid Media AB

Libel - jurisdiction - centre of interests - Brussels Recast Regulation - serious harm - serious financial loss - rule against Reflective Loss - holding companies - trading reputation - rule in Marinari - causation - applicable law - double-actionability - eCommerce Directive

[2022] EWHC 1095 (QB) - High Court, Queen’s Bench Division, Media & Communications List

Judge Julian Knowles J

BW Legal Services Limited v Glassdoor Inc

Norwich Pharmacal relief - Allegedly defamatory posts - Whether a declaration should be made that the court had no jurisdiction to try the claim because no valid service had been effected - Whether a declaration should be made that the court should not exercise its jurisdiction because of an exclusive jurisdiction clause in the Defendant's Terms of Use and/or because it was contended that the Claimant obtained an Order improperly or unfairly

[2022] EWHC 979 (QB) - Queen's Bench Division

Judge Mr Justice Jay

Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney

Libel – disclosure – journalistic sources – section 10 Contempt of Court Act 1981 – Article 10 ECHR – waiver – witness summonses

[2022] EWHC 1209 (QB) - High Court, Queen’s Bench Division, Media & Communications List

Judge Steyn J

The Ince Group plc v Person(s) Unknown

Interim Injunction application - Ransonware attack - Data breach - blackmail - breach of confidence - private hearing

[2022] EWHC 808 (QB) - King's Bench Division, Media and Communications List

Judge Mr Justice Saini

Attorney General v BBC

Open justice – whether hearing in public or private pursuant to CPR 39.2 – national security

[2022] EWHC 380 (QB) - High Court (QBD)

Judge Chamberlain J

ZXC v Bloomberg LP

Misuse of Private Information – Breach of Confidence – Data Protection Act 1998 – Article 8 – Article 10 – criminal investigations – letter of request – journalism

[2022] UKSC 5 - Supreme Court

Judge Lord Reed, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Sales, Lord Hamblen, Lord Stephens

Vardy v Rooney

Joinder – Disclosure – Amendments – Further Information

[2022] EWHC 304 (QB) - High Court (Media & Communications List) (QBD)

Judge Steyn J

Stadler v Currys Group Ltd

Data protection – misuse of private information – breach of confidence – negligence – smart devices – Jameel – de minimis – allocation

[2022] EWHC 160 (QB) - High Court, Queen’s Bench Division

Judge HHJ Lewis (sitting as a Judge of the High Court)

Blake, Seymour & Thorp v Fox

Trials of Preliminary Issue - Meaning - Honest Opinion - Default Judgment - Relief From Sanctions - Trial by Jury - Shadow Pleadings

[2021] EWHC 3463 (QB) - High Court, Queen’s Bench Division, Media & Communications List

Judge Senior Master Fontaine

Soriano v Forensic News LLC & ors

Libel – Jurisdiction – Service Out – s.9 Defamation Act 2013 – Malicious Falsehood – s.3 Defamation Act 1952 – Loutchansky Malice – data protection – GDPR – Data Protection Act 2018 – UKGDPR – territorial applicability

[2021] EWCA Civ 1952 - Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Judge Dame Victoria Sharp PQBD, Elisabeth Laing & Warby LJJ

Mahmudov & Mahmudova v Goni Sanzberro & ors

Libel – Jurisdiction – Brussels Recast Regulation – Centre of Interests

[2021] EWHC 3433 (QB) - High Court, Queen’s Bench Division, Media & Communications List

Judge Collins Rice J

Abdulrazaq v Hassan & Ors

Libel - Publication of reasons for exclusion of individuals from mosque - Qualified privilege - Duty/interest - Reply to attack - Malice - Summary judgment

[2021] EWHC 3252 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division, Media & Communications List

Judge Jay J

Johnson v Eastlight Community Homes

Data Protection – Misuse of Private Information – Breach of Confidence – Negligence – Jameel – De Minimis – Allocation

[2021] EWHC 3069 (QB) - High Court (QBD)

Judge Master Thornett

Wright v McCormack

Defamation – libel – amendment – serious harm – Dingle – Burstein

[2021] EWHC 2671 (QB) - Queen's Bench Division

Judge Julian Knowles J

Rolfe v Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP

Data protection – harm – de minimis - summary judgment

[2021] EWHC 2809 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Divisions (Media & Communications)

Judge Master McCloud

Farhan Junejo v New Vision TV Limited

Preliminary issue – whether publication occurred within jurisdiction – litigation bias – delay in issuing – destruction of records

[2021] EWHC 2366 (QB) - High Court (QBD)

Judge Murray J

Ashley v Times Newspapers Limited

Defamation - Libel - Trial of Preliminary Issues - Meaning - Defamatory imputation - Statement of fact / expression of opinion - Whether the repetition rule is engaged - Multiple publications

[2021] EWHC 2082 (QB) - Queen's Bench Division

Judge Saini J

Cilliers v Gibraltar Health Authority

Libel – Malicious Falsehood – Slander - Strike out – Jurisdiction of Employment Tribunal - Johnson exclusion area – Summary judgment – Jameel abuse

2021/GSC/19 - The Supreme Court of Gibraltar

Judge Restano J

Blackledge v Persons Unknown

Defamation – Libel – Harassment – Data Protection – Quantum – Damages – Injunction – Section 13 order

[2021] EWHC 1994 (QB) - High Court, Queen’s Bench Division

Judge Saini J

Greenstein v Campaign Against Antisemitism

Defamation - Libel - Malice- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 - Spent Convictions - Whether the malice plea relating to spent convictions was correctly struck out

[2021] EWCA Civ 1006 - Court of Appeal, Civil Division

Judge Popplewell, Dingemans, Carr LLJ

Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney

Libel – summary judgment – strike out – social media – proportionality

[2021] EWHC 1888 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division

Judge Steyn J

Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd

Libel - publication on matter of public interest - s.4, Defamation Act 2013 - damages

[2021] EWHC 1797 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division, Media and Communications List

Judge Nicklin J

Hodges v Naish

Slander - preliminary issues - publication - defamatory meaning - slanders actionable per se - serious harm - limitation

[2021] EWHC 1805 (QB) - Queen's Bench Division (Winchester District Registry)

Judge HHJ Richard Parkes QC (sitting as a Judge of the High Court)

Corbyn v Millett

Preliminary issue – whether statement fact or opinion – bare comment – whether statement defamatory at common law

[2021] EWCA Civ 567 - Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Judge Vos MR, Sharp P, Warby LJ

Soriano v Silverstein

Libel – section 9 Defamation Act 2013 – jurisdiction – service out – forum conveniens – service gateways – centre of interests

[2021] EWHC 873 (QB) - High Court, Queen’s Bench Division

Judge Johnson J

Lady Colin Campbell v MGN Ltd

Defamation - Meaning - Ambiguity - Extraneous Evidence - General Knowledge

[2021] EWHC 601 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division

Judge Johnson J

Parris v Ajayi & Ors

Libel - Malicious Falsehood - Strike out - Amendments - Henderson v Henderson abuse of process - Consent to disciplinary procedure within employment context - Friend v Civil Aviation Authority- Claim for losses flowing from dismissal - Jurisdiction of Employment Tribunal - Johnson exclusion area - Johnson v Unisys Ltd - Jameel abuse of process - Failure to provide reference

[2021] EWHC 285 (QB) - Queen's Bench Division

Judge Richard Spearman QC (Sitting as a Judge of the Queens Bench Division)

Duchess of Sussex v Associated Newspapers Ltd

Misuse of private information-breach of copyright-summary judgment and/or strike out of defence

[2021] EWHC 273 (Ch) - High Court, Chancery Division, Business and Property Courts, Intellectual Property List

Judge Warby J

Tinkler v Ferguson & others

Malicious Falsehood – Abuse of Process – Section 3 Defamation Act 1952

[2021] EWCA Civ 18 - Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Judge Peter Jackson & Dingemans LLJ, Sir Richard McCombe

(1) Williams (2) Wickham-Jones (3) Lownie v (1) IC (2) FCDO

FOIA - exemptions - national security - Information Commissioner's Guidance - "in the alternative" - public law

[2021] UKFTT 2019_212 (GRC) - First Tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber - Information Rights)

Judge Judge Anthony Snelson & Judge Moira Macmillan

Wright v Granath (CA)

Defamation – Jurisdiction – Lis Pendens – Lugano Convention – Negative Declaratory Relief

[2021] EWCA Civ 28 - Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Judge Moylan, Singh & Popplewell LJJ

Soriano v Forensic News & ors

Libel - section 9 Defamation Act 2013 - jurisdiction - service-out - forum conveniens - malicious falsehood - GDPR - data protection - establishment - extra-territoriality - service gateways - centre of interests

[2021] EWHC 56 (QB) - High Court (Media & Communications List)

Judge Jay J

True Vision Productions Ltd v Information Commissioner

Data Protection – Journalism Exemption (DPA 1998, s32) – Monetary Penalty Notices

EA/2019/0170 - First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber, Information Rights)

Judge Judge Edward Jacobs

Greenstein v Campaign against Antisemitism

Defamation - Libel - s3, Defamation Act 2013 - Honest Opinion - Malice - Truth - Spent Convictions - Whether the Defendant should be granted summary judgment - Whether the malice plea should be struck out - Data Protection - Misuse of Private Information - Spent Convictions- Abuse of Process

[2020] EWHC 2951 - Queen's Bench Division

Judge Mrs Justice Tipples

Depp v News Group Newspapers

libel – Defence under s.2 of the Defamation Act 2013

[2020] EWHC 2911 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Divisions (Media & Communications)

Judge Nicol J

Aven & Ors v Orbis Business Intelligence Ltd

Data Protection Act 1998 – s.35 exemption (legal purposes) – s.28 exemption (national security) – remedies

[2020] EWHC 1812 (QB) - High Court

Judge Warby J

Tinkler v Ferguson & Ors

Malicious Falsehood – Strike Out – Abuse of Process – Damage – Jameel abuse

[2020] EWHC 1467 (QB) - High Court

Judge Nicklin J

Serafin v Malkiewicz & Others

Libel - unfair judicial treatment - order for retrial - s 4 Defamation Act 2013 - defence of publication on matter of public interest

[2020] UKSC 23 - Supreme Court

Judge Lords Reed, Wilson, Briggs, Arden & Kitchin

JQL v NTP

Privacy - breach of confidence - social media - real and substantial tort - general damages - aggravated damages - injunctive relief

[2020] EWHC 1349 (QB) - High Court (Queen's Bench Division)

Judge HHJ Lewis (Sitting as a Judge of the High Court)

CWD v Nevitt & Ors

Privacy - defamation - anonymity - r16 order - reporting restrictions - s11 Contempt of Court Act 1981

[2020] EWHC 1289 (QB) - High Court (Queen's Bench Division)

Judge Steyn J

ZXC v Bloomberg LP

Misuse of Private Information – Breach of Confidence – Data Protection Act 1998 – Article 8 – Article 10 – criminal investigations – letter of request – journalism

[2020] EWCA Civ 611 - Court of Appeal

Judge Lord Justice Underhill; Lord Justice Bean; Lord Justice Simon

Sube v News Group Newspapers Ltd & Express Newspapers (No 3)

Harassment - Protection from Harassment Act 1997 - Harassment by Media Publications - Data Protection Act 1998 - s.10 Data Protection Act 1998 - s.14 Data Protection Act 1998

[2020] EWHC 1125 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division

Judge Warby J

Hunter v Cooper & ors

Defamation – Libel – Slander – Limitation – Strike-Out – Summary Judgment – Equality Act 2010 – contract – tort – County Court – transfer – Abuse of Process

[2020] EWHC 1105 (QB) - High Court (Queen's Bench Division)

Judge Senior Master Fontaine

BVG v LAR (No 2)

Blackmail - Privacy - Misuse of Private Information - Harassment - Summary Judgment - Final Injunction

[2020] EWHC 931 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division

Judge Nicol J

Re Al M (Reporting Restrictions Order)

Reporting Restrictions - Witness Anonymity - Right to Life (Art 2) - Prohibition against torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (Art 3) - Freedom of Expression (Article 10) - Blackmail

[2020] EWHC 702 (Fam) - High Court, Family Division

Judge President of the Family Division , Sir Andrew McFarlane

Dimitri Rozanov v EFG Private Bank Limited

Open Justice – Access to Court Documents – Disclosure of documents to a non-party

2208031/2017 - Employment Tribunal

Judge Employment Judge Lewis

DSM SFG Group Holdings Limited v Kelly

Breach of Confidence - Harassment - Discharge of Undertakings to the Court - The extent, if at all, that it is permissible for a litigant to rely on confidential information, obtained by covert recording of another's premises, to support a legal claim before that litigant has established the right to use that information

[2019] EWCA Civ 2256 - Court of Appeal

Judge Lord Justice Davis; Lord Justice Simon

Anna Turley v Unite the Union and Stephen Walker

Libel – Trial – Liability for publication – Serious harm – Truth – Public interest – Assessment of damages – CPR Part 36

[2019] EWHC 3547 (QB) - High Court (QBD)

Judge Nicklin J

UKIP Ltd v Braine & Ors

Injunction - Without Notice - Blackmail - Disclosure - Breach of Confidence – s.12, Human Rights Act 1998 - Interim Non-Disclosure Orders

[2019] EWHC 3527 (QB) - High Court (QBD)

Judge Warby J

Kirkegaard v Smith

Defamation - Meaning - Honest Opinion - Preliminary Issue Trial

[2019] EWHC 2947 (QB) - High Court

Judge Julian Knowles J

UUU v BBB

Blackmail - Harassment - Legitimate Expectation of Privacy - ECHR Article 8 - "Without Prejudice" privilege - Anonymity - Private Hearing - Practice Guidance: Interim Non-Disclosure Orders

[2019] EWHC 3190 (QB) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division

Judge Steyn J

Chandler v O’Connor

Libel – Twitter – Summary Relief – Defamation Act 1996 – Assessment of Damages

[2019] EWHC 3181 (QB) - High Court (QBD)

Judge Nicklin J

R (BBC) v Newcastle Crown Court

Judicial Review of a Production Order under PACE

[2019] EWHC 2756; [2020] 1 Cr App R 16; [2020] EMLR 8; [2020] Crim LR 247 - Divisional Court (QBD)

Judge Leggatt LJ & Picken J

Sadik v Sadik

Defamation - Libel - Strike out - Summary judgment - s.9, Defamation Act 2013 - CPR r.11 - Jurisdiction - Domicile - s.1, Defamation Act 2013 - Serious harm to reputation - Jameel abuse of process

[2019] EWHC 2717 (QB), [2020] E.M.L.R. 7 - Queen's Bench Division

Judge Julian Knowles J

SOJ v JAO

Injunction - Without Notice - Private Hearing- Anonymity - Blackmail - Data Protection - Privacy - Confidentiality - s12, Human Rights Act 1998

[2019] EWHC 2569 (QB) - Queen's Bench Division

Judge Pepperall J

Lloyd v Google LLC

Data protection – personal data – Claimant seeking compensation for “damage” suffered by reason of contravention of statutory data protection requirement – whether “same interest” condition satisfied for bringing representative action under CPR r19.6

[2019] EWCA Civ 1599 - Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Judge Dame Victoria Sharp P, Sir Geoffrey Vos C, Davis LJ

AAA v Rakoff

Injunction - Privacy – Anonymity - Expedition

[2019] EWHC 2525 (QB) - High Court (Queen's Bench Division)

Judge Nicklin J

BVC v EWF (No. 2)

Injunction - Privacy - Harassment - jurisdiction - summary judgment

[2019] EWHC 2506 (QB) - High Court (Queen's Bench Division)

Judge HHJ Parkes QC

(1) GC (2) AF (3) BH (4) ED v CNIL

Right to be forgotten – special category data– full controller obligations only bite on search engine when delisting request made – obligation to create accurate impression about current legal proceedings

C-136/17 - CJEU Grand Chamber

Judge K. Lenaerts (President), A. Arabadjiev, A. Prechal, T. von Danwitz, C. Toader and F. Biltgen (Presidents of Chambers), M. Ilešič (Rapporteur), L. Bay Larsen, M. Safjan, D. Šváby, C.G. Fernlund, C. Vajda and S. Rodin

Google v CNIL

Right to be forgotten – territorial scope of de-referencing request – no requirement for global delisting – use of geo-blocking

C-507/17 - CJEU Grand Chamber

Judge K. Lenaerts (President), A. Arabadjiev, E. Regan, T. von Danwitz, C. Toader and F. Biltgen (Presidents of Chambers), M. Ilešič (Rapporteur), L. Bay Larsen, M. Safjan, D. Šváby, C.G. Fernlund, C. Vajda and S. Rodin

BVG v LAR (No 1)

Blackmail - Privacy - Misuse of Private Information - Harassment - Interim Injunction- Non-Disclosure Application

[2019] EWHC 2388 (QC) - High Court, Queen's Bench Division

Judge Murray J

Caine v Advertiser & Times Ltd and Ors (No. 2)

libel – malicious falsehood – res judicata / cause of action estoppel – abuse of process – Extended Civil Restraint Order – liability for hyperlinked content – jurisdiction of a Deputy High Court Judge – totally without merit applications

[2019] EWHC 2278 (QB) - High Court

Judge Richard Spearman QC sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge

Simon v Lyder

Defamation - Libel - Appeal from Court of Appeal of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - Reliance upon subsequent facts - The extent which, if at all, two or more different statements made upon different occasions by the same defendant may be aggregated for the purpose of giving rise to a cause of action in defamation

[2019] UKPC 38 - Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

Judge Lord Wilson, Lord Carnwath, Lady Black, Lord Briggs, Lady Arden

Fashion ID GmbH & Co. KG v Verbraucherzentrale NRW eV

Data protection – Facebook plugin embedded on website – joint controllers

C-40/17 - CJEU Second Chamber

Judge K. Lenaerts (President), A. Prechal, C. Toader, A. Rosas (Rapporteur) and M. Ilešič

Choudhrie v Choudhrie

Declaration – Breach of confidence – Marital confidence – Strike out - Jameel Abuse

[2019] EWHC 2066 (Ch) - High Court (Chancery Division)

Judge HHJ Hodge QC (sitting as a judge of the High Court)

Solicitor General v Holmes

Contempt in the face of the court – guidance where committal pursued in the Divisional Court

[2019] EWHC 1483 (Admin) - Divisional Court

Judge Coulson LJ, Spencer J

Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd

Defamation – serious harm to reputation under s.1, Defamation Act 2013 – construction – accrual of cause of action – role of meaning of words – role of inference in determination of issue of serious harm – applicability of repetition rule and rule in Dingle v Associated Newspapers to determination of issue of serious harm

[2019] UKSC 27 - Supreme Court

Judge Lords Kerr, Wilson, Sumption, Hodge and Briggs