England and Wales Case Law

His Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales v Alvida Harrold

The court found that Mrs Harrold had habitually and persistently instituted vexatious proceedings and applications over nearly two decades, primarily against the Trust and NMC, with little or no merit and in defiance of previous court orders. The statutory criteria for a civil proceedings order were met. The order is proportionate and does not extinguish her Article 6 rights, as she may still seek leave to bring proceedings. Applications for adjournment, disclosure, and joinder were refused as they were either repetitive, lacked merit, or unnecessary for the fair resolution of the application.

Source excerpt

• Vexatious litigation
• Civil restraint orders
• Access to justice
• Article 6 echr
• Joinder of parties
• Disclosure

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Sangeeta Mittal v Barclays Bank Plc & Ors

The High Court partly allowed an amendment application in a property dispute, permitting proprietary estoppel and constructive trust claims, but refusing a challenge to receivers' appointment.

• Proprietary estoppel
• Constructive trusts
• Overriding interests
• Amendment of pleadings
• Joinder of parties
• Subrogation

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Mittal v Barclays Bank PLC & Ors

Mittal v Barclays Bank PLC & Ors [2026] EWHC 1029 (Ch) (01 May 2026)

The court allowed amendment of a property claim to plead proprietary estoppel and constructive trust, but refused a challenge to receivers’ appointment and deferred rescission issues.

• Proprietary estoppel
• Constructive trust
• Overriding interests
• Amendment of pleadings
• Subrogation
• Receivership

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Bargain Busting Limited v Shenzhen Ske Technology Company Limited & Ors

The High Court struck out contempt proceedings over trade mark registration correspondence with the UKIPO, and held the joinder application would have failed.

• Trade marks
• Criminal contempt
• Strike out applications
• Joinder of parties
• Contempt-of-court
• Strike-out-applications

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Bargain Busting Ltd v Shenzhen SKE Technology Company Ltd & Ors

Bargain Busting Ltd v Shenzhen SKE Technology Company Ltd & Ors [2026] EWHC 933 (Ch) (23 April 2026)

The High Court struck out contempt proceedings over emails to the UKIPO about trade mark registration, holding they were consistent with practice and not criminal contempt.

• Trade mark registration
• Criminal contempt
• Strike out applications
• Joinder of parties
• Criminal-contempt
• Strike-out

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Truell & Anor v Zalinska

Mrs Hatchard must be joined as a defendant to allow her to argue liability for costs and damages incurred by the estate of the deceased executor, as exposure existed at the date of death regardless of subsequent events.

Source excerpt

• Executor liability
• Joinder of parties
• Undertaking in damages
• Costs orders

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Bhattacharya & Anor v Robert Armstrong & Anor

Bhattacharya & Anor v Robert Armstrong & Anor [2026] EWHC 759 (Ch) (30 March 2026)

The High Court refused daughters’ bid to set aside an insolvency declaration over property ownership, finding no real prospect of success and holding the application abusive.

• Res judicata
• Abuse of process
• Constructive trust
• Resulting trust
• Beneficial ownership
• Joinder of parties

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Bishnupriya Bhattacharya & Anor v Robert Armstrong & Anor

The High Court refused non-parties’ bid to set aside a bankruptcy declaration about ownership of a London property, finding no real prospect of success and abuse of process.

• Bankruptcy
• Beneficial ownership
• Constructive trust
• Resulting trust
• Estoppel
• Res judicata

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Epping Forest District Council v Somani Hotels Ltd

Epping Forest District Council v Somani Hotels Ltd [2026] EWCA Civ 264 (13 March 2026)

The Court of Appeal refused EFDC permission to appeal over an injunction claim about asylum accommodation at the Bell Hotel and upheld the related costs orders.

• Injunctions under s.187b tcpa 1990
• Material change of use
• Planning enforcement
• Costs orders
• Joinder of parties
• Accommodation of asylum seekers

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Andrew John Martin v Daniel Brian Wilkinson & Ors

It is too late for the defendants to object to the amendments at paragraphs 8.3 to 8.5 of the amended particulars of claim, as they have been on notice for 10 months, have pleaded to them, and no formal application to exclude them was made. The interests of justice and the overriding objective require the trial to proceed on the basis of the pleadings as they stand.

Source excerpt

• Amendment of pleadings
• Declarations of trust
• Sham trusts
• Case management
• Joinder of parties

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