England and Wales Case Law

Trustees of the AFM and SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund & Ors v Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

Trustees of the AFM and SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund & Ors v Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology [2025] EWHC 3262 (Ch) (11 December 2025)

The court held that the representative claims could continue only if causation arguments succeed, and allowed PPL to intervene on the Atresmedia issue.

• Representative actions
• Francovich damages
• Equitable remuneration
• Collective redress
• Case management
• Disclosure

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Trustees of the AFM and SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund & Ors v The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

Representative claims under CPR 19.8 may proceed only if damages can be assessed on a common basis without individualised inquiry; since the claimants' proposals do not adequately address practicalities if causation arguments fail, the court grants a limited further opportunity for claimants to demonstrate viability, but does not bring the representative claims to an end at this stage. PPL is permitted to intervene by written submissions under the court's inherent jurisdiction.

Source excerpt

• Representative actions
• Francovich damages
• Equitable remuneration
• Eu law implementation
• Case management
• Intervention

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Trustees of the AFM and SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund v The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

The High Court dealt with representative-action, standing, Brexit damages, and audio-visual works issues in a claim about performers’ equitable remuneration.

• Equitable remuneration
• Performers' rights
• Francovich damages
• Collective management organisations
• National treatment
• Post-brexit statutory regime

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Tesla Inc & Anor v InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc & Ors

The Court of Appeal considered Tesla’s attempt to pursue FRAND and related patent claims against InterDigital and Avanci, focusing on jurisdiction, declaratory relief, and forum issues.

• Jurisdiction
• Frand licensing
• Standard essential patents (seps)
• Declaratory relief
• Forum non conveniens
• Representative actions

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MBR Acres Ltd & Ors v Curtin

MBR Acres Ltd & Ors v Curtin [2025] EWHC 331 (KB) (19 February 2025)

High Court judgment on alleged protest trespass, highway obstruction, harassment, drone use, and injunctions at the Wyton Site, including contempt findings.

• Trespass
• Public nuisance
• Harassment
• Injunctions
• Freedom of expression
• Contempt of court

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Josephine Hayes v Dr Mark Pack & Ors

Permission to appeal is refused on all grounds because the claim is a private law dispute about the applicant's expulsion, not a vehicle for wider governance or representative issues. The Master and Judge correctly limited the scope of the claim, refused amendments and representation orders, and there is no real prospect of success on any ground. No compelling reason for appeal exists.

Source excerpt

• Expulsion from unincorporated association
• Breach of contract
• Representative actions
• Amendment of pleadings
• Costs
• Adjournment applications

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Getty Images (US) Inc & Ors v Stability AI Ltd

Getty Images (US) Inc & Ors v Stability AI Ltd [2025] EWHC 38 (Ch) (14 January 2025)

The High Court refused a representative action by Thomas M Barwick Inc under CPR 19.8 in the Getty Images v Stability AI copyright case.

• Copyright infringement
• Representative actions
• Database right infringement
• Trade mark infringement
• Passing off
• Case management

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Getty Images (US) Inc & Ors v Stability AI Ltd

The High Court refused to let Thomas M Barwick Inc act as representative claimant in Getty Images v Stability AI, and dismissed the fallback CPR 19.3 application.

• Copyright infringement
• Database right infringement
• Trade mark infringement
• Passing off
• Representative actions
• Case management

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Hayes v Pack & Anor

Hayes v Pack & Anor [2025] EWHC 6 (KB) (02 January 2025)

The High Court refused permission to appeal in a dispute over a Liberal Democrats member’s expulsion, and dismissed an application to adjourn trial.

• Expulsion from unincorporated association
• Interpretation of contract terms
• Representative actions
• Civil procedure rules part 19 and 52
• Summary judgment
• Striking out pleadings

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Prismall v Google UK Ltd & Anor

Prismall v Google UK Ltd & Anor [2024] EWCA Civ 1516 (11 December 2024)

The Court of Appeal dismissed Mr Prismall’s representative claim for misuse of private information over transfer of Royal Free patient records to Google and DeepMind.

• Misuse of private information
• Representative actions
• Reasonable expectation of privacy
• Loss of control damages
• Direct care exception
• Misuse-of-private-information

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