The new legal term began last Friday. This runs from 11 January to 27 March 2013. We have information about one important media law appeal – in the important privacy and harassment case of Trimingham – listed in this period. We are also aware of five libel actions listed for trial. Please let us know if there are any other media law cases which will be dealt with in the next legal term.
The appeal is in the case of Trimingham v Associated Newspapers and will be heard by the Court of Appeal on the 12 or 13 March 2013. The claim, by Carina Trimingham, was dismissed by Tugendhat J on 24 May 2012 (([2012] EWHC 1296 (QB)). We had a case comment and a post about the grant of permission to appeal.
There is one jury trial, in the case of Thompson v James, listed for 7 days beginning on 11 February 2013. This is a claim brought by the author of the Carmarthenshire Planning Problems blog, Jacqui Thompson, against the chief executive of Carmarthenshire Council in relation to a letter dated 28 July 2011. Mr James has brought a counterclaim for libel, funded by the local authority. There is a BBC News story about the case here.
On 13 February 2013 there is a damages only trial by judge alone in the case of Al- Amoudi v Kifle. A previous action between the same parties was dealt with by HHJ Parkes QC in July 2011 ([2011] EWHC 2037 (QB)). On that occasion damages were assessed in the sum of £175,000. However, the defendant was resident in the United States and made no appearance in that action.
On 5 March 2013 there is a two day judge alone trial in the case of Subotic v Knezevic & Ors. This case was the subject of an unsuccessful strike out application on 25 May 2012. The defendant’s application for permission to appeal against this decision was dismissed after an oral hearing on 24 October 2012 ([2012] EWCA Civ 1517). [Update] We understand that this fixture was vacated following the PTR in November 2012 and that, as yet, no new date has been set for the trial. There is also a possibility that the mode of trial may be changed to judge and jury.
On 18 March 2013, there is a judge alone defamation trial in the case of Fish v Myint & anr. This is listed for 5 days but we do not have any further information.
On 18 March 2013 there is a 5 day trial listed in the case of ZAM v CFW & anr. An anomymised interim libel injunction was granted in this action by Tugendhat J on 7 March 2011 (see [2011] EWHC 476 (QB)). We had a case comment about this decision at the time and a post entitled “Libel, Blackmail and Anonymity: ZAM – the super injunction that never was“.
Finally, we note that there is an application for an order for committal in the case of McCann v Bennett, listed on 5 and 6 February 2013. This was the subject of a judgment on 24 October 2012, ([2012] EWHC 2876 (QB)).
Note, that although these are “media law” cases the only one with a UK mainstream media defendant is the Trimingham case.
Inforrm would like to thank Benjamin Pell for providing information for this post.
The link above to the post about the grant to appeal in the case of Trimingham v Associated Newspapers is broken/not working.
Thank you, now fixed
CONTEMPT OF COURT
Bennett v G. and K McCann
(case HQ 09 D 05196)
TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2013 and
WEDNESDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2013
And of course on 11 – 12 Feb 2013 in the Supreme Court: Public Relations Consultants Association Limited (Appellant) v the Newspaper Licensing Agency Limited and others (Respondents)