Royal CourtsThe new legal term – Michaelmas – starts today and will end on 19 December 2014.  With the invaluable assistance of Mr Benjamin Pell we have prepared a list of the upcoming defamation and privacy judgments, trials and appeals.  We would be grateful to readers for information about any other listed or pending cases.  We will then update this post.

The first important event of the term is the hand down on 3 October 2014 of the judgment in the libel case of Garcia v Associated Newspapers  which was heard on 21-25, 28-9 and 31 July 2014 by Dingemans J. [Update:  This judgment was not handed down on 3 October 2014.  We will add the correct date when it is known][Update 2: This judgment will be handed down on Monday 6 October 2014 at 10.30am in Court 13]

The following libel trials are listed to take place this term

  • Craggs v Harvey.  A 5 day libel trial begins on 27 October 2014 (PTR on 3 October 2014)  [Update: This case has now settled with a Statement in Open Court being read on 3 October 2014][Update 2:  There is a short news report about the case on the 5RB website]
  • Mitchell v News Group Newspapers Ltd and Rowland v Mitchell 12 day libel trial beginning on 17 November 2014 (2 day PTR starts on 23 October 2014).  There have been a number of well known interim judgments in this case – most recently [2014] EWHC 2615 (QB)

There is one privacy trial and one in data protection listed for this term:

  • Tindall v Express Newspapers 2 day trial beginning on 10 November 2014.  The Press Gazette has a summary of the case here.
  • Hegglin v Google Inc 5 day trial beginning on 24 November 2014.  An expedited trial was ordered by Bean J on 31 July 2014 after he gave permission to serve the proceedings out of the jurisdiction [2014] EWHC 2808 (QB).

The following media law matters are before the Court of Appeal this term:

  • Contostavlos v Newsgroup Newspapers, Permission to Appeal, 12 November 2014.  An application for permission to appeal against a decision of Tugendhat J [2014] EWHC 1339 (QB)
  • Vidal-Hall v Google Inc, Appeal on 8 or 9 December 2014, 5 hour time estimate.  This is an appeal from a decision of Tugendhat J [2014] EWHC 13 (QB).  We had a Case Comment on this decision.
  • Cruddas v Calvert, Appeal on 8 or 9 December 2014, 15 hours time estimate.  This is an appeal from a decision of Tugendhat J [2013] EWHC 1427 (QB).
  • Rufus v Elliott Appeal on 10 or 11 December 2014, 5 hour time estimate.  This is an appeal from a decision of Dingemans J [2013] EWHC 3355 (QB)

Reserved judgments are awaited in two Court of Appeal cases heard last term

  • Bewry v. Reed Elsevier UK Limited (T/A Lexisnexis), heard 7 July 2014 (Lewison, Macur and Sharp LJJ) (Case Tracker).
  • Flood v Times Newspapers (Master of the Rolls, Leveson P and Sharp LJ), heard 9 July 2014 (Case Tracker).  This was an appeal from a decision of Nicola Davies J [2013] EWHC 4075 (QB)

There are three other media law law cases pending before the Court of Appeal which are not likely to be heard this term: