Commercial Disputes

NI trader fined for misleading customer

NI trader fined for misleading customer

A Northern Ireland car dealer has been fined £300 for misleading a customer by failing to tell her that the car she was purchasing had been a category insurance write-off. Blair... Read more

Private member bill to redress NI libel mis-step

Last month the Queen signed into effect new legislation increasing protection against libel to academics, publishers and 'authors of responsible journalism.' The legislation will not however take effect in Northern Ireland... Read more

Pothole claims up but compensation down

Motorists throughout Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK are all too familiar with the damage that potholes can cause to their cars. Few drivers who have to pay to... Read more

Landmark patient care decision puts patient first

An important case decision could have implications for many people in Northern Ireland who are provided money by a health trust to cover their care. David McKenna had been attending the... Read more

Man who called 999 sued by policewoman

A petrol station owner in Norfolk who thought his premises was being burgled call 999, which he was to later regret when he received a solicitors letter advising he was... Read more

Belfast could become the libel capital of the world

Northern Ireland could greatly benefit from topping a few tourist destination lists, with the exception of becoming the libel capital of the world. For many years the laws in Britain in... Read more

Even hobbit houses need planning permission

Property owners in Wales have learned that it is one thing to build a house that is friendly to the environment, but it also has to be friendly to the... Read more

Will set aside because of pressure from son

The revised Will made by a woman just two years before her death at the age of 96 has been set aside by the High Court because of pressure applied... Read more

Huhne and ex-wife jailed over speeding deception

Former energy minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce have both been sentenced to 8 months prison for their deception to police officers during an incident when their car... Read more

Husband deceived over children wins damages

A man who was tricked into believing that the two children he helped raise until they were teenagers where his has been awarded £25,000 damages after he sued his ex-wife. Factory... Read more

Decision on Belfast vested houses case today

A decision is expected today from the Land Tribunal in respect of the case brought by the Belfast homeowners who had their properties vested by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive... Read more

Causeway golf complex challenge at High Court

The Belfast High Court is currently hearing the arguments of the National Trust in support of its challenge to the planning permission granted to build a £100million golf and hotel... Read more

Pupil loses legal bid over Belfast school suspension

A former pupil of Victoria College in Belfast has lost her legal action against the school over the disciplinary action she received over racist remarks about a fellow pupil. The mother... Read more

Prison sentence for neighbour fight over fence

A man has been given a suspended 12 month prison sentence after an argument with his neighbour over a fence ended up in violence. Raymond Chaplin and Neil Armstrong have lived... Read more

Son runs up £100k legal bill suing father

A man who took his father to court four times in eight years has run up a £100,000 legal bill and been awarded just £5.60 per year by the High... Read more

Belfast site close to being seized by NIHE

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has successfully won the first part of a court case in a bid to seize back a site of land in Belfast city centre... Read more

End to 10 year dispute of over-repaired building

A ten year legal dispute over a derelict cottage that the council said was over-repaired has come to an end. In 1992 farmer Robert Burrough, aged 62, purchased farmland which included... Read more

Purchaser of Belfast house ordered to complete

A purchaser who entered into contract to purchase a house in Malone Park, Belfast, has been told he must complete the purchase after he attempted to withdraw from the agreement. Nicholas... Read more

Wheelie bin dispute racks up £21k legal fees

A neighbour dispute about a wheelie bin has resulted in a £21,000 legal bill, after it went as far as two civil court hearings. Mr & Mrs Ali received a complaint... Read more

£150k legal bill for 'slow dog walking'

A legal dispute between a landlord and tenant over 'slow dog walking' is likely to result in a £150,000 legal bill for farmer Linda Jeffries, aged 61. Ms Jeffries and her... Read more

Compensation for suicidal man pursued for debt

Torbay Council has agreed to pay compensation to a suicidal man they forced into bankruptcy in their attempts to recover a debt of £2,000 in respect of council tax arrears. Bailiffs... Read more

Neighbour dispute over wind chimes 'torture'

A set of wind chimes hanging from a clothes line in the rear garden of a property has driven a next-door neighbour to complain to the council of what he... Read more

Teacher accused of racial harassment of German neighbour

Geoffrey Butler, a teacher aged 54, has been accused of racially-aggravated harassment of his German neighbour, Reinhard Wendt, over a period of four years, including accusations of playing the Dambusters... Read more

Book review on Amazon results in libel allegations

Vaughan Jones, aged 28, is currently defending himself in the High Court against libel allegations over a book review he wrote on the Amazon website last year. The case was brought... Read more

Internet defamation cases double in a year

Sweet and Maxwell have published information suggesting that the number of people who have gone to court in England and Wales over alleged defamation online has doubled in a year. An... Read more

Neighbour dispute against nude gardener dismissed

Cheltenham magistrates have dismissed a case brought against a naturist by his neighbour, saying there was no case to answer. Theresa Fairchild had only been living in her new apartment for... Read more

Mother sues daughter 'for her own protection'

Millionairess Diana Lindsay, aged 85, is suing her daughter Beverley to claw back the Chelsea house she purchased for her 20 years ago. Ms Lindsay says she is taking the... Read more

Judge urges truce in fence libel row

Lord Justice Toulson has urged two people embroiled in a two-year libel fight which begun over a fence to "seek mediation". The dispute arose the when in 2006, pipe making... Read more

10million people have a neighbour problem

New research carried out by Which? has found that 10million people had a problem with a neighbour last year, with 5million people saying that they are annoyed by their... Read more

Donald Trump steps up boundary dispute in UK

Tycoon and media-celebrity Donald Trump has raised the stakes in his on-going feud with a property owner in Scotland who is refusing to sell-up and make way for a... Read more

Twitter users who undermine law to face legal action

Attorney General Dominic Grieve has issued a strong warning to Twitter users, and anyone publishing on other internet sites, that anyone who undermines the law will face legal action. Mr... Read more

Twitter vulnerable if UK office opened

The revelations made in Twitter over the past two days, and a a carefully worded question in the House of Commons yesterday, has caused the micro-blogging site to be... Read more

Twitter in libel spotlight over footballer injunction

The social media tool Twitter has found itself in the libel spotlight again after hundreds of users named a footballer who had obtained a court injunction preventing the newspapers... Read more

Newspapers warn libel changes are dangerous

A group of senior journalists have criticised the governments proposed change to defamation laws that would see an end to the use of juries in libel trials. A committee of... Read more

Pensioner could lose home over neighbour dispute

Ian Chisholm, aged 62, has said he could lose his home after running up £20,000 of legal costs in a boundary dispute with his neighbour over five inches of... Read more

Former NI Water director to sue over dismissal

Declan Gormley, one of three former directors of Northern Ireland Water to be dismissed by regional development minister Conor Murphy after an independent report, is to sue the minister... Read more

NIHE terminates Red Sky maintenance contracts

  The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has sent a termination letter to Red Sky construction company to end maintenance contracts in three months time. Red Sky is based in... Read more

£7.65m payout in professional negligence case

The High Court has ordered law firm Wragge & Co to pay £7.65million to their former client Amalgamated Metal Corporation (AMC) after finding them liable for professional negligence. ... Read more

Singing gardener silenced by neighbours

A home-owner who enjoyed singing while tending his vegetable garden has received a solicitors letter from neighbours threatening to take him to court if he doesn't "modify" his behaviour. Darren... Read more

Squatting to be criminalised

According to a senior Whitehall source Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke will criminalise squatting and thereby empower police to move into a property by force to evict illegal occupants. Squatters... Read more

Draft Defamation Bill published by MoJ

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has published its much anticipated draft Defamation Bill which aims to reform the UKs much maligned libel laws, which have long been criticised the... Read more

First UK Twitter libel claim win

The High Court in Cardiff Wales heard what is believed to be the first UK libel case involving comments made on Twitter. The case ended with Welsh councillor Colin... Read more

Victims Commissioner candidate loses discrimination claim

  Marie Breen Smyth, a candidate for the role of Victims Commissioner in Northern Ireland has had her claim for unlawful discrimination rejected by an industrial tribunal. Ms Breen Smyth... Read more

Squatters got legal aid to stay in £1million house

John Hamilton-Brown, owner of the £1million property taken over by squatters, has said he was "horrified" to learn that the people who had inhabited his house had received hundreds... Read more

Counting the cost of neighbours

New research by Direct Line has uncovered that neighbours are responsible for over £246 of damage to our houses every year. Research shows that neighbours are regularly... Read more

Employer to pay £13k to employee caught stealing

  Employer Simon Cremer has been ordered to pay £5,000 compensation and £8,000 court costs to an employee he caught stealing from him for "humiliation". Mr Cremer had discovered that... Read more

Judge criticises expensive water sprinkler battle

Lord Justice Ward has called neighbours Paul Langridge and Anthony Mead "ludicrous" for allowing a row over a sprinkler system and electrical cables to get out of control, with the... Read more

Neighbour dispute forces film star out of home

After a five year legal battle costing a quarter of a million of pounds, film star Greta Scacchi has said she felt forced to leave her 'dream' cottage in... Read more

Failed property developers serve writ on bank

  Michael and John Taggart, the two brothers behind one of the biggest property companies in Northern Ireland to go into administration in the aftermath of the recession, have turned the... Read more

Northern Ireland judge wins newspaper libel case

The publishers of the Sunday Times have agreed to pay an undisclosed amount of libel damages to Northern Ireland High Court judge Mr Justice Seamus Treacy in respect of... Read more

Singer and footballer clash over 6m fence

Former boyband member Matthew Johnson and ex-Welsh football captain Kevin Ratcliffe have appeared in court as a result of an ongoing row over a 20m fence erected by the... Read more

Jilted bride sues ex-fiance for cancelling wedding

A woman lawyer in Chicago is suing her ex-fiance for nearly $100,000 after he cancelled the wedding four days before it was due to take place, and she was... Read more

Senior health official wins 44k libel damages

Former senior health official, Bridget O'Rawe, has been awarded libel damages of £44,000 after a judge found that she had been defamed by an article in the Impartial Reporter... Read more

Neighbour builds bollard on shared driveway

Property disputes among neighbours are becoming increasingly more common, and in particular over parking, especially when common areas or shared driveways are concerned. A neighbour dispute in Mill End,... Read more

Neighbour dispute ends in car attack with spade

A dispute among neighbours over car parking resulted in the smashing of a car window with a spade on Ave Maria Road, Maryland. Alan Donnelly, aged 42, says he "lost... Read more

Internet companies ask PM for libel reform

David Cameron has received an open letter from Facebook, Yahoo!, AOL and the Internet Service Providers' Association (Ispa) requesting reform of the UK libel laws in order to protect... Read more

Celebrity neighbour dispute over scaffolding

Television cook Nigella Lawson and multi-millionaire husband Charles Saatchi have been caught up in a dispute with their Egyptian neighbours over scaffolding blocking the view from the rear windows... Read more

Developer warns residents not to object to plans

Developers have issued a written warning to residents that they will be in breach of their lease agreements and will face legal actions if they continue to oppose a... Read more

Belfast Titanic apartment counter-claim launched

  Property Developer John Taggart has launched a counter-claim to the action by Titanic Quarter Ltd trying to compel him to complete the purchase of a Belfast apartment. A number of... Read more

Belfast High Court throws out school place case

The Belfast High Court has thrown out a case brought by the family of a girl trying to force a grammar school to give a place to their daughter who... Read more

Bins: Neighbour disputes and property devaluation

A new study by Bin Buddy has revealed that more than 1 in 3 families have fallen out with their neighbours over the issue of bins; 35% in total... Read more

Neighbour dispute - the UKs most hated garden tree

They have been described by the Collins Tree Guide as "the most hated garden tree" and have been the subject of a number of neighbour disputes resulting in costly... Read more

Harassment conviction for 'obsessive' hedge cutting

Susan Sheldrick, a nurse aged 45, and her husband Nigel Sheldrick, aged 49, have been convicted of harassment of their neighbours for behaviour lasting 3 years which included what... Read more

£10,000 damages award to Facebook libel victim

Law student Raymond Bryce, who was falsely accused of being a paedophile on the internet, has been awarded £10,000 damages by the High Court. The allegations were made by Jeremiah... Read more

BSkyB says Skype trademark is confusingly similar

The Satellite TV group BSkyB has confirmed that it is in a trademark dispute with the Internet phone service provider Skype, saying that its name is so similar to the... Read more

Libel law should be changed to protect free speech

Britain's highest court, the Supreme Court, is currently hearing a test libel case which could make it easier for defendants to rely on the defence of 'fair comment' in libel... Read more

Purchasers of mansion sue sellers for lack of privacy

A couple have launched a High Court battle against the previous owners of the £1.7million country mansion because of a road which they say has cost them their privacy. Nicholas and... Read more

Actor wins wire fence dispute with Beatles widow

Actor Rodney Bewes, best known for his role in the TV show 'The Likely lads', has won a long-running dispute over a garden fence with the widow of George Harrison. Mr... Read more

?3million legal costs in settled libel case

Settling his libel claim against Channel 4 on the eve of the trial, and after legal costs of £3million had been clocked up, Matthew Fiddes maintained that his case was... Read more

"World's worst tennis pro" loses libel case

Tennis player Robert Dee has lost his defamation case against the Daily Telegraph in the High Court after the newspaper dubbed him the "world's worst tennis pro". The article was published... Read more

Increased negligence claims against Accounting firms

Accounting firms are facing more professional negligence claims from investors who lost money in the credit crunch, and some solicitors are predicting that it is just the beginning of a... Read more

Easyjet owner to sue Ryanair boss over "libellous" ad

Easyjet owner Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has instructed lawyers to serve a writ on the chief executive of Ryanair Michael O'Leary, saying "It was about time someone was willing to spend... Read more

Barahaven Construction fined GBP 4,000 over asbestos-related offence

A company has been fined GBP 4,000 for waste-related offences, those considering approaching Northern Ireland solicitors may be interested to discover.Barahaven Construction Limited, from Coalisland, was fined GBP 4,000 plus... Read more

BSkyB wins ?200million damages in largest commercial case of decade

BSkyB has won a landmark court ruling in what has become one of the largest commercial cases of the last decade, involving legal costs estimated at £70million. The satellite broadcaster... Read more

Crimes against business 'on the up'

Crimes against businesses are on the up due to the recession, it has been claimed.According to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), its figures show that 64 per cent of... Read more

Ryanair and Expedia in dispute over contract

Airline Ryanair has issued travel company Expedia with a 30-day notice of intent to end its hotel contract with the firm, it has been reported.Ryanair says it is cancelling a... Read more

Government terror bill rejected by Lords

A government proposal to tighten the UK's anti-terror laws has been rejected in the House of Lords.The Counter-Terrorism Bill would have allowed police in Britain to hold those suspected of... Read more

Campaigners lobby Westminster over abortion law

Campaigners for changes to the law regarding abortions in Northern Ireland have lobbied MPs at Westminster, which may interest those in the legal profession.The Irish Times reports that up to... Read more

Ulster bank applies to join rescue scheme

The Ulster Bank has applied to join the scheme put forward by the Irish government that protects deposits should a financial crisis occur, it has been reported.Legislation which was needed... Read more

EU farmers' victims of "unfair" regulation

European farmers are "hampered" by regulations that don't apply in non-EU countries which export into Europe, according to a commissioner.Mariann Fischer Boel, the EU Agriculture Commissioner, said that while this... Read more

New plans cause "considerable concern" to human rights body

A human rights body has said that government plans to allow police to hold terror suspects without charge for 42 days are of "considerable concern", reports the BBC.The Council of... Read more

Irish government will guarantee six banks and building societies

The Irish government has said it will guarantee all deposits in Irish banks as well as all money borrowed by the banks from other financial institutions, it has been reported.Following... Read more

Planning dispute over Irish shoreline

A stretch of shoreline at Warrenpoint in Ireland is in the middle of a clash between developers and local authorities, according to a report. Plans for a development close to... Read more

Sub prime crisis action brought against Lehman Brothers

The Northern Ireland Local Government Officer Superannuation Committee has been appointed a plaintiff in a class action against Lehman Brothers, reports IPE, with Lothian Pension Fund co-lead plaintiff.Millions of dollars... Read more

Belfast firm part of aviation trade dispute

The US and the UK could clash over £155 million state aid given to the Shorts aerospace factory in Belfast, it has been reported.Canadian company Bombardier is using the aid,... Read more

Commercial disputes 'could rise in crunch'

The frequency of commercial disputes in Northern Ireland and Britain could increase with the credit crunch, it has been claimed.According to BusinessZone.co.uk, late payments of contracts from large to small... Read more

Crunch 'will increase commercial disputes'

Solicitors in Northern Ireland may be in increased demand as the number of commercial disputes grows with the credit crunch, it has been predicted.Company lawyer Iain Monaghan told Computer Weekly... Read more

Equality bill poses problems for insurers

The equality bill that was put before parliament earlier this summer could pose problems for the insurance industry, one expert has suggested. Graeme Trudgill, technical and corporate affairs executive at... Read more

EU business disputes regulation

The government has voted to protect businesses in Britain and Northern Ireland by signing up to new European Union legislation intended to prevent international commercial disputes. Under the Rome I... Read more

Businesses advised to seek mediation before court

Firms in Great Britain and Northern Ireland should seek mediation and advice from solicitors sooner when involved in commercial disputes, the government has advised.According to employment relations service Acas, small... Read more

'More business owners need a written contract'

Not enough small firm owners have approached solicitors to ensure they have a written contract in case of business disputes, it has been claimed. Figures from O2 and the Law... Read more

Commercial disputes in crunch 'may provoke more litigation'

An increase in commercial disputes during the credit crunch may mean more litigation cases in the UK, including Northern Ireland, it has been claimed.Writing in Legal Week, expert Claire Ruckin... Read more

Good planning 'essential in avoiding commercial disputes'

Drawing up clear contracts is essential to avoid commercial disputes in the technology industry, according to a contract lawyer.Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Andrew Dyson said that both parties in... Read more

"Surging" e-commerce driving growth

Spending on online advertising in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is set to overtake that used on television adverts for the first time in 2008, according to... Read more

NI businesses 'should seek advice' on succession

A succession plan is essential when a parent wishes to split a family business between heirs, reports Karen E Klein in the LA Times.Northern Ireland firms should consider Ms Klein's... Read more

Report issued into attitudes to commercial disputes

PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary University in London have released a report into the attitudes of corporations into international commercial disputes.The research is intended... Read more

Kenny court case reaches settlement

Irish broadcaster Pat Kenny has settled a legal action with his neighbours over who owns a strip of land behind his house.Mr Kenny agreed to buy the land following a... Read more

Kenny court case reaches settlement

Irish broadcaster Pat Kenny has settled a legal action with his neighbours over who owns a strip of land behind his house.Mr Kenny agreed to buy the land following a... Read more

Minister admits to contractor slur

Solicitors in Northern Ireland have secured damages for a contractor after SDLP minister Thomas Burns admitted he had libelled the firm.Not only did solicitors win damages for Eastwood, but also... Read more

Minister admits to contractor slur

Solicitors in Northern Ireland have secured damages for a contractor after SDLP minister Thomas Burns admitted he had libelled the firm.Not only did solicitors win damages for Eastwood, but also... Read more

Jury members 'are not peasants'

A solicitor has spoken out for all of the profession in Belfast and Northern Ireland by voicing concerns that juries are sometimes treated like idiots.In Belfast's Court of Appeal a... Read more

Jury members 'are not peasants'

A solicitor has spoken out for all of the profession in Belfast and Northern Ireland by voicing concerns that juries are sometimes treated like idiots.In Belfast's Court of Appeal a... Read more

Nipsa probes government settlement

While solicitors in Northern Ireland have resolved a government court case, trade union Nipsa is angry that there has not been more transparency about the settlement. The Department of Finance... Read more

Nipsa probes government settlement

While solicitors in Northern Ireland have resolved a government court case, trade union Nipsa is angry that there has not been more transparency about the settlement. The Department of Finance... Read more

Freedom of the press challenged

Solicitors in Northern Ireland and the rest of the western world will be paying close attention to an appeal case which could have massive implications on the freedom of the... Read more

CLA offers £100k for copyright whistleblowers

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland may see more clients concerned about licensing and copyright infringements after the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) has offered those who inform on people breaching... Read more

Tougher penalties for bad employers

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland should see fewer claims from employees after a new employment bill has been published to ensure bosses are fairer.Even if businesses do exploit or... Read more

Businesses 'should document everything' to avoid claims

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland may be able to defend more businesses against professional negligence claims if only firms documented all the advice they give.Northern Ireland solicitors are best... Read more

Subbies owed thousands by haulage firm

Northern Ireland solicitors may see an increasing number of sub-contractors coming to them for legal advice after Reid Transport has gone into administration, owing them tens of thousands of pounds.The... Read more

Commercial disputes led by emotion

Solicitors in Northern Ireland may see clients involved in commercial disputes become as bitter as some of the divorce clients they have seen, after new research reveals that around half... Read more

Advice 'essential' for commercial property minnows

Advice 'essential' for commercial property minnowsFor small businesses thinking of renting commercial property in Northern Ireland, advice from solicitors is one of the most important things to obtain, the Royal... Read more

Lack of education on dispute avoidance revealed

Although 58 per cent of senior managers worry about how a commercial dispute will affect staff morale, law firm Nabarro has found that 30 per cent of firms in Britain... Read more

Solicitors doubles negligence claims

Law firm Eversheds is facing a new claim of professional negligence, after already being sued for £20 million for the same reason by Nationwide Building Society over mortgage fraud.The latest... Read more

Law firm hit by lawsuit

City legal practice Charles Russell has been served with court papers by pop record producer Mike Stock, who is suing the firm for professional negligence.The law firm will face a... Read more

Ad agencies' legal dispute continues

The dispute between An Agency Called England (AACE) and marketing consultants Fuse 8 group is set to see court in November for a five-day hearing if negotiations can not be... Read more

Photographer ruled as unprofessional

Freelance photographer David Hoffman has failed to win his business dispute against MP George Galloway, after he refused to pay for blurry pictures.Mr Galloway failed to pay Mr Hoffman his... Read more

Dissolution to solve selling distress

Proposals to change the law could result in easier transactions for people who want to sell their apartment in a development where the facilities management has a poor track record.Until... Read more

iSoft considering legal action after CSC bid block

iSoft bosses have already visited solicitors for advice after US software supplier CSC attempted to block its sale to Australian firm IBA.A £233 million deal was agreed between the NHS... Read more

Music companies win record copyright payout

CD Wow has had to pay £35 million in damages to members of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), constituting the largest copyright payout in Britain, Northern Ireland and the rest... Read more

Daily Mail libel battle begins

Journalist Rebecca Hardy appears to be in hot water as former TV executive Mike Hollingsworth's High Court libel case kicks off against the Daily Mail after Ms Hardy alleged that... Read more

Watford's woes cemented with libel

Watford Football Club has announced that it will sue the Watford Observer for publishing an article, which could have been potentially libellous without giving club directors a right to reply.Steve... Read more

DJ war ends in settlement

A legal case between two rival radio stations in Northern Ireland has been negotiated by solicitors at the last minute, rather than face judgement by a jury.The battle began when... Read more

FSA investigates banks' retaliation against complaining customers

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has been forced to step in after two financial service providers shut down accounts of customers who complained about potentially illicit lending fees.Involving two of... Read more