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Judge right to award lying libel claimant £1 damages, appeal rules

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Summary

The High Court judge was deemed correct in awarding only £1 in damages to a libel claimant who was found to have lied to the court. The libel claimant, computer scientist Dr Craig Wright, appealed the decision, claiming the judge had no right to reduce damages. However, the three appeal judges found the judge's decision to be a legitimate application of defamation law. This week, three rulings concerning Wright were published, including one concerning ‘identity issue’ which will be tested at a hearing next year.

Q&As

What was the High Court judge's decision regarding libel damages for Dr Craig Wright?
The High Court judge awarded only £1 in damages to Dr Craig Wright.

What were the arguments made by Wright's counsel in his appeal?
Wright's counsel argued that damages for injury to reputation should be treated like damages for personal injury, and that it was not legitimate to reduce damages on the grounds of post-publication misconduct.

How did the court rule in Wright v McCormack?
The court ruled that the judge's decision was a legitimate application of the sound principles of defamation law.

What will be tested at the hearing involving the 'identity issue' in two cases against Wright?
The 'identity issue' will be tested at a hearing scheduled for January and February next year.

What benefits does the Law Society provide?
The Law Society provides a reputable reference tool for solicitors, will-writers and their clients (Charity Explorer), a Legal Services Directory, membership benefits, Law Society Learning, a Bookshop, Events, an Online library, and more.

AI Comments

👍 The High Court judge's decision to award only £1 in damages to a libel claimant who lied to the court was a legitimate application of sound principles of defamation law.

👎 It is unfair to reduce damages for injury to reputation because of post-publication misconduct.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about a High Court judge who awarded a libel claimant £1 in damages because the claimant had submitted deliberately false evidence to the court.

Friend: Wow, that's interesting. What implications does this have?

Me: This ruling shows that the court will take into consideration the claimant's conduct and evidence when awarding damages. It also demonstrates that the court won't necessarily accept the claimant's statement of damage at face value, and that they may take mitigating factors into account. This ruling could have wide-reaching implications for other libel cases and could make claimants think twice about submitting false evidence in the future.

Action items

Research the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its implications for libel cases.
Learn more about the landmark 1970 case Broome v Cassell and its implications for defamation law.
Explore the Legal Services Directory to find suitable legal services for libel cases.

Technical terms

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): A regulation by the European Union that sets out the rules for processing personal data of individuals within the EU.
Quincecare: A 1992 case in which the court established a duty of care for banks when they are dealing with customers’ funds.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): A branch of computer science that deals with the development of computer systems that can think and act like humans.
Non-Compete Ban: A ban on agreements that prevent employees from working for a competitor after leaving a job.
Obiter: A legal opinion or comment made by a judge in a court case, which is not binding on other courts.
Brexit: The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
SQE: The Solicitors Qualifying Examination, a new route to qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales.
BBC: The British Broadcasting Corporation, a public service broadcaster in the UK.
SDT: The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, a tribunal that hears cases of alleged misconduct by solicitors in England and Wales.
SRA: The Solicitors Regulation Authority, the regulatory body for solicitors in England and Wales.
Libel: A false statement that is published and damages someone's reputation.