Case No: QB-2021-004688 |
Neutral Citation Number: [2023] EWHC 3560 (KB) |
Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
BEFORE: |
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MASTER EASTMAN |
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BETWEEN: |
| MISS LOWENTHAL | CLAIMANT |
| - and - |
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| NHS RESOLUTION | DEFENDANT |
Known Legal Representation
Mr Adam Porte on behalf of the Defendant
Other Parties Present and their status
None known
Judgment
Judgment date: 27 July 2023
(start and end times cannot be noted due to audio format)
Reporting Restrictions Applied: No
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Number of folios in transcript 27 |
Number of words in transcript 1,901 |
Master Eastman:
Thisisan extempore judgement in an applicationbythe Defendant,NHS Resolution,tostrikeoutMissLowenthal'sclaimwhichwasissuedbackinDecemberof2021inrespectofherassertionthat,effectively,the Defendantswereoverpaidby a dintofmoniestheytookoutoftheproceedsofsaleofapropertyinrespectofanobligationshehadtotheminrespectofsomecosts.Hercaseessentiallyisthatshereachedanagreementthatalthoughthe Costs Orderagainstherintheproceedingsaboutwhichthisallrelates wasinthesumofultimately£50,000-odd, hercaseisthatshehadadealandshereachedadeal,shesays,withaMr Henningsinrespectofacompromisetothatwherebythe Defendantwouldtake £27,500infullandfinalsettlement.
AsIsay,thisisanapplicationtostrikeoutthatclaimorindeedtogivesummaryjudgmentpursuanttoCPR3.4or24.2respectively.
Inthecourseof her arguments,MissLowenthalhas made referencetothefactthatsheisavulnerablepersonandthereforethe Courtshouldmakeallowancesforher.
Thisapplicationhasaveryextensivehistory.ItwasfirstlistedtobeheardinOctoberof2022,havingbeenissuedintheMaybefore.Onthedayofthathearing, MissLowenthalcontactedthecourtandsaidshewasunabletoattend.Ithereforegrantedheranadjournment.Thematterwasrelistedfor27Marchthisyear.The Claimantagainemailedthecourtonthemorningofthathearing indicating she had instructedabarristertorepresenther,buthewasunavailableonthatday.Iadjournedthemattertogiveherachancetoberepresented.Thematterwasrelistedfor16June.
Onthatoccasion,MissLowenthalattendedherself,andIrememberitwell,andaskedforafurtheradjournment.Inpart,atthatstage,Iremembercitingthefactthatthebarristerconcernedwasoutofthecountrybutwasexpectedtobebackinafewweeks. That is why,inpart,weadjournedthematteruntiltoday.ThereisnosignofthebarristerbeinghereandMissLowenthalhasdoneherbest,andaverycompetentbestifImaysayso,toadvancehercaseherselftoday.
I am satisfiedthat,giventheamountoftimeMissLowenthalhashadtoprepareherselfforthishearingtoday inspiteofhermedicaldifficulties,whichIfullyacceptexist,shehasbeengivensufficientchance,asavulnerableperson,toprepareherselfandtopresenthercase,andthereforeIseenofurtherproblemindealingwithittoday.
I have furtherbeenprovidedbyherwithaskeletonargumentwhich,albeitthatitcamelate,andImakenocriticismofherforherlateness,Iknow she has beenlabouringunderdifficulties,Ihavehadthechancetoreaditandanextensivewitnessstatementfromherwhich I have alsohadachancetoread.Ifurther had askeletonargumentpreparedbyMrPort, whorepresentsthe Defendants, ontheirbehalf,whichisdatedaweekagoandwhichhasbeenin Miss Lowenthal'spossessionforsomeconsiderabletime.Aweekis,inmyjudgmentquiteample.
Theheartofthecase,as I have alreadyindicated,isthesimplequestion,wasthereorwastherenotaconcludedagreementbetweenMissLowenthal,onherside,andaMrHenning,onbehalfofthe Defendants,toreducethesumdue in respectofthesecoststo £27,500,andthereforethe Defendant,havinggotagreatdealmore of thatbywayofcharges,shouldshebeentitledtoarefundofthemonies? Thecaseis,inthosecircumstances,ultimately,inmyjudgment,averysimpleone. I am askedtostrikeitoutonthegroundsthatithasnorealisticprospectsofsuccessor that itoughttobestruckout, as I have indicated,underthetwopossibleprovisionsoftheCPR. I am satisfiedthat it is appropriateformetodealwiththemattertoday.Iamnotsatisfiedthat,bearinginmindthecase'shistory,Ishallgrantanyfurtheradjournment,notthatMissLowenthalhasactuallyaskedforfurtheradjournment,but I am notsatisfiedthatIshouldadjournitanyfurther.Thisparticularapplicationhasgoneonlongenough.
ThelawwhichIhavetoapplyisfairlystraightforwardandwellknowntothecourt.Icanstrikeoutandshouldstrikeout if I am satisfied,pursuanttopart3.4(2),thatthestatementofcasedisclosesnoreasonablegroundsforbringingordefendingthecaseorthatthestatementofcaseisanabuseofthecourtprocess,orotherwiselikelytoobstructthejustdisposalofproceedings. TakingintoaccounthowIshouldapproachthattest, CPR 3.4(2)says statementsofcasewhicharesuitableforstrikingoutongroundAincludethosewhichraiseanunwinnablecasewherecontinuanceoftheproceedingsiswithoutanypossiblebenefittothe Respondentandwouldwasteresourcesonbothsides.Aclaimordefencemaybestruckoutasnotbeingavalidclaimordefenceasamatteroflaw.
SimilarlythesummaryjudgmenttestisCPR24.2:
"Thecourtmaygivesummaryjudgmentagainstaclaimantordefendantonthewholeofaclaimoraparticularissueif –
itconsidersthat –
theclaimanthasnorealprospectofsucceedingoftheclaim;or
(ii) that defendant has norealprospectofsuccessfullydefendingtheclaim;and
(b) there is noothercompellingreasonwhythecaseshouldbedisposedofatatrial."
TheprinciplesarestraightforwardunderwhichIshouldapproachbothofthesetests.Firstly,Ihavetoconsiderwhetherornotthe Claimant in this case hasarealisticandnotafancifulprospectofsuccess. A realisticprospectisonethatismorethanmerelyarguable. I am notrequiredtoconduct,and I shouldnotconduct,aminitrial,andI am remindedbyLewison J inA C Ward & Sons [2009]thatthatdoesnotmeanthe Courtmusttakeatfacevalueandwithoutanalysiseverythingthata Claimantsaysinhisstatementsbeforethe Court.Insomecasesitmaybeclearthat there is norealsubstanceinfactualassertionsmade,particularlyifcontradictedbycontemporaneousdocuments. Thefactualassertionherefromthe Claimantisthattherewasaconcludeddealinrespectof £27,500beingacceptableinplaceofthejudgmentsum.
Insupportofthat,attheheartofherevidence,isherrelianceonemailsand (inaudible - gap in audio) tookplaceon 9 December2014.Anemailof11.12inthemorningtoMrScottHenning reads:
"Pleasecanyoucallme?Ihave an urgent medicalappointmentfrom12to1butI'mfreebeforeandafter.Thesituationisquitecriticalasregardsthis.Ifwecangetconfirmationoverthecharge,we'llbedischargedinamatterofdaysasafullandfinalsettlementasdiscussed.Thealternativeistoogrimtodiscussnow."
That's11.12.
MrHenningrepliesbyanemailatpage24ofmybundlesaying:
"Hi. I have now received confirmation that the following options will be acceptable to us to enable us to remove the charge to you on your property.
1) a one-off payment of £27,500.
2) payment over three years of £32,500.
Please confirm the option preferable to you."
Theemailchainendsthere.
Miss Lowenthalcontendsthatthatreflectsaconcludedagreementbetweentheparties.IregrettosayIcannotagreewithher.Firstly,there was noemailevidencethatsheacceptedeitherofthetwooptionswhichwerebeingproposedbyMr Henney. They mayhavebeenremindersofwhat had beendiscussedbetweenthembefore, I know not,but there is nothingfromhersayingwhichshewasgoingtoaccept. Shesaysitwasagreedorally. That,inmyjudgment,ismereassertion. I amfarfromsatisfiedthatactuallythatrepresentsthetruestateofaffairs becauseifthathadbeencorrect,IfinditdifficulttounderstandwhyMatthewTrinder,justlessthanamonthlater, writestoheron 7 January2015at3.11intheafternoononbehalfofthe Defendantsaying:
"DearElizabeth,followingyourtelephonecallbeforeChristmas, I'venowbeeninstructedtoreopenmyfileanddiscussyourproposalsforapaymentplaninexchangeforremovingthechargingorderononeofyourproperties.Aswediscussedlastyear,thiswillnotbethefirsttimewe'vehadapaymentplanandthechargingorderwilljustberemovedimmediately.Youweregoingtothinkaboutpayingasignificantlumpsuminordertoshowgoodfaith,followedbyregularmonthlyinstalments.Letmeknowwhatfiguresyoucameto.Inthemeantime,Iwillcalculatethecurrentamountofthejudgmentdebt,includinginterest."
That,inmyjudgment,isclearevidencethatnothinghadbeenconcludedinDecember.
MissLowenthalarguesthatbecauseofdifficultieswithiPhonesandotherthings,ifgiventimefurtheremailswouldemergewhichwouldsupporthercase, somethingwillturnupiftimeisgiven.Iregrettosaythat,bearinginmindthehistoryofthiscase,thatisjustnotgoodenough.
Inmyjudgmentthiscasehasnorealisticprospectofsuccessandforthosereasonsitshouldbestruckoutanditwillbe.
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