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Judgment – Default judgment. The claimant brought a professional negligence claim against the defendant firm of accountants. Judgment in default was entered in favour of the claimant and the defendant's appeal against that judgment was dismissed. The Chancery Division, allowing the defendant's appeal, held that, whilst it had been open to the district judge to find that the application to set aside the judgment had not been made promptly, the lack of promptness in all the circumstances of the case would not make it just to dismiss the application to set aside the judgment in default. There had been nothing in the district judge's judgment to suggest that he had evaluated all the circumstances of the case, including those specifically mentioned in CPR 3.9, and his evaluation of the circumstances mentioned in the judgment had been flawed.
Judgment – Default judgment. The claimant brought a professional negligence claim against the defendant firm of accountants. Judgment in default was entered in favour of the claimant and the defendant's appeal against that judgment was dismissed. The Chancery Division, allowing the defendant's appeal, held that, whilst it had been open to the district judge to find that the application to set aside the judgment had not been made promptly, the lack of promptness in all the circumstances of the case would not make it just to dismiss the application to set aside the judgment in default. There had been nothing in the district judge's judgment to suggest that he had evaluated all the circumstances of the case, including those specifically mentioned in CPR 3.9, and his evaluation of the circumstances mentioned in the judgment had been flawed.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Susie Griffin on the admin that keeps barristers from billable work
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
In an era of patient-centred care and growing concern over misconduct in medical settings, why do women still lack the right to choose women consultants for examination and treatment? Charles Davey investigates
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC
