In this decision the President of Family Division, Sir James Munby, concurred with the submissions of the Queen’s Proctor that some 21 divorces had been tainted by fraud not least as the address given on the petition of one or other party to the petitions was a lie. Accordingly he ordered that all the decrees of divorce in the 21 petitions would be set aside and consequently the marriages subsist. Further the President ordered that the Queen’s Proctor’s costs be paid, on the indemnity basis, in all cases by a third Party namely a disbarred former barrister who had purported to act on behalf of a party to each petition.
Simon P G Murray of 1 Chancery Lane, a member of the Attorney General’s A Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown, was counsel for the Queen’s Proctor. A further report of the case can be found in the Law Gazette at https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/munby-cancels-21-divorces-handled-by-fraudster-ex-barrister/5063605.article .
Chambers congratulates Adam Dawson upon being awarded an MBE for services to charity and service to the Jewish Community. For over 30 years Adam has been involved in the heart of the Jewish community, leading several charities and organisations. After a year as Chair of…
This week Russell Wilcox and Thomas Clarke examine whether in applications to set aside default judgment there exists such a thing as a ‘co-defendant principle’; essential reading for all practitioners. Co-defendants and Applications to Set Aside: the More the Merrier? In the recent case of…
Introduction On Wednesday 21st of May, the Supreme Court handed down judgment in the long-awaited case of URS Corporation Ltd v BDW Trading Ltd [2025] UKSC 21. The judgment was awaited by almost all with an interest in construction law and related professional negligence. BDW…
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