Skip to main content
MENU CLOSE

In the Dog House

In the recent case of Moosun v HSBC [2015] EWHC 3308 (Ch),  claims brought by two dogs Goldie aged 18 months and Diamond aged 2 years were struck out by Snowden J under the Civil Procedure Rules , Part 2.3 (1).

One assumes that because of the judge’s emphasis on their ages, the law had to regard them as minors, even in doggy years. Would his decision have been different if a litigation friend had been appointed? This can only be a matter of conjecture as the judge appeared to base his findings on the inability of Goldie and Diamond to give instructions. However he went on to say, ’There are a whole host of other reasons why proceedings by dogs must be void’, but tantalisingly declined to particularise them.

Read the full Judgment here.

 

Bivonas Law LLP John Bechelet
John Bechelet

John specialises in commercial and civil fraud litigation. Admitted as a solicitor in 1983, John worked in private practice and in-house for a leading life assurance company before establishing Bivonas with Antony Brown in 1997. John has extensive experience in a wide range of courts and tribunals including the UK Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Divisional Court. He has been involved in a number of important reported cases.

In the recent case of Moosun v HSBC [2015] EWHC 3308 (Ch),  claims brought by two dogs Goldie aged 18 months and Diamond aged 2 years were struck out by Snowden J under the Civil Procedure Rules , Part 2.3 (1).

One assumes that because of the judge’s emphasis on their ages, the law had to regard them as minors, even in doggy years. Would his decision have been different if a litigation friend had been appointed? This can only be a matter of conjecture as the judge appeared to base his findings on the inability of Goldie and Diamond to give instructions. However he went on to say, ’There are a whole host of other reasons why proceedings by dogs must be void’, but tantalisingly declined to particularise them.

Read the full Judgment here.

 

Bivonas Law LLP John Bechelet
John Bechelet

John specialises in commercial and civil fraud litigation. Admitted as a solicitor in 1983, John worked in private practice and in-house for a leading life assurance company before establishing Bivonas with Antony Brown in 1997. John has extensive experience in a wide range of courts and tribunals including the UK Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Divisional Court. He has been involved in a number of important reported cases.

John Bechelet

About the author

John Bechelet

John specialises in commercial and civil fraud litigation. Admitted as a solicitor in 1983, John worked in private practice and in-house for a leading life assurance company before establishing Bivonas with Antony Brown in 1997. John has extensive experience in a wide range of courts and tribunals including the UK Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Divisional Court. He has been involved in a number of important reported cases.