21. Februar 2020
Disputes Quick Read – 80 von 95 Insights
English Courts cannot compel a non-party to an arbitral agreement to give evidence in support of arbitration. That is the impact of the Commercial Court's decision in AB v CDE handed down earlier this month.
Until now, many practitioners will have understood the Court to have that power, one which arises out of the wording of s.44(2)(a) of the Arbitration Act 1996. However, the Court held that its powers under s.44 only extend to parties to the arbitration agreement, and it is only those parties (and not third parties) which it can compel to give evidence.
Some may say this is a surprising decision. The English courts have traditionally favoured the arbitral process and engaged so as to promote its efficiency. Where the arbitral tools are insufficient to dispense justice effectively the courts have powers to help the process along. If those courts are unable to compel third parties to the arbitration to give evidence, then that arguably leads to a less efficient process. While there are related powers under s.43, those are less extensive than the powers envisaged by s.44.
Then there is the question of what is meant by a party to an arbitration agreement, and where the line gets drawn. This is particularly so where corporate parties are concerned. Who – in the context of a corporate – is to be regarded as a party to the agreement for the purpose of giving witness evidence? Officers? Employees? Shareholders?
While the decision is well reasoned, there may be doubt as to whether it is the right outcome. This may be one which needs revisiting.
Note: In April 2020, the English Court of Appeal reversed this judgement, holding that the powers under s.44 of the Arbitration Act, at least in so far as they apply to the taking of witness evidence, do extend to third parties. Accordingly, the Court ordered that evidence be taken from the third party by way of deposition before an examiner. The Court was keen to emphasise that the decision was only in relation to the taking of evidence and did not extend more broadly to the interpretation of other aspects of s.44 and their applicability to third parties.
30. October 2024
von mehreren Autoren
15. October 2024
von Emma Allen, Andrew Spencer
16. July 2024
von Tim Strong, Kate Hamblin
5. July 2024
von Stuart Broom, Tom Charnley
21. March 2024
von Emma Allen, Amy Cheng
1. February 2024
von Katie Chandler, Emma Allen
12. February 2024
von Tim Strong, Nicole Baldev
14. December 2023
13. December 2023
23. October 2023
von mehreren Autoren
17. October 2023
12. September 2023
von Tom Charnley
14. August 2023
von mehreren Autoren
4. August 2023
von mehreren Autoren
21. July 2023
10. July 2023
1. June 2023
von mehreren Autoren
3. May 2023
von James Bryden
20. April 2023
von James Bryden
8. March 2023
2. March 2023
von Katie Chandler, Emma Allen
14. February 2023
13. February 2023
8. February 2023
von Jessie Prynne
19. January 2023
3. October 2022
von Gemma Broughall
22. September 2022
von Ben Jones, Emma Allen
9. August 2022
von Nick Maday
25. July 2022
von Edward Spencer
6. July 2022
von Emma Allen
Welcome news for those pursuing fraud claims in the English Courts
28. July 2022
21. July 2022
von Edward Spencer
27. July 2022
von Stuart Broom
29. July 2022
von Jess Thomas, Lucy Waddicor
17. June 2022
von Stephanie High
13. June 2022
von Edward Spencer
26. May 2022
31. May 2022
von mehreren Autoren
4. April 2022
5. April 2022
von Stephanie High
31. March 2022
von mehreren Autoren
21. September 2021
von mehreren Autoren
13. September 2021
von Edward Spencer
6. September 2021
von Stephanie High
2. August 2021
21. July 2021
15. July 2021
von Jess Thomas
26. May 2021
von David de Ferrars
5. May 2021
von Stephen O'Grady
21. April 2021
von Stephanie High
31. March 2021
26. February 2021
von Tim Strong
24. February 2021
20. January 2021
von Stephanie High
12. January 2021
von Tim Strong
23. November 2020
16. October 2020
23. September 2020
von mehreren Autoren
7. October 2020
von Nick Storrs
26. May 2020
von Edward Spencer
12. May 2020
18. May 2020
von Katie Chandler
9. April 2020
von mehreren Autoren
15. April 2020
27. April 2020
von mehreren Autoren
21. April 2020
von Stephanie High
11. March 2020
von James Bryden
17. March 2020
von Stuart Broom
26. March 2020
von mehreren Autoren
26. February 2020
von Tim Strong, Andrew Howell
21. February 2020
von Andrew Howell
2. June 2020
von Georgina Jones
16. June 2020
von Georgina Jones
2. July 2020
von Tim Strong, Georgina Jones
9. July 2020
21. July 2020
3. December 2021
24. November 2021
von Stuart Broom
8. October 2021
von Katie Chandler
10. January 2022
von Tim Strong, Jess Thomas
20. January 2022
8. March 2022
von Jess Thomas, Lucy Waddicor
22. March 2022
7. April 2022
von mehreren Autoren