Judicial Review & Illegality (Semester 2) Flashcards
What is Judicial Review?
In the UK, a procedure by which a court can review an administrative action by a public body to secure a declaration, order or award.
- A dispute resolution, different to an appeal!
What are the grounds of Judicial Review?
Lord Diplock simplified the grounds to:
- Illegality
- Irrationality
- Procedural Impropriety
They are malleable (can overlap).
What is the primary function of JR?
To protect individuals from abuses of state power.
How are the decisions of pubic bodies authorised?
- Statute (primary legislation)
- Prerogative (executive powers)
- The common law (e.g. contracting)
What is an individual dispute?
Where a public body penalises an individual and the individual disputes the correctness of the decision in relation to the rules the body operates.
What is a policy dispute?
Where there is a challenge to a general policy of a public body or a decision, which affects numerous individuals.
What are the elements of JR?
- Part of the courts inherent jurisdiction
- JR is limited to legality, not the merits of a decision/policy
- Not meant to be a deep factual enquiry
- Remedies are discretionary/limited
What are the two main theories of a judges role in JR?
- Ultra vires (the traditional view)
- The common law
What are the arguments for reforming JR?
The governments case:
- Too many cases and too many without merit applications
- Too many campaigning organisations involved in bringing JR actions
- Cost to the public purse (because of legal aid)
- Slows government decision making down
What are the arguments against reforming JR?
- It is factually incorrect - rules on standing are too wide and should be restricted/abandoned
- According to law, it is the value of government.
- It is a public access to justice
What is the difference between an appeal and JR?
Appealing a decision by a public body:
- No general right to an appeal
- Established by statute
- Issues that can be decided depend on what the statute says
- Statutory appeals will often go to a specialist tribunal
- Remedies available depend on what the statute says
What is Illegality?
Does the public body have the power to do this? If they don’t then their decision is unlawful.
“The decision maker must understand correctly the law that regulated his decision making power and must give effect to it” - Diplock
Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service [1985] AC 374
(The GCHQ Case)
What is Procedural Impropriety?
Did the public body follow the correct procedure when taking the decision? Consultation, fair hearing, reasons and bias?
What is abuse of discretion?
Has the public body exercised its discretionary powers unlawfully?
What is Ultra Vires?
A public body acting “beyond their powers”.
What is Intra Vires?
A public bodies actions within the boundaries of the power granted by the statutory provision.
ILLEGALITY
Attorney-General v Fulham Corporation [1921] 1. CH. 440
- Case to illustrate where the decision-maker has misunderstood/misinterpreted the legal rules that govern the public body’s powers.
HOUSEHOLD PROBLEM SOLVED
- Council established a bath/house department for purpose of relieving housewives of laborious work.
- courts said couldn’t do this although no statute to support it
Are all errors of law reviewable?
Yes. - Lord Reid
Anisminic v FCC [1969] 2 AC 147
What is the post-anisminic (standard view) on Illegality?
The Post-Anisminic (standard view) is that all errors of law are jurisdictional, but courts are not always willing to intervene.
EXAMPLE:
R v Hull University Visitor, Ex p. Page [1993] AC 682
- University regulations so courts did not want to intervene
ERRORS OF FACT: When are errors of fact reviewable?
E v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2004] QB 1044
- Courts are reluctant to JR based on facts (mistake of law rather than facts)
RULES (ALL MUST BE FULFILLED FOR JR ON FACT):
- Must be a mistake as to an existing fact
- Must be an uncontentious fact
- Applicant must not be culpable for mistake
- Mistake must have played material part in tribunals reasoning
(tough to satisfy)
Why is procedural impropriety important?
- fair trials
- entitled to be treated fairly = more likely to lead to a better decision
- ensures all arguments and evidence are ventilated in public forum
PROCEDURAL IMPROPRIETY: What is Consultation?
- getting views/opinions of those affected of decisions e.g. road works
- no requirement to consult before introducing primary legislation
When is consultation required?
IF APPLICABLE:
- Statute
- Common law
- Explicit promise
- Practice of Consultation
- Impact of stopping is pressing/focused.
EXAMPLE
R v Liverpool Corp ex Part Liverpool Taxi Fleet [1972] 2 QB 299
- Didn’t consult, just added more licenses
COURT HELD: A requirement was needed (common law)
What is a meaningful consultation?
R v Brent London Borough, ex p Gunning (1985) 84 LGR 168
Gunning/Sedley Criteria
1) Consultation must take place when the proposal is still at a formative stage
2) Sufficient reasons for proposal
3) Adequate time must be given for consideration and response
4) The product of consultation must be conscientiously taken into account.
What is the effect of a failure to consult?
R v Secretary of State for the Environment, ex p AMA [1986] 1 All ER 164
- Failure to consult over housing benefit regulations
- Found unlawful but relegations not quashed.
- Administrative inconvenience, not much point.
HELD: no remedy awarded, new regulations would be introduced soon.
REMEDY: QUASHING ORDER
PROCEDURAL IMPROPRIETY: Natural Justice
What does a fair hearing look like?
Ridge v Baldwin [1964] AC 40 - landmark judgement.
- notice of the charge against you
- time to organise a reply
- the right to put a reply
When is there a right to a fair hearing?
R (L) v West London Mental Health Trust [2014] EWCA Civ 47
- psycho man in hospital, moved to secure unit
- argument: is he safe?
HELD: unfair, - told day before his hearing, also wasn’t allowed a solicitor, he needed to be kept aware
CONTENT OF A FAIR HEARING:
Must the individual be given notice of the charge? (i.e. the information of the case against her/him)
Yes.
Lord Steyn
R v SS for the Home Department, ex p Anufrijeva [2003] UKHL 36
CONTENT OF A FAIR HEARING:
Must the individual be given a hearing?
Yes.
CONTENT OF A FAIR HEARING:
Does the hearing need to be an oral hearing, or can written representations be OK?
Lloyd v McMahon [1987] AC 625
There is no legal requirement for hearing to be oral.
Osborn v Parole Board [2014] AC 1115
Hearing before a parole board.
Circumstances where fairness may require an oral hearing e.g. no other way
CONTENT OF A FAIR HEARING:
How long should the individual be given to prepare a response?
Lee v Department of Education and Science [1968] 66 LGR 211
- parents were given 3/4 days for school closure
HELD: wasn’t long enough
CONTENT OF A FAIR HEARING:
Does the individual need to be allowed legal representation?
R v SS for the Home Department, ex p Tarrant [1985] WB 251
- Matter of discretion. Need to consider:
1) Seriousness of charge/penalty
2) Points of law
3) Prisoners ability
4) Procedural difficulties
5) Speed
6) Fairness
CONTENT OF A FAIR HEARING:
Does the individual need to be allowed to cross-examine witnesses?
- No. depends on circumstances.
R v Army Board of the Defence Council ex parte Anderson [1992] 1 QB 169
- Must not have an inflexible approach
CONTENT OF A FAIR HEARING:
Can an unfair hearing be remedied by a fair appeal hearing?
Yes.
R ( on the application of A) v Kingsmead School (2002) EWCA Civ 1822
- an exclusion from school
Hearing 1 - school governors (unfair)
Hearing 2 - appeal panel (fair)
PROCEDURAL IMPROPRIETY:
Is there a duty to give reasons?
Public Bodies are under no general duty to give reasons in common law.
Although Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992, section 10 - requires a duty
PROCEDURAL IMPROPRIETY:
To what extent has the common law moved towards accepting a general duty to give reasons?
Padfield v Ministry of Agriculture [1968] AC 997
Courts put in place an indirect requirement to give reasons, said they could have been given.
PROCEDURAL IMPROPRIETY:
Cases where fairness requires a duty to give reasons?
Doody v Home Secretary [1993] 3 All ER 92
- life sentence for murder, risk element, no reasons given by SS
- no general rule although unfair under circumstances
- reasons needed to challenge decisions
Oakley v South Cambridgeshire District Council [2017] EWCA Civ 71
“In general, they should be given unless there is a proper justification for not doing so” - Elias LJ