DON’T FORGET THE WITNESSES
Successfully appealing a trial adjournment refusal is about as hard as it gets. But it worked in Bilta (UK) Ltd (in liquidation) and others v Tradition Financial Services Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 221 which is deserving of a welding to your Green Book and laptop screen. The issue on appeal was whether a five-week Business & Property Courts trial should be adjourned a fortnight before commencement on account of the medical condition of one of the appellant defendant’s witnesses. In going over, the trial would not come on until early or mid-2022, by which time there were excellent prospects for the witness to be able to attend. There were allegations of dishonesty against the witness. She wanted a judge to hear her. A factual finding adverse to her was likely to have a very significant impact on her future career, if not destroy it completely.
In his leading judgment, Nugee LJ stated that the guiding
