AM -v- London Borough of Tower Hamlets (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2023-LON-003077

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

24/10/2023

Before:

Dexter Dias KC, sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge

Between:

The King on the application of
AM

-v-

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Order

BEFORE Dexter Dias KC, sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge
UPON READING the Claim Form, the Claimant’s Statement of Facts and Grounds for Judicial Review, and the Claimant’s application on form N244

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

  1. Pursuant to CPR r.39.2 of the Civil Procedure Rules, the identity of the Claimant shall not be disclosed directly or indirectly and this matter shall be known as R (AM) v London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
  2. The application for non-urgent expedition is refused. The normal timetabling course shall be observed.
  3. Costs reserved.

Reasons

  1. Form N463 exists to structure and facilitate applications that merit urgent consideration by the court. This application – not on N463 – contains an attempt to bypass that procedure. As previously observed by Fordham J (see order in AZ (CO/2397/2023)), this has become a prevalent practice and is an unjustified use of judicial resources. There is a material and decisive distinction between truly urgent expedition and other attempts to truncate and abridge the orthodox arrangements without sufficient justification. This application falls into the latter class.
  2. That said, and despite this being a pre-permission order, there is sufficient in the papers before me to grant the anonymity order sought. The court must act protectively. The grant of anonymity can be revisited and challenged in due course by any party.