CDD -v- Bath and North East Somerset Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-CDF-000124

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

In the matter of an application for judicial review

11 August 2025

Before:

His Honour Judge Keyser KC,
sitting as a Judge of the High Court

Between:

The King
on the application of
CDD
(by her father and litigation friend, CDB)

-v-

Bath and North East Somerset Council

Order

On an application by the Claimant for anonymity, appointment of a litigation friend, abridgment of time and expedition

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY HIS HONOUR JUDGE KEYSER KC
SITTING AS A JUDGE OF THE HIGH COURT

  1. Litigation Friend:

    The Claimant’s father is appointed as her litigation friend.

  2. Anonymity:

(a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and/or the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and/or s. 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998:

(i) the names of the Claimant and of her litigation friend are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public; and

(ii) the Claimant and her litigation friend are to be referred to orally and in writing in accordance with the heading to this Order.

(b) Pursuant to s. 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, there must be no publication of the identity of the Claimant or of her litigation friend or of any matter likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant or her litigation friend in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.

(c) Any person wishing to vary or discharge this Order must make an application, served on each party.

  1. Abridgement of time and expedition:

(a) The Defendant’s Acknowledgement of Service and all associated documents must be filed and served by 4pm on 25 August 2025.

(b) Any Reply from the Claimant (CPR 54.8A) must be filed and served by 4pm on 29 August 2025.

(c) The papers are to be referred to a Judge as soon as possible thereafter.

REASONS

(1) Anonymity and Litigation Friend: The Claimant is a vulnerable and disabled young woman and the claim involves sensitive personal information, in respect of which she has a reasonable expectation of privacy. There are accordingly compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the principle of open justice in this Order. It appears that the Claimant lacks capacity to litigate and it is necessary that a litigation friend be appointed. Her father appears to be an appropriate person.

(2) Abridgement of time/expedition: The nature of the claim means that any unnecessary delay is to be avoided. The claim is not, however, so very urgent that any greater expedition than provided for above appears to be necessary, and the Defendant will require proper time to consider the claim before responding.

Signed: HHJ Keyser KC
Date: 11 August 2025