CIT -v- Financial Conduct Authority (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2025-LON-003029

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

10 September 2025

Before:

The Hon. Mr Justice Chamberlain

Between:

CIT (a company)

-v-

Financial Conduct Authority

Order

On an application by the Claimant for urgent consideration and interim relief

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant and subsequent email correspondence from both parties

And on the Defendant’s undertaking, communicated by email dated 10 September 2025 from its representatives, that it will not before the hearing of the Claimant’s application for urgent relief in these proceedings publish an announcement naming the Claimant as the subject of the investigation that it commenced into the Claimant in August 2025

ORDER BY THE HON. MR JUSTICE CHAMBERLAIN

  1. Anonymity:
    (a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and/or the Court’s inherent jurisdiction:
    (i) the Claimant’s name is to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public; and
    (ii) the Claimant is to be referred to orally and in writing as CIT (a company).
    (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 any matter likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.
    (c) Pursuant to CPR 5.4C(4):
    (i) the Claimant must within 7 days file a redacted copy of any statement of case filed, omitting the name, address and any other information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant;
    (ii) if any statement of case subsequently filed includes information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant, a redacted copy omitting that information must be filed at the same time;
    (iii) unless the Court grants permission under CPR 5.4C(6), no non-party many obtain a copy of any unredacted statement of case.
    (d) Any person wishing to vary or discharge this Order must make an application, served on each party.
  2. Abridgement of time and expedition:
    (a) The Defendant’s Acknowledgement of Service (CPR 54.8) and any submissions and evidence relevant to interim relief, must be filed and served by 4pm on 12 September 2025.
    (b) Any Reply from the Claimant (CPR 54.8A), together with any reply submissions and evidence relevant to interim relief, must be filed and served by 4pm on 19 September 2025.
  3. Adjournment of permission and interim relief to a hearing:
    (a) The applications for permission to apply for judicial review and interim relief are adjourned to be determined after a hearing, to be listed not earlier than 25 September 2025 and not later than 10 October 2025.
    (b) The time estimate for the hearing is 2 hours, including submissions by the parties and an oral judgment by the judge. If the parties consider that more time should be allowed, they are to inform the Court immediately.
    (c) By 4pm on Monday 22 September 2025, the Claimant must file and serve an electronic copy of the Permission Hearing Bundle, prepared in accordance with the guidance on the Administrative Court website and containing the following documents:
    (i) the Claim Form, Statement of Facts and Grounds and any evidence or other documents filed with the Claim Form;
    (ii) any Acknowledgment of Service, Summary Grounds of Defence and any accompanying documents served by the Defendant in accordance with paragraph 2(a) above;
    (iii) any Reply or other document served by the Claimant in accordance with paragraph 2(b) above;
    (iv) this Order;
    (v) any other document the Court would be likely to consider material to its decision on permission to apply for judicial review.
    (d) By 4pm on Monday 22 September 2025, the Claimant must file and serve:
    (i) a skeleton argument, maximum 10 pages; and
    (ii) an electronic bundle containing any authorities which the Court needs to read at the hearing (the Authorities Bundle: see para. 22.1.2 of the Administrative Court Judicial Review Guide).
    (e) By 12 noon on Wednesday 24 September 2025, the Defendant must file and serve a skeleton argument, maximum 10 pages.
    (f) If a party fails to comply with sub-paragraph (c), (d) and/or (e), the Court may have regard to the failure when considering any question about costs at the hearing.

Reasons

(1) Anonymity: The claim challenges the Defendant’s decision to announce publicly that it is investigating the Claimant (and to name the Claimant). Naming the Claimant in these proceedings would be tantamount to determining them against the Claimant.
(2) Directions: The above directions will enable a prompt but properly informed consideration of the applications for permission to apply for judicial review and interim relief.