The Weekly Law Reports
[2010] 3 WLR 1237
Court of Appeal
St John Poulton’s Trustee in Bankruptcy
v
Ministry of Justice
[2010] EWCA Civ 392
2010 Feb 23,
24;
April 22
April 22
Pill, Lloyd, Pitchford LJJ
Bankruptcy— Bankruptcy petition— Duty of court— Presentation of bankruptcy petition— Court’s statutory duty to send notice of petition to Chief Land Registrar and request registration of petition in register of pending actions— Court in breach of duty— Whether breach giving rise to private right of action against court—
Insolvency Rules 1986 (SI 1986/1925), r 6.13
Negligence— Duty of care to whom?— Trustee in bankruptcy— Court’s statutory duty to send notice of bankruptcy petition to Chief Land Registrar and request registration of petition in register of pending actions— Court failing to fulfil duty— Bankrupt selling land— Trustee in bankruptcy unable to recover proceeds of sale for estate— Whether court liable to trustee in negligence
Statutory duty— Breach— Civil right, whether created— Court’s statutory duty to send notice of bankruptcy petition to Chief Land Registrar and request registration of petition in register of pending actions— Court in breach of statutory duty— Bankrupt selling land— Trustee in bankruptcy unable to recover proceeds of sale for estate— Whether breach giving trustee private right of action against court—
Insolvency Rules 1986, r 6.13