Privacy And Injunctions

A string of high profile law suits has drawn attention to a rapidly developing and controversial branch of media law – the use of privacy injunctions to restrain publication of information relating to the private lives of individuals. The purpose of this book is to set out the law relating to privacy injunctions, and best practice in relation to seeking or opposing this form of relief. Such best practice is targeted not just at litigators. This book is aimed also at journalists who are the watchdogs of the freedoms of our society, and other organs of the media. The text is broken down into easily manageable sections, with numerous check-lists and quality control protocols. Applications in the Queen's Bench Division (including personal injury), Family Division (including the President's "Media guidance†? and "Reporting Restriction Orders†?) and "harassment†? are covered, together with a "journalists' check-list†?. The book reflects the agenda (included in the foreword to the book) set by Lord Neuberger's Report of 2011 ("Report of the Committee on Super-Injunctions†?).

This report says Parliament should not introduce any new privacy statute. It concludes that in weighing the competing rights to privacy and freedom of expression, each case must be judged on its own merits. The bar for limiting freedom of expression must be set high, but the courts are now striking a better balance in dealing with applications for privacy injunctions. Criticism that privacy law has been "judge-made", noting that it evolved from the Human Rights Act is rejected. The Committee says the most important step towards improving protection of privacy is to provide for enhanced regulation of the media. The Press Complaints Commission lacked the power, sanctions or independence to be truly effective. Substantial changes to press regulation are needed to ensure that it encompasses all major news publishers including, in time, major bloggers. The Committee makes several recommendations including that the reformed regulator should: have access to a wider range of sanctions, including the power to fine; be cost-free to complainants; be able to determine the size and location of a published apology, and the date of publication; play a greater role in arbitrating and mediating privacy disputes. One possible mechanism the Committee suggests is for advertisers to agree to advertise only in publications that are members of the press regulator and subscribe to its rules. It also concludes that parliamentarians should ensure that material subject to an injunction is only revealed in Parliament when there is good reason to do so

Explains how the tailoring of injunctions in patent law works in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Israel.

The injunction is an exceptionally potent remedy, the grant or denial of which often leads to a cascade of serious consequences. This comprehensive and practical guide to injunctive relief covers all issues that are relevant to these types of motions from pre-filing considerations to appellate relief. The book also includes time-saving checklists, flowcharts to help practitioners decide whether to file such motions and statistics relating to how often these motions are granted/denied.