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10. The Vexatious Litigant


See also (5) a Vexatious Actions (Scotland) Act 1898 in B Matters Continuing and (g) (v) Why the Vexatious Litigant Proceedings against Martin Frost in F. Institutions & Personages.

This chapter in ‘G The Law’ section is to be a rolling essay concerning the use of vexatious litigant orders to rid the courts of the party litigant or litigant in person. Once upon a time like most of the populace I believed that the organs of state were relatively independent and impartial – that belief is no more.

Of great concern is the planned use of vexatious litigant usage to enable not only the courts but other public bodies to deny access to those they largely subjectively judge as troublesome (see F below). What is the point of freedom of information legislation when public bodies can refuse such upon the grounds that the applicant has become vexatious? It is my belief that in my case (which I regard as an abuse of process by the Scottish Executive against me) and no doubt in many others to come that vexatious proceedings will become common place for those that govern and judge us will seek to deny access to those of us that do not toe their particular mind set.
  
This chapter is laid out as follows -- As can be seen by the original vexatious litigant debate in the House of Commons on August 10, 1896, some MPs had grave misgivings about the constitutionality of the Bill-- by removing otherwise unfettered access to the courts, and the comments as to whether such a Bill would have been introduced to protect ordinary people if the
Archbishop of Canterbury had not been involved are particularly pertinent today.


A.History of vexatious litigant statutes in the UK

Vexatious Actions Act 1896
Vexatious Actions (Scotland) Act 1898
Section 42 of the Supreme Court Act 1981
Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978
Restriction of Vexatious Legal Proceedings (Guernsey) Law 1985

B.Pleadings & legal process in the Lord Advocate v Frost

Initial Petition
Revised Petition
Answers by Martin Frost
Adjustments by Martin Frost
Adjustments by the Lord Advocate
Record
Interlocutors (judgements)
Minute of proceedings
Transcripts of proceedings

C.Correspondence in the Lord Advocate v Frost

M Frost’s letter to Miss Cullen at the Scottish Executive 2005-04-10
M Frost’s letter to D Flint -- Accountant in Bankruptcy  2005-04-10
M Frost’s letter to P Yelland – Law Society 2005-04-10
M Frost letter to Mr R Martin Q.C. Dean of Faculty of Advocates
M Frost request for public inquiry to MSPs 2005-04-10

D.Case law, opinions and legal arguments in:

Scottish cases
English cases
Other UK cases
European & Human Rights cases
Commonwealth cases
Other cases


E.The vexatious litigant in jurisdictions other than the UK

In the USA
In Canada
In Australia
In New Zealand
In South Africa


F.The vexatious litigant before tribunals, freedom of information applications

Local Authority
National Health Board


G.Articles on Vexatious litigation

Extract from Hansard (Commons)  2000-05-25 Vexatious Litigants
INMATE'S LAWSUIT REACHES STATE'S TOP
Court puts clamps on bogus lawsuits
Killer deemed a vexatious litigant
VEXATIOUS SUIT, LITIGATION
Vexation law – Contradiction of US principles
Q: When is a frivolous lawsuit not frivolous? A: When it's filed by a corporation
The myth of frivolous lawsuits
A US Myth: "Frivolous" lawsuits
Another Myth: "Tort tax"
The Fake Crisis over Lawsuits: Who’s Paying to Keep myths Alive?
The Myth of the Frivolous Lawsuit


H.Glossary of terms

Vexatious
Vexatious litigation
Abuse of process
Malicious prosecution
Frivolous lawsuit
Barratry
Champerty




I.Vexatious litigant personage lists

England & Wales
Scotland
Northern Island
Other UK

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