High Court of Malawi Civil Division - 2018 April

13 judgments

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13 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
April 2018
Assessment of quantum in personal injury: awarded damages for pain, amenities, disfigurement and nominal lost earnings.
Personal injury – assessment of quantum – general damages for pain and suffering, loss of amenities, disfigurement and loss of earning capacity – use of comparable awards – nominal award where no evidence of earnings – 5% allowance for currency depreciation.
30 April 2018
Assessment of unfair dismissal award: calculation of compensation, severance and compound interest under the Employment Act.
Employment law – unfair dismissal – remedy under s.63(4) – assessment of compensation; Severance pay – First Schedule calculation; Compound interest on severance (commercial lending rate) – limitation on awarding new relief at assessment; Costs refused.
27 April 2018
Alleged misleading by counsel does not constitute good cause for a stay of execution; stay is discretionary.
Civil procedure — Stay of execution — Discretionary relief — Applicant must show good cause — Misleading by counsel insufficient — Remedies include suit against counsel or appeal — Order 47 Rule 1 RSC.
24 April 2018
An insurer's consent order and payment do not automatically justify summary judgment against the insured.
Summary judgment; consent order; insurer settlement; insured not party; Road Traffic Act s148; unliquidated damages; triable issues on negligence and apportionment; leave to defend.
23 April 2018
The applicants' interlocutory injunction in a WhatsApp defamation claim was continued pending trial; damages deemed potentially inadequate.
Defamation — publications on social media (WhatsApp) — interlocutory injunction — triable issue — adequacy of damages for reputation harm — requirement for full and frank disclosure — balance of convenience.
19 April 2018
After failed mediation, the court referred the dispute to trial to decide whether the second defendant was properly installed as village headman.
Civil procedure — Mediation — Failure to reach settlement — Referral to trial under Order 13 Rule 9(2) — Determination of proper installation of village headman.
10 April 2018
After mediation failed, the court referred the land entitlement dispute to trial and ordered transfer to the Magistrate’s Court.
Civil procedure – mediation failure – referral to trial under Order 13 rule 9(2) – land dispute – transfer from High Court to Magistrate’s Court for hearing.
10 April 2018
After failed mediation, court referred the claimants' land entitlement dispute to trial and transferred it to the Magistrate's Court.
Land dispute – entitlement to land – mediation failure – referral to trial – transfer to Magistrate’s Court – Order 13 Rule 9(2) High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules.
10 April 2018
Appeal dismissed because the appellant failed to comply with Order 33, rendering the appeal not ready for hearing.
Civil procedure – appeal readiness – compliance with Order 33 of the Subordinate Court Rules – procedural dismissal for non‑compliance.
9 April 2018
An appeal was dismissed because the appellant failed to comply with Order 33, rendering the matter not ready for hearing.
Civil procedure – Appeal – Procedural compliance – Failure to comply with Order 33 of the Subordinate Court Rules – Appeal not ready for hearing – Dismissal for non-compliance.
9 April 2018
Appeal hearing dismissed for failure to comply with Order 33 of the Subordinate Court Rules.
Civil procedure — Appeal — Readiness for hearing — Non‑compliance with Subordinate Court Rules (Order 33) — Dismissal of hearing.
9 April 2018
Summary judgment refused where defendant raised genuine factual disputes about contractual variation and estoppel requiring trial.
Civil procedure – summary judgment (Order 14) – genuine triable issues – contract variation through agent – acceptance of late payments – estoppel – whether time was of the essence.
3 April 2018
Interim injunction refused where damages were adequate and the applicant suppressed a material fact (trustee status).
Interim injunctions – adequacy of damages as alternative remedy – injunction refused where damages adequate; Duty of full disclosure – suppression of material facts vitiates interlocutory application; Internal association law – disciplinary powers and eligibility for office under constitution; Natural justice – right to be heard in disciplinary processes.
3 April 2018