21 Hawthorn Grove

Rodley
LEEDS
LS13 1NH

11 August 2001

 


The Registrar
European Court of Human Rights
STRASBOURG
F-67075 Cedex
France

 

Dear Dr Matthews

DR BARRY MATTHEWS -v- UNITED KINGDOM - CIVIL PROCEEDINGS ORDER

I write to introduce an application to the European Court of Human Rights.

I was made the subject of a Civil Proceedings Order under section 42(1) of the Supreme Court Act 1981 on 14 November 2000 by the Divisional Court.

My application for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed on 19 February 2001.

Therefore, the Court of Appeal decision dated 19 February 2001 is the final exhaustion of domestic remedies under article 35(1) of the Convention.

I consider that the hearing of the application before the Divisional Court was in breach of article 6(1) and 10(1) of the Convention for the following reasons :-

(1) No reasons were given for imposing an indefinite Civil Proceedings Order against me, apart from the court indicating that the order would be indefinite.

(2) The making of an indefinite order was disproportionate along with the making of the Order in any event.

(3) The constitution of the Divisional Court was not an fair and impartial tribunal as former Law Officers had been consulted about their appointment and the application was being brought by the Solicitor-General on behalf of the Attorney-General.

(4) The hearing before the Divisional Court was not before an fair and impartial tribunal as the court had secret bench memoranda prepared by Crown Office lawyers.

(5) The provisions of section 42(1) of the Supreme Court Act 1981 for the making of the Order were too vague and were not reasonably foreseeable along with any consequences regarding obtaining permission to institute or continue with proceedings under section 42(3) of the Supreme Court Act 1981 once the order had been made.

(6) The making of such an Order is discriminatory regarding similar Orders in Northern Ireland and Scotland under article 14 as there are some advantages regarding the making of Orders in those jurisdictions as compared with an Order under section 42 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 in England and Wales.

(7) I therefore do not consider that the making of the Civil Proceedings Order against me was established or prescribed by law under article 6(1) and 10(1) of the Convention.

(8) My application for permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal was also an unfair determination of my civil rights under article 6(1) and 10(1) as Lord Chief Justice Woolf had indicated that he had acted as Treasury Counsel on a Vexatious Litigation application whilst at the bar on behalf of HM Attorney-General. Also the judges were appointed in the same manner as before the Divisional Court.

I will forward the supporting application and case papers when I receive a reference number and acknowledgement from the court.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Dr Barry Matthews

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