How To Sue The Police: An Introduction to Civil Actions for Criminal Lawyers

We held a seminar on 29th March 2017 to assist criminal lawyers identify where their clients' cases may give rise to a civil action against the police or another investigating or prosecution body.

Email [email protected] for a copy of the seminar handout which includes the presentation slides.

Home Office statistics indicate there were almost 900,000 arrests in England and Wales in the year to 31 March 2016. But the IPCC tells us that over 34,000 complaints, comprising almost 65,000 allegations, were made against the police over a similar period.

Whilst many of those who come in to contact with the police are dealt with even-handedly, some egregious examples of police misconduct still hit the headlines. And even in less high-profile cases, clients may still wish to know how they can challenge a search warrant, contest the police’s retention of their data or property, seek remedy for a malicious prosecution or mistreatment during arrest or detention, or whether there may be an action for damages after an acquittal or a successful appeal.

So what should criminal lawyers do when they suspect police misconduct in their client’s case may give rise to a civil claim? Criminal barristers at Doughty Street Chambers have long benefited from being able to call upon the expertise of colleagues in our actions against the police and public authorities team, ranked alone in Band 1 by Chambers and Partners. Together they present a seminar designed to give criminal lawyers some practical tips and advice on how to spot and pursue a civil claim against the police, and the remedies which may be available for their clients.

AGENDA:
The kinds of claims available (civil damages claims judicial review, etc) and how claims can be funded;

Where to find relevant procedural rules and key law;

The basics on how to make valid claims of false imprisonment and malicious prosecution;

An introduction to claims arising from police searches, and seizures and retention of property.