Menace of the Alexander technique

Noueiri v Paragon Finance Plc (CA TLR 19 September)

The Court of Appeal gave its reasons for having made a planning order restraining Anthony Alexander in any company owned or controlled by him, including that known as either Peaceful Warrior Ltd or Anthony Alexander Ltd, from taking any steps whatever within the Royal Courts of Justice by way of acting or purporting to act on behalf of persons other than himself in legal proceedings except with permission of a judge of the High Court or the Court of Appeal. His conduct in relation to the Noueiri case disclosed what a menace he represented to the proper administration of justice. When permitted to act as an advocate he had repeatedly taken hopeless points and advanced completely futile arguments. The evidence also pointed strongly to the conclusion that he had conducted litigation without the right to do so. Either he did not understand procedural rules which were now very well understood by competent litigators or he preferred to turn a blind eye to them. The case illustrated the dangers to the administration of justice from unqualified persons who were not subject to any professional discipline. Court staff should be vigilant to ensure that formal documents, such as a notice of appeal, should be signed either by the litigant himself or someone such as a solicitor who had the legal right to conduct litigation on the litigators behalf. It is a criminal offence and also a contempt of court for an unqualified person to do any act in the purported exercise of a right to conduct litigation when none had been conferred or to act as a solicitor when not so qualified.