Public Law

Leading Public Law Solicitors in London

We are one of the leading Public Law solicitors in London for holding police authorities to account. Our litigation Public Law team has considerable experience in bringing actions against the police including unreasonable force, unlawful arrest and unlawful detention. We can ensure that your rights are protected and pursued and where appropriate, damages are recovered from the police.

We deal with cases involving:

• False imprisonment arising from wrongful arrest
• Malicious prosecution
• Trespass
• Assault and battery
• Misfeasance in public office
• Conspiracy to injure
• Unlawful searches
• Racism and general abuse of power.

Our Public Law solicitors in London team has a proven track record of success and have recovered substantial amounts of money in successful claims.

False imprisonment arising from wrongful arrest

A complete deprivation of freedom for any time period, be it short or long without a substantial lawful reason is termed as ‘false imprisonment’. It is also called ‘wrongful arrest’, ‘false arrest’ or ‘unlawful arrest’.

Arrest can occur in numerous common situations for example; during the course of a stop and search, while questioning, on a sudden arrest and in prison. The claimant must show or prove that they were detained and there was no lawful authority for justifying the detention/arrest. Basically, false imprisonment is actionable in itself. Once the false detention is proved, the burden of proof shifts to the police.

If you have suffered mentally or physically due to an unlawful detention or arrest, it can have a significant impact upon your life. But before deciding to pursue a litigation course, you must carefully consider the strength of your claim for compensation. That is why it is always a good idea to enlist a legal expert’s aid such as our Public Law solicitors in London.

Harding Mitchell Public Law Solicitors in London can help you claim compensation against the police and other detaining bodies such as security staff and make a strong case against them when they have acted outside their powers. We will make sure you get the compensation that you deserve for the unlawful arrest and harm that was caused to you.

Malicious prosecution

If you have been prosecuted for a certain offence, knowing that the police authorities did not have sufficient evidence to charge you, and you believe that they had motives other than bringing you to justice for carrying out the malicious act of prosecution. If that happens, you may have make a claim for malicious prosecution offence.

Our highly qualified Public Law solicitors in London team has successfully handled cases where for instance, the police authorities have somehow fabricated evidence against the suspect to cover up for failings on their part e.g. unlawful arrest, assault & imprisonment etc. In such cases, a clear abuse of power is seen and the victims may suffer from long term anxiety fearing a conviction any time and attend court sessions multiple times. The claims made in such cases can be complicated since these can involve proving not just what the police did but their (hidden) motives as well which makes the overall scenario all the more challenging.

Our team has a proven record in tenaciously fighting and succeeding in the most complex cases. We have secured substantial compensation for victims in these cases. We are also known as one of the leading Public Law solicitors in London for malicious prosecution claims, in relation to high profile protests.

Assault & Battery

If you are a police assault victim, you are likely to feel distressed, angry as well as upset. If unlawful or excessive force has been used on you by the police while arresting you, then you may want to hold the police authorities to account for their unreasonable actions. You can make a claim against the police to provide an apology on their part or seek redress. We understand and know how pertinent it is to put things right if you have been unlawfully wronged. You can claim for compensation if you were unlawfully touched by the police including handcuffs application. However, if you were lawfully arrested, even then you can make a claim for compensation if the police used excessive force on you in the circumstances.

Our assault & battery claim specialists have decades of experience helping different clients from around the UK with a variety of serious legal matters. We take on many cases which do not actually make the headlines but are very much important to our clients.

Misfeasance in public office

Misfeasance in public office is a serious matter where a public body or a particular individual in public office acts unlawfully. This happens when the offender knows that they are acting unlawfully and keep on doing so knowing that their actions are likely to cause harm or loss to another person. If the victim has been detained in such circumstances where the authorities are aware that the victim is innocent or has been the victim of someone who has misused authority or power then the affected individual has the right to claim charges/damages via the courts.

Such cases are complicated because there is a high standard of proof or evidence required. Therefore, it is important that you involve a specialist (team) on your side who can provide you guidance through the complexities of such a claim.

Harding Mitchell Public Law solicitors in London can help those individuals who have suffered financial losses or loss of freedom due to misfeasance by public officials. We have successfully taken action against the police for misfeasance on behalf of many clients who suffered as a result of power abuse by the police or public officials.

Police Trespass

If the police authorities enter your home without any lawful reason or excuse, then you are entitled to claim compensation for the action. And if the police caused any harm to your home or your property during the trespass period, then again, you are entitled to claim compensation for that damage. It is not important whether you own your residence or rent it, if the police made an entry without a lawful reason, then you can claim compensation or speak to our trespass solicitors and get legal action/procedure started with our help.

Conspiracy to injure

This particular circumstance arises when there is a combination or in other words an agreement between two or perhaps more than two legal persons such as corporate bodies to take action(s) that may result in harm to another party/person. There are two types of conspiracy; 1. Lawful means conspiracy which does not require any unlawful acts to be done by the involved parties in order to pursue their goal. 2. Unlawful means conspiracy which requires the use of unlawful means and intentions to cause injury or damage to the target. If you believe that you were harmed as a result of conspiracy actions of another party, you can most certainly get advice from our experienced solicitors who can help you get access to the required evidence and give you best advice and guidance on your case.

Unlawful searches

The appropriate use of stop and search powers is important in order to maintain public confidence in police and also to make the community accept general authority of the police forces. Police officers have powers to stop as well as search public members but it should be noted that this action is allowed only in given circumstances and also under strict conditions. The officer conducting stop & search of an individual must have reasonable suspicion that the person they are stopping and searching is carrying a stolen item or a prohibited item such as drugs or perhaps weapons. However, sometimes a stop and search can result in escalating a situation. If the stop was unlawful, then this may give rise to an entitled claim.

Our experienced team has pursued related complaints against police authorities and won a number of civil cases resulting from stop and search encounters. You can always contact our Public Law solicitors in London for legal advice and help.

Racism & general discrimination

Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights 1950 states freedom from discrimination as a basic fundamental human right. It is illegal to discriminate anyone on any grounds based on race, language, sex, religion, colour, social origin or political views etc.

If for some reason, you have suffered discrimination, we can help you bring a claim under the law. Harding Mitchell Public Law solicitors in London is one of the leading firms in the UK who have specialised in this particular area. Our experienced and committed solicitors’ team are able to win difficult and controversial cases. We are highly dedicated to fighting on our clients’ behalf in order to ensure their protection of basic human rights.

Get our help

You can get help and advice from our experienced Public Law solicitors by simply contacting us. Harding Mitchell Public Law Solicitors have decades of experience helping their clients from around the UK on numerous legal matters. We will help you build a strong case against anyone who has caused you harm. For expert advice, contact us on 020 3191 8080 today.