Judicial Review Handbook 8th ed

Authors:

The Hon. Sir Michael Fordham

• ISBN: 9781509994816
• Published: December 2025
• Format: Hardback
• Language: English
• Publisher: Hart Publishing

Description:

The Judicial Review Handbook (8th edition) is a definitive, authoritative, and indispensable reference to the law and practice of judicial review. It offers meticulous case-law analysis and encyclopaedic coverage of this key field of public law, providing a structured guide for litigation and research.

Key Features:

• Definitive reference work on judicial review, combining doctrine with practice-focused guidance.
• Meticulous case-law analysis and extensive citations throughout.
• Comprehensively revised and updated by an experienced practitioner and High Court judge.
• Organised into 65 clearly structured Parts, supporting fast navigation to the point of law.
• Designed as both an authoritative guide for practitioners and an essential library reference.

Coverage:

• The Nature of Judicial Review: supervisory jurisdiction, procedural rigour/flexibility, materiality, targets, sources, constitutional fundamentals, international law, HRA, candour and cooperation, precedent, primary legislation.
• Parameters of Judicial Review: delay, public/private law, ouster, interpretation, function and context, modified review, reviewability, legality, proportionality method, standing, discretion/duty, legitimate expectation, onus, nullity.
• Grounds for Judicial Review: ultra vires, jurisdictional error, errors of law and fact, abdication/fetter, insufficient inquiry, bad faith/improper motive, substantive unfairness, relevancy/irrelevancy, unreasonableness, proportionality, procedural unfairness, consultation, bias, reasons, external vitiation.
• Procedure and Remedies: costs, claim stage, interim remedies, permission stage, substantive stage, appeal, remedies and monetary remedies.

About the Authors:

The Hon. Sir Michael Fordham is a leading public law figure who brings a rare combination of deep practical experience and judicial perspective to this work. Having been a leading practitioner and subsequently serving as a High Court judge, he provides a clear, expert account of judicial review grounded in the modern case-law.

Table of Contents:

Judicial Review Handbook: A Detailed Guide to the Law and Practice

A. The Nature of Judicial Review

• P1 A Constitutional Guarantee
• P2 Supervisory Jurisdiction
• P3 Procedural Rigour & Flexibility
• P4 Materiality
• P5 Targets
• P6 Sources
• P7 Constitutional Fundamentals
• P8 International Law
• P9 The HRA
• P10 Candour & Cooperation
• P11 Precedent & Authority
• P12 Reviewing Primary Legislation
• P13 Judicial Restraint
• P14 Critical Balance
• P15 The Forbidden Method
• P16 Hard-edged Questions
• P17 Evidence & Fact
• P18 Costs
• P19 The Claim Stage
• P20 Interim Remedy
• P21 The Permission Stage
• P22 The Substantive Stage
• P23 Appeal
• P24 Remedies
• P25 Monetary Remedies

B. Parameters of Judicial Review

• P26 Delay
• P27 Public/Private Law
• P28 Ouster
• P29 Interpretation
• P30 Function
• P31 Context
• P32 Modified Review
• P33 Flux
• P34 Reviewability
• P35 Principle of Legality
• P36 Alternative Remedy
• P37 Proportionality Method
• P38 Standing
• P39 Discretion/Duty
• P40 Inalienability
• P41 Legitimate Expectation
• P42 Onus
• P43 Severance
• P44 Nullity

C. Grounds for Judicial Review

• P45 Classifying Grounds
• P46 Ultra Vires
• P47 Jurisdictional Error
• P48 Error of Law
• P49 Error of Fact
• P50 Abdication/Fetter
• P51 Insufficient Inquiry
• P52 Bad Faith/Improper Motive
• P53 Frustrating the Legislative Purpose
• P54 Substantive Unfairness
• P55 Consistency/Equal Treatment
• P56 Relevancy/Irrelevancy
• P57 Unreasonableness
• P58 Proportionality
• P59 HRA Violation
• P60 Unconstitutionality
• P61 Procedural Unfairness
• P62 Consultation
• P63 Bias
• P64 Reasons
• P65 External Vitiation

Why buy this book?

Because judicial review is won (or lost) in detail: standards of review, procedure, remedies, and the latest case-law. This Handbook is built for real-world use—fast access to the right principle, with the authorities you need to support it.

Keywords:

Judicial review, public law, UK public law, administrative law, supervisory jurisdiction, procedural fairness, proportionality, legitimate expectation, ultra vires, jurisdictional error, human rights, remedies, interim relief, standing, bias

Target Audience:

Law libraries, university libraries, acquisitions librarians, public law practitioners, administrative law specialists, barristers, solicitors, judges and judicial clerks, government legal departments, academics and researchers

Genre:

Law, Public Law, Administrative Law, Judicial Review, Litigation and Procedure

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