LONDON:Thomas Markle does not appear to be an important witness in the London court battle pitting his daughter Meghan, the British royal, against a tabloid newspaper, so he need not give evidence in person, the judge overseeing the case said on Wednesday.
Meghan, the wife of Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry, is suing Associated Newspapers over articles in the Mail on Sunday that included parts of a handwritten letter she had sent to her estranged father in August 2018.
Her lawyers say the publication of the letter to her father was a misuse of private information and breached her copyright. They are seeking aggravated damages.
The case had raised the prospect of Markle giving evidence in court against his daughter, who he has not seen since they fell out on the eve of her glittering wedding to Harry in 2018, which he missed due to ill health and after he admitted posing for paparazzi pictures.
In her letter written months later, she expressed her hurt feelings about his actions although the paper argues it was an orchestrated part of a publicity campaign.
Last month, judge Mark Warby granted Meghan's legal team their application to delay the trial, which was due to have started at London's High Court in January, until the autumn of 2021.
In a ruling handed down on Wednesday, he gave a full explanation for that decision, although most of it was redacted because it involved "private and confidential information".
However, Warby did make reference to a witness statement from the paper's legal director which described Markle as "an important witness".
"It was not immediately obvious to me why he was considered to be important," Warby said. "It is not suggested that Mr Markle’s evidence ... is an essential component of the defence case."
Warby said there was "no apparent impediment" to the paper's lawyers taking a deposition or other form of independently recorded statement from Markle in advance, or to his giving evidence by video-link if not well enough to travel.
The judge also added that Markle "has (quite rightly) not been told the confidential basis for the adjournment application".
Reuters
Thu Nov 19 2020
Meghan's lawyers say the publication of the letter to her father was a misuse of private information and breached her copyright. REUTERS file pic
KPM umum enam inisiatif antaranya lonjak kapasiti guru digital
Kementerian Pendidikan (KPM) hari ini mengumumkan beberapa inisiatif antaranya bagi melonjakkan kapasiti guru dalam bidang digital.
CIDB KL buka 91 kertas siasatan pelbagai kesalahan
Sebanyak 174 lawatan ke tapak pembinaan di ibu negara telah dilaksanakan Lembaga Pembangunan Industri Pembinaan Malaysia (CIDB) Kuala Lumpur sepanjang Januari hingga Mei tahun ini.
Perancis isytihar darurat, tentera dikerah
Perancis isytiharkan darurat di New Caledonia susulan rusuhan maut yang berlaku sejak dua hari lalu dengan mengerahkan tentera bagi mengawal pelabuhan dan lapangan terbang antarabangsa.
China bantah hukuman kolektif sasar penduduk Gaza
China membantah serangan ke atas Rafah dan hukuman kolektif yang menyasarkan penduduk Gaza, menurut jurucakap Kementerian Luar China.
'Masyitah mungkin terlepas kejohanan dunia di Filipina, tumpu proses pemulihan'
Atlet kayak negara Siri Nurul Masyitah Md Elias, mungkin terlepas menyertai Kejohanan Dunia Perahu Naga ICF 2024 di Filipina pada 30 Okt hingga 3 Nov depan selepas cedera parah dalam kemalangan.
Korban banjir lahar dingin ragut meningkat kepada 67 mangsa
Banjir yang dikenali sebagai lahar dingin di Indonesia mengorbankan 67 individu setakat Rabu, dengan 989 keluarga terjejas akibat bencana tersebut.
Pekerja kilang mabuk mengaku tidak bersalah
Seorang pembantu penyelia kilang mengaku tidak bersalah selepas didakwa di Mahkamah Majistret Johor Bahru, atas pertuduhan memandu dalam keadaan mabuk sehingga mencederakan atlet kayak Malaysia, Siti Nurul Masyitah Elias di kilometer 3.5 Lebuhraya Penyuraian Trafik Timur, Sabtu lalu.
[TERKINI] Inflasi meningkat perlahan kepada 2.2 peratus tahun 2023
Ini laporan yang baharu kami terima.
Inflasi Malaysia pada 2023 merekodkan peningkatan perlahan kepada 2.5 peratus daripada 3.3 peratus pada 2022 dengan mata indeks mencatatkan 130.4 berbanding 127.2 pada tahun sebelumnya, kata Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia (DOSM).
Inflasi Malaysia pada 2023 merekodkan peningkatan perlahan kepada 2.5 peratus daripada 3.3 peratus pada 2022 dengan mata indeks mencatatkan 130.4 berbanding 127.2 pada tahun sebelumnya, kata Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia (DOSM).
Pengamal media perlu rujuk Wisma Putra sebelum sertai misi bantuan NGO - Fahmi
Pengamal media perlu merujuk dengan Kementerian Luar bagi mendapatkan khidmat nasihat dan garis panduan sebelum menyertai misi bantuan anjuran NGO.
Laporan KRI: Purata gaji rakyat Malaysia hanya naik RM56 setahun antara 2010-2019
Purata gaji rakyat Malaysia hanya meningkat sekitar RM56 setahun, terutama melibatkan golongan yang berada dalam kategori 50 peratus terbawah di negara ini. Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) dalam laporannya mendedahkan, tiada perubahan ketara berlaku dalam tempoh 10 tahun iaitu antara 2010 hingga 2019.
Bersenam sakan, bapa Meghan Markle mahu tampil 'sedap mata memandang'?
Majlis perkahwinan diraja Britain, Putera Harry dan Meghan Markle yang bakal berlangsung 19 Mei ini sedang hangat diperkatakan.