In Summary: JUDGE RULES that Kate and Gerry McCann do not possess the authority to sue Gonçalo Amaral in their daughters name. On January 3rd, 2014, Amaral argued before the Lisbon Court that the McCanns do not have the power to represent Madeleine in the Libel action, as she is a Ward of Court (WoC) in the United Kingdom. Amaral presented the relevant paperwork to the court (2nd May). This entailed a lengthy, expensive process. Then the judge had to decide on the matter. The ruling basically says that the matters before the Lisbon Court are too weighty for the parents to legally be making the decisions, and that they did not possess the necessary legal status to go ahead with the Libel action in 2009 without having had authorization from the British Court. Regardless of this, the judge has ruled that the final court session WILL take place. It will include a statement from Gerry McCann and the presentation of closing arguments from all sides. Then the proceedings will be suspended for 30 days, during which time the McCanns must produce documents to prove that they were authorized to bring the Libel action. If they fail to do this, Amaral will be acquitted. (ie the case will be proven to have been without legal base if the McCanns cannot prove that they were authorised by the court to act on Madeleines behalf). The proposed date for the final hearing is June 16th but this depends on both sides lawyers agreeing to the date - they are able to decline it and suggest an alternative date. pjga.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/ward-of-court-decision-issued-by-judge.html?m=1
Posted on: Sun, 01 Jun 2014 18:22:56 +0000