Does dishonesty mean that nobody pays? Not necessarily. A recent Court of Appeal decision, Ward v Donnellan [2026] EWCA Civ 729, provides an important reminder about how courts approach legal costs where both parties have behaved dishonestly. The starting point… In civil litigation, the general rule is: Costs usually follow the event. In simple terms, the party who loses will normally be expected to pay the successful party's reasonable legal costs. But judges have discretion