NIPC Law

Author  Satoshi Nakamoto P ublic Domain Source Wikimedia Commons Jane Lambert Chancery Division (Mr Justice Mellor) Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wrigh t   [2025] EWHC 1139 (Ch) (12 May 2025) This was an application by Crypto Open Patent Alliance ("COPA") and SquaredUp Europe Ltd ("SquaredUp") for a General Civil Restraint Order ("GCRO") or, alternatively. an Extended Civil Restraint Order ("ECRO") against Dr Craig Steven Wright ("Dr Wright").  Para 4.2 (1(b) and (c)  of Practice Direction 3C - Civil Restraint Orders provides that a GCRO made by a High Court judge restrains the party against whom it is made from issuing any claim or making any application without first obtaining the permission of the judge identified in the order.   Para 3.2 (1) (b) and (c) of that practice direction provides that an ECRO made by a High Court judge restrains the party against whom it is made from issuing claims or making applications in the High Court...

Author  Satoshi Nakamoto  Source  Wikimedia Jane Lambert Chancery Division  (Mr Justice Mellor)  Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright   [2024] EWHC 3315 (Ch) (19 Dec 2024) and  [2024] EWHC 3316 (Ch) (20 Dec 2024) This was an application by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance ("COPA") for the committal of Craig Steven Wright ("Dr Wright") for contempt of court.  COPA alleged that Dr Wright had breached various anti-suit and anti-threat injunctions that Mr Justice Mellor had granted on 16 July 2024 by issuing proceedings against BTC Core and SquareUP Europe Ltd.  Mr Justice Mellor heard the application on 18 Dec 2024 and delivered judgment on 19 Dec 2024 (see Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright [2024] EWHC 3315 (Ch)).  At para [136] of that judgment he found Dr Wright to be in contempt of court.  At paras [2] and [79] of  Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright (Re Sentencing)  [2024] EWHC 3316 (Ch) which he handed down on...

Author  Satoshi Nakamoto  Source  Wikimedia   Jane Lambert Chancery Division (Mr Justice Mellor)  Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright (Rev1) [2024] EWHC 1809 (Ch) (16 July 2024) Immediately after hearing the evidence and arguments in a trial to determine whether Dr Craig Steven Wright was Satoshi Nakamoto, the originator of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, Mr Justice Mellor announced on 14 March 2024 that Dr Wright was not Satoshi Nakamoto. The question of whether or not Dr Wright was Satoshi Nakamoto had been an issue in two actions:  first an action that the  Crypto Open Patent Alliance ("COPA")  had brought against Dr Wright and, secondly, an action that Dr Wright and two companies that he controlled had brought against BTC CORE and others,   The learned judge set out his reasons for finding that Dr Wright was not Satoshi Nakamoto in Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright [2024] EWHC 1198 (Ch) on 20 May 2024.  I discussed that judgmen...

Author Satoshi Nakamoto Source Wikimedia   Jane Lambert Chancery Division (Mr Justice Mellor)  Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright [2024] EWHC 1198 (Ch) (20 May 2024 ) Bitcoin was the world's first cryptocurrency , a digital currency that does not depend on a government, bank or other central institution to function. It is said to have been created by one Satoshi Nakamoto . Nobody knows the identity of that person or even whether that person is a single individual or a team. An Australian computer scientist called Craig Steven Wright ("Dr Wright") claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto but his claim has been disputed by an organization called the Crypto Open Patent Alliance ("COPA") . By an action instituted on 9 April 2023, COPA alleged that Dr Wright was not Sakamoto. Other Proceedings Dr Wright and two companies that he controlled called Wright International Investments Ltd. and Wright International Investments UK Ltd. responded by issuing passing-off proceedings...