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Contract disputes 2026: illustrative case law on interpretation, termination (JCT; implied notice), letters of credit and sanctions (SAMLA s 44), entire agreement/NOM, affirmation, adjudication, settlement, interest and FX claims

Practice notes
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Foundational principles governing contractual dispute matters—spanning formation, construction and remedies for breach—are largely settled; see:

  • Forming enforceable contracts—overview
  • Contract interpretation—overview
  • Terminating contracts—how and when a contract ends—overview
  • Contractual breach damages and remedies—overview
  • Transferring contracts and rights of third parties—overview

Whilst each case must be examined on its own merits and its distinctive matrix of facts and law, it is helpful to grasp how the key legal principles operate in context. Accordingly, this Practice Note highlights some of the more illustrative decisions in contractual disputes.

The cases set out below are those from 1 January 2026 onwards (earlier important decisions appear elsewhere in the guidance under the above subtopics, including Practice Notes: Contract disputes—key and illustrative decisions (2020–2023) [Archived] and Contract disputes—illustrative decisions (2024–2025) [Archived]). We do not include every judgment, only those that yield points of particular interest. The entries below provide full links to the judgment and, where available, our News Analysis.

Case details and analysis

Nature of dispute

Key issues considered

Pandora Jewellery UK Ltd v...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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