McInnes v Onslow-Fane [1978] QB 599

Court of Appeal

Facts: McInnes lost his boxing manager’s license due to misconduct and was denied re-application. The issue was whether he had a legitimate expectation of being re-licensed and whether his right to a hearing was violated.

Held: Megarry VC identified three types of situations regarding procedural fairness: forfeiture (loss of an existing right), application (seeking a new right), and expectation (anticipation of a right). McInnes’s claim was considered under these principles, and it was found that his claim did not meet the requirements for procedural fairness in this context.

Judicial Statement: Megarry VC explained, “The types of interest involved are crucial in determining the scope of procedural fairness required in each case.”