The UK Supreme Court's Article 50 Judgment

On 24 January 2017 the Supreme Court delivered its much anticipated judgment on whether the Government of the United Kingdom can trigger the Brexit process without Parliamentary approval. What are the consequences of the decision and does it have any impact for commercial parties?

Background

In October 2016 an application was made to the English High Court to determine whether the Government's plan to issue a EU withdrawal notice under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union without prior authorisation from Parliament was lawful. At the time many thought that this was an ambitious attempt by anti-Brexit campaigners to derail the exit process. In the event it has resulted in the delivery of one of the most important judgements on constitutional law, and one that may have far reaching ramifications on the process by which the United Kingdom finally departs from the European Union.