R v Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte Doody [1993] UKHL 8, [1994] 1 AC 531 was an important UK constitutional law case concerning applications for judicial review.
Four prisoners, Stephen Doody, John David Pierson, Elfed Wayne Smart and Kenneth Pegg,[1] serving mandatory life sentences, requested judicial review after the Home Secretary refused to release them after serving their minimum terms, but gave no reason for the decision.
Under common law, there is no duty to give reasons for decisions;[2] however, this case is one of the exceptions.
Lord Mustill judged that the Home Secretary must give reasons for their decision.
My Lords, I think it unnecessary to refer by name or to quote from, any of the often-cited authorities in which the courts have explained what is essentially an intuitive judgment.