Civil Cases

Question 0

What courts do you use for civil cases?

Answer 0

County court - £25,000 or less
County court - £50,000 or less for personal injury
High court - anything over £25,000

Question 1

What % of people try an alternative way of dispute before starting a court case?

Answer 1

89%

Question 2

What are the three divisions of the high court?

Answer 2

Queens bench division
Chancery division
Family division

Question 3

How many county courts are there?

Answer 3

220

Question 4

How many high courts are there?

Answer 4

20

Question 5

What are the tracks and the values?

Answer 5

• small claims track - under £5,000 (or £1,000 for personal injury)
• fast track - £5,000-£25,000
• multi track - over £25,000

Question 6

What are the Advantages of small claims?

Answer 6

• costs are low
• if you lose, you don’t have to pay the other persons lawyer costs
• you don’t have to use lawyers
• the procedure is quick
• district judge helps parties to explain their cases

Question 7

What are the disadvantages of small claim?

Answer 7

• there is no legal funding
• it the other side is a business, they will use a lawyer
• district judges aren’t very helpful
• if you win the case, you may not receive all your money from the defendant

Question 8

What are the main cases tried in the county court?

Answer 8

• all contract and tort claims
• divorce cases
• recovery of land
• disputes over partnerships, trusts and inheritance up to £1,000

Question 9

How long do you wait for a hearing in fast track?

Answer 9

48 weeks

Question 10

How many judges are in the queens bench division?

Answer 10

70

Question 11

What cases are in queens bench division?

Answer 11

• contract and tort over £50,000

Question 12

How many judges are in the chancery division?

Answer 12

17

Question 13

What disputes are in chancery division?

Answer 13

• insolvency
• enforcement of mortgages
• trust property
• copyright and patents
• intellectual property matters
• contested probate matters

Question 14

How many judges in the family division?

Answer 14

17

Question 15

What disputes do family division deal with?

Answer 15

• ward ship cases
• nullify of marriage
• relating to children’s Act 1989
• grants probate in non-contested probate cases

Question 16

What are the effects of the Woolf Reforms?

Answer 16

• culture of litigation has changed for better- more cooperation between parties
• delays been reduced
• very high rate settlement 60-80%
• little/no increase in ADR
• costs Overall increased

Question 17

What are the main appellate courts?

Answer 17

• divisional courts
• court of appeal
• Supreme Court

Question 18

What is the function of queens bench division court (appeals)?

Answer 18

1. Hears appeals from stated criminal cases in magistrates

2. Has powers over inferior courts and tribunals

Question 19

How many lord justice of appeal are there?

Answer 19

37

Question 20

Where does the court of appeal hear appeals from?

Answer 20

• 3 divisions of high court
• county court for multi track cases
• upper tier tribunal

Question 21

Where does the Supreme Court hear appeals from?

Answer 21

• court of appeal
• divisional courts
• high court under the ‘leapfrog’ provisions

Question 22

Who are appeals heard by in the Supreme Court?

Answer 22

Justices of the Supreme Court