Civil Courts and Appeals Flashcards
What is Civil Law?
Concerned with rights and duties between individuals and businesses.
What is the aim of Civil Law?
To put people back into the position they were in before the breach/infringement which is not always possible to do.
What does the Court award in Civil Law?
Damages- compensation in the form of monetary award. Also, can be an action or time.
Some remedies include ‘equitable’ remedies.
How are the cases allocated to the High Court ot County Court?
By complexity and value.
County Court Small Claims
Deals with small value claims- up to £10,000, £1,000 for personal injury.
Hearings are simple-30mins
Parties encouraged to represent themselves.
District Judge (specialist training) - inquisitorial role.
Expert witnesses are not usually permitted - unless authorized by court.
What are the advantages of the County Court Small Claims Court?
Cost usually low. Lose- not ordered tp pay other parties costs. Not need lawyers but option available. Quicker. Judge assists unrepresented parties
What are the disadvantages of the County Court Small Claims Court?
Legal funding is not available.
Businesses are more likely to use a lawyer- advantage.
District Judges can be unhelpful to unrepresented.
Enforcement is not guaranteed- 60% receive their award.
The County Court
Over 200 centres in E and W. Jurisdiction to hear: Law of contract and tort Recovery of land Equitable matters- up to £350,000 Cases up to £100,000 PI- £50,000 Anything higher- high court unless more suitable for CC.
What are the financial limitations on the jurisdiction of the County Court?
Cases up to a £100,000
Personal injury- £50,000
How was the High Court created?
Created as part of the Supreme Court of Judicature in 1873 under Judicature Acts 1873-75
What are the 3 main divisions of the High Court?
Queen’s Bench Division
Chancery Division
Family Division
What does the High Court hear?
Jurisdiction to hear any civil case.
Sent to relevant division.
Each division has jurisdiction to hear certain types-relevant specialist judges with knowledge.
The Queen’s Bench Division
Biggest- 70 judges.
Tortious and contract cases over £100,000.
Can sit with jury of 12 members- cases of malicious prosecution, fraud and defamation.
Has supervisory role dealing with specific cases.
What are the additional specialist courts that deal with specific cases in the Queen’s Bench?
The Commercial Court- insurance, banking and other commercial matters.
The Admiralty Court- shipping
The Technology and Construction Court- cases which are technologically complex- building and engineering disputes and computer litigation.
The Chancery Division
Cases relating to cooperate and personal insolvency, intellectual property, copyright and patent and other related matters.
Single Judge, no jury.
Special Companies Court within the division which deals mainly with the winding up of companies.
What disputes does chancery division deal with?
Insolvency, for both companies and individuals. Disputes relating to trust property. Copyright and patents. Intellectual property matters. Contested probate actions.
Family Division
Children and child protection under the Children Act 1989.
child abduction, but only of the abduction falls under either:
The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction
The Brussels II Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003.
Forced marriage, female genital mutilation and applications for financial relief where a divorce has taken place outside England and Wales.
Separate Family Court
General family matters, such as divorce, nullity of marriage, probate matters and other general family proceedings.
Crime and Courts Act 2013.
Pre-Trial Procedures
First try using ADR.
Don’t settle have to follow strict rules under the Civil Procedure Rules.
Guidelines which must be followed by all legal personnel.
Pre-action Protocols
Issuing the claim - N1 Claim Form
Defending a Claim - N9 Acknowledgement of service
Pre-Action Protocol and before you issue a claim.
Cooperation encouraged. Before issue claim: Disclosure of documents; Letter of claim; Mediation.
What happens if the party denies the claim or refuses ADR?
Claimant will need to issue a claim.
-Where the claimant files the case in court.
How does a claimant issue a claim?
Fill out a N1 Claim Form with relevant fee e.g. £300 (claim) is £35/ £200,000 (claim) £10,000.
Sent to the court who will allocate the case to a relevant court based on the value of the case.
Copy sent to defendant with a response pack.
How do you defend a claim?
Can accept liability and pay the full amount.
Disputes the claim, they must send an acknowledgement of service or a defence within 14 days of receiving.
If the defendant files the acknowledgement of service- n extra 14 days
If filing a defence, the defendant must complete and send the N9 Form back to the court.
If the defendant fails to respond, the claimant can ask the court to make a default judgement in favour of the claimant.
If the case is contested, the court will then allocate the court to a relevant track