DR 9 - Case & Costs* Flashcards
What is the overriding objective when it comes to costs?
To deal with a case justly and at a proportionate cost.
When can the court make a costs order?
At the end of any interim hearing
At the end of trial
NB: the court has full power to determine by whom and to what extent costs of proceedings are to be paid
What happens if the judge does not make an order as to costs?
Each party pays their own costs
What are solicitor-client costs?
Costs payable by the client to the solicitor under the contract retainer
What are inter-party costs?
The actual figure for costs awarded by the court which one party has to pay the other.
What is the indemnity principle?
A party will NOT be able to recover a sum in excess of their liability to their own solicitor.
What are Non-party costs and when are they made?
- Costs awarded AGAINST a person who is not party to the proceedings e.g. funder
- When the court considers them to be JUST
- Where the non-party both funds but ALSO substantially controls or at any rate is to benefit from the proceedings (effectively litigation funders)
Does the court have discretion when considering costs and what will it consider?
Yes - complete discretion as to:
- Whether costs are payable by one party to another;
- The amount of those costs; and
- When they are to be paid.
It will discuss the parties conduct (e.g. ADR) and whether the party has succeeded on some issues.
What is the general rule for costs payable
Costs follow the event - i.e. the loser pays the winner.
However, the court has COMPLETE discretion so can depart from it.
When will the court depart from the general rule that the costs follow the event?
Will take into account a number of factors, including:
- The parties’ conduct (including in relation to ADR / offers to settle)
- Whether a party has succeeded on only some issues / part of the claim
What does the court have discretion over when awarding inter-party costs?
- Whether the costs are payable,
- The amount of the costs,
- When they are to be paid
What is the Standard basis for the amount of inter-party costs?
Costs which:
1. Have been proportionately and reasonably incurred, AND
- Are a proportionate and reasonable amount.
NB: Any doubt is resolved in favour of the PAYING party.
What is the Indeminty basis for the amount of inter-party costs?
Costs which:
- Have been reasonably incurred; AND
- Are a reasonable amount.
NB: Any doubt is resolved in favour of the RECEIVING party
(normally pays more than the standard basis)
When is the indemnity basis used for inter-party costs?
normally used to mark disapproval by the court
When will costs be proportionate? 5 points
if they bear a reasonable relationship to the following specified criteria:
a) The sums in issue in the proceedings;
b) The value of any non-monetary relief in issue in the proceedings;
c) The complexity of the litigation;
d) Any additional work generated by the conduct of the paying party; and
e) Any wider factors involved in the proceedings, such as reputation or public importance.
How will the court decide the amount of costs after considering the Standard or Indemnity basis?
Court will consider:
- All the circumstances of the case (including conduct of the parties)
- Complexity
- Place where & circumstances in which work was done
- The receiving party’s last agreed/approved budget
What is the standard time for paying costs?
UNLESS court orders otherwise, within 14 days of:
- the date of the judgement OR order if it states the amount of costs.
- the date of the certificate which states the amount due (if a decision about the quantum is made later)
- such other date as the court may specify
In which cases does “Qualified one way cost shifting” occur
Where claims for damages relate to Death and Personal Injury
What is “Qualified one way cost shifting”?
- If the claimant wins the case, or any aspect of it, they may recover and enforce cost orders obtained in the usual way.
- If the claimant loses the case or any aspect of it, cost orders against them cannot be enforced except up to the level of damages and interest awarded to the claimant.
When will “Qualified one way cost shifting” not apply to cases involving Death or Personal Injury?
If proceedings have been struck out on the grounds that:
- no reasonable grounds for bringing the claim;
- abuse of the court’s process and/or
- The conduct of the claimant (or someone acting on behalf of the claimant with the claimant’s knowledge of such conduct) is likely to obstruct the just disposal of proceedings
- Claim is fundamentally dishonest. here the permission of the court is needed to enforce costs against the claimant
Which cases do fixed costs apply to?
all small claims, fast and intermediate track cases
When is the “Summary assessment procedure” used and what are the deadlines?
Involves the court determining costs payable IMMEDIATELY at end of hearing.
- Statements of costs (preferably N260) should be given to the other party not less than 24 hours before the time fixed for the hearing.
UNLESS good reason not to do so, court should use this in:
- Fast-Track at end of trial (usually costs of whole case)
- other hearing which lasted no more than a day (usually only costs of application).
What is the process for a “detailed assessment” of costs? 4 steps & deadline
- The court orders the detailed assessment.
- The receiving party serves a notice of commencement and a copy of its bill of costs on the paying party.
- Points of dispute should be served on the receiving party by the paying party within 21 days of service of the notice of commencement.
- If not agreement reached, the receiving party should file a request for a detailed assessment hearing at which a costs officer will determine the sum to be paid.
What are the 8 types of interim cost order?
- Costs in any event - paid regardless of who wins
- Costs in the case - paid if win
- Costs reserved - decision delayed til later
- C or D’s costs in the case - If D is awarded costs at trial, C does not have to pay D’s costs of the interim application (vice versa).
- Costs thrown away - if a judgment or order is set aside, the party in whose favour this costs order is made is entitled to the costs incurred
- Costs of and caused by - must pay the costs resulting from something that party has done
- Costs here and below
- No order for costs (or if no order made) - each party bears own costs
What are interim order for Cost in any event?
Person owes cost of interim hearing regardless of whether they later win or not.
What are interim order for Cost in the Case?
Person who gets costs at the trial will recover the costs for the interim hearing.
What are Claimants cost in the case?
If Claimant wins, they get the costs at the end of the trial in respect of the interim order. If the defendant wins, the claimant will not have to pay their costs in relation to the interim order.
Opposite applies for a Defendant’s cost in the case.
What are interim order for Costs thrown away
Where a judgement or order is set-aside, the party who wins gets costs including costs incurred in respect of the original order and their costs in getting the order set-aside.
What are interim order for “Costs of and caused by”?
A party must pay the costs resulting from something the party has done; for example costs incurred by the defendant resulting from a claimant amending its particulars of claim.
What are interim order for “Cost here and below”?
The party in whose favour the costs order is made is entitled not only to that party’s costs in respect of the current proceedings, but also to that party’s costs of the proceedings in any lower court.
- In the case of an appeal from a Divisional Court the party is not entitled to any costs incurred in any court below the Divisional Court.
Can the court’s make orders of its own initiative?
YES - can terminate a case or provide new directions WITHOUT either party taking a step.
When should any application be made e.g. to stay, set aside or vary an order?
If the court does not specify - within 7 days of the date on which the order was served on the party making the application.
What does it mean when a court “strikes out”
“Strike out” is the deletion of written material from a statement of case so that it cannot be relied on in the proceedings by any party.
Can the court “strike out” of it’s own initiative?
Yes. The court MAY strike out on it’s own initiative OR on the application of a party (made asap)
What is the difference between a “strike out” and a “default judgment”?
- Strike out focuses on the statement of case and so covers cases which do not amount to a legally recognisable claim or defence. The case or issues are weakly pleaded.
- Default judgement is the consequence of a defendant failing to respond to a claim. The court does not consider the merits of the case when ordering a judgement in default.
What are the grounds for “strike out”?
a) The statement of case discloses no reasonable grounds for bringing or defending the claim. 💩
b) The statement of case is an abuse of the court’s process, or otherwise likely to obstruct the just disposal of proceedings. 👺
c) There has been a failure to comply with a rule, practice direction or court order (i.e. conduct). 👨⚖️
Can costs be claimed in respect of a “strike out”?
Normally yes.
If the court makes an order that unless something is done the statement of case will be struck out, and then the party doesn’t do that thing, the other party can normally claim costs by filing a request with the courts.
When can sanctions imposed by the court take effect?
- Immediately
- Make an ‘unless order’.
- This provides for an automatic sanction if the order is not complied with by a specific time set out in the order.
- MUST specify date & time within which the act must be done.
General rule in relation to the time specified by a court order for a party to do an act - can it be varied?
It MAY be varied by written agreement of the parties.
UNLESS a rule or practice direction provides otherwise or the court orders otherwise.
What are the limits on the parties’ ability to vary a ‘unless order’ following a sanction made by the court? (exception to the rule re varying time specified by a court order for a party to do an act)
Where a rule, practice direction or court order:
a) Requires a party to do something within a specified time, and
b) Specifies the consequences for failure to comply.
- The parties can only extend by up to 28 days if:
both parties agree to the extension by prior written agreement (i.e. before the deadline), AND - This does not put at risk any hearing date.
(unless the court orders otherwise)
What are the CPR considerations of the court if relief from sanctions are sought?
Under the CPR the court will consider the need
- For litigation to be concluded efficiently and at proportionate cost,
- To enforce compliance with rules, practice directions and orders.
An application for relief MUST be supported by evidence.