Pt 44 - Costs Flashcards
What is the general rule in relation to costs?
Costs follow the event:
Unsuccessful party will be ordered to pay the costs of the successful party
CPR 44.2(2)(a)
Under CPR 44.2, the court has discretion as to …
(A) whether costs are payable by one party to another;
(B) the amount of those costs; and
(C) when they are to be paid.
CPR 44.2(4)
In deciding what order (if any) to make about costs, the court will have regard to all the circumstances, including –
(a) the conduct of all the parties;
(b) whether a party has succeeded on part of its case, even if that party has not been wholly successful; and
(c) any admissible offer to settle made by a party which is drawn to the court’s attention, and which is not an offer to which costs consequences under Part 36 apply.
What does ‘the conduct of the parties’ include under 44.2 (5)?
The conduct of the parties includes –
(a) conduct before, as well as during, the proceedings and in particular the extent to which the parties followed the Practice Direction – Pre-Action Conduct or any relevant pre-action protocol;
(b) whether it was reasonable for a party to raise, pursue or contest a particular allegation or issue;
(c) the manner in which a party has pursued or defended its case or a particular allegation or issue; and
(d) whether a claimant who has succeeded in the claim, in whole or in part, exaggerated its claim.
(6) The orders which the court may make under this rule include an order that a party must pay —
(A) a _____ of another party’s costs;
(B) a ______ in respect of another party’s costs;
(C) costs ____________ a certain date only;
(D) costs incurred _____ proceedings have _____;
(E) costs relation to _______________ in the proceedings;
(F) costs relating only to a ____________ of the proceedings; and
(G) _____ on costs ___________ a certain a date, including a date before judgment
(A) a PROPORTION of another party’s costs;
(B) a STATED AMOUNT in respect of another party’s costs;
(C) costs FROM OR UNTIL a certain date only;
(D) costs incurred BEFORE proceedings have BEGUN;
(E) costs relation to PARTICULAR STEPS TAKEN in the proceedings;
(F) costs relating only to a DISTINCT PART of the proceedings; and
(G) INTEREST on costs FROM OR UNTIL a certain a date, including a date before judgment
Which of the orders listed in 44.2(6) are the preferred options?
(A) a proportion of another party’s costs
(C) costs from or until a certain date only
CPR 44.2(7) = These options must be considered before an order is made under (f), costs relating only to a distinct part of the proceedings
What is the difference between costs on summary assessment and costs on detailed assessment?
Summary Assessment = Amount is decided by the judge on the date of the hearing
Detailed Assessment = Detailed ‘bill’ of costs is drawn up, objections from other side can be made, then final figure is decided at a hearing
- How will costs be assessed under CPR 44.3?
- Finish the sentence:
But the court will not in either case allows costs which have been _________ incurred or are ________ in amount
- (A) on the standard basis; or
(B) on the indemnity basis
2.
But the court will not in either case allows costs which have been reasonably incurred or are reasonable in amount
Explain Standard Basis Costs and how they will be assessed
Costs basis that applies in most cases
Assessment = CPR 44.3 (2)
(a) only costs which are proportionate to the matters in issue, costs which are disproportionate may be disallowed or reduced, even if they were reasonably incurred
(B) any doubt as to if costs were reasonably and proportionately incurred and proportionate in amount will be resolved in favour of the paying party
So … Must be PROPORTIONATE and be REASONABLY INCURRED and REASONABLE in AMOUNT
Explain indemnity basis costs and how will they be assessed
Indemnity basis costs apply when there is a reason to depart from standard basis costs
More generous
Court will resolved any doubt which it may have as to whether costs were reasonably incurred or were reasonable in amount in favour of the receiving party
So … costs must be REASONABLY INCURRED and be REASONABLE in AMOUNT (BUT proportionality is NOT relevant here)
If the court makes an order about costs but does not indicate the basis on which they are to be assessed which basis will apply?
CPR 44.3(4)
Standard Basis
If the court makes an order for costs to be assessed on a basis other than the standard basis or the indemnity basis, which basis will apply?
CPR 44.3(4)
Standard Basis
How will the courts determine whether costs incurred are PROPORTIONATE ?
Costs incurred are proportionate if they bear a reasonable relationship to –
(a) the ____ in issue in the proceedings;
(b) the_____ of any _________ relief in issue in the proceedings;
(c) the _________ of the litigation;
(d) any ____________ generated by the ________ of the ______ party; and
(e) any __________ involved in the proceedings, such as reputation or public importance.
CPR 44.3(5)
Costs incurred are proportionate if they bear a reasonable relationship to –
(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.
When a claimant has won but only on some of the issued raised in the case what costs order will the court make?
Preferred options?
Under CPR 44.2 court retains discretion as to costs, can make any order 44.2(6)
Preferred options are:
- A proportion of the costs (A)
- Costs from or until a date (C)
How will the sum of the costs be assessed?
Most likely by summary assessment, unless there is reason to require a detailed assessment.
When will summary assessment of costs take place?
PD 44, 9.2
At the conclusion of a fast-track trial, the order will deal with the costs of the whole claim; or
At the conclusion of any other hearing, which has lasted no more than 1 day, the order will deal with the costs of the application or incurred in relation to the matter to which the hearing was related; or if the hearing disposes of the whole claim, the order may deal with the costs fo the whole claim
Unless there is good reason not to do so = detailed assessment
What will the summary assessment of costs be based on and when must this be served?
When does summary assesses of costs take place?
A Statement of costs
PD 44, 9.6
Must be filed at the court + copies served on parties, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
And in any event:
(A) for a fast track TRIAL, no less than 2 DAYS before the trial
(B) for all other hearings, no less than 24 HOURS before the time fixed for the hearing
Takes place at the conclusion of a fast track trial
At conclusion of any other hearing not lasting more than 1 day
UNLESS there is good reason NOT to do so
What must be included in the statement of costs?
A schedule showing ….
(A) the number of hours to be claimed
(B) the hourly rebate to be claimed
(C) the grade of fee earner
(D) the amount and nature of any disbursement to be claimed, other than counsel’s fees for appearing at the hearing
(E) the amount of legal representative’s costs to be claimed for attending or appearing at the hearing
(F) Counsel’s fees
(G) any VAT to be claimed on these amounts
What will the court order if a detailed assessment of costs is required?
CPR 44.2(8)
Where a court orders a party to pay costs subject to detailed assessment, it will order that party to pay a reasonable sum on account of costs, unless there is good reason not to do so
I.e interim costs payment
When will detailed assessment of costs take place?
Is detailed assessment of costs stayed if a party is appealing the decision?
General rule is that will not take pace until conclusion of the proceeding but court may order it be undertaken immediately (has to be commenced within 3 months of judgment)
No, unless court order that it be stayed
Name the types of order available to the court when the claimant is succeed against one defendant but unsuccessful against another?
Sanderson or Bullock order
C wins their claim against D1 but loses their claim against D2
How is costs distributed under a Sanderson order?
D1 will be ordered to pay the costs of both the Claimant and D2
C wins their claim against D1 but loses their claim against D2
How is costs distributed under a Bullock order?
D1 will have to pay the claimant’s cost
Claimant will have to pay D2’s costs
Claimant can then attempt to claim the money paid out to pay D2’s costs back from D1
(In this situation C bares the risk of not being about to recover D2’s costs from D1 in the event that D1 is unable to pay)
When will a Sanderson or Bullock order not be appropriate?
What case discusses this?
When the C has behaved unreasonably joining D2 to proceedings, i.e when they knew D1 was at fault but joined D2 anyway
OR when D1 and D2 are NOT blaming each other
- No reason why unsuccessful party should have to pay costs of the successful defendant
Moon v Garrett