Unit 4 Flashcards
What is the overriding principle of case management?
To promote justice in a way which makes best use of the court’s resources and to ensure cases are pushed through efficiently and effectively
Must the court give effect to the overriding objective when making procedural decisions?
Yes.
Are the parties expected to help the court further the overriding objective?
Yes.
Must the courts actively manage the cases?
Yes.
What are the 3 tracks?
1) Small claims track
2) Fast track
3) Multi track
What is the purpose of the directions questionnaire?
Used to confirm the track and to determine directions for case management.
What form is the directions questionnaire sent on?
N181
If the parties are unable to agree to the directions questionnaire, what should they do?
Submit their own ones.
What is the result of failing to file a directions questionnaire?
County Court – Court will serve a notice on the defaulting party requiring compliance within 7 days. Failure to do this results in the party’s statement of case being automatically struck out.
– Other courts = Can make an order as they see fit.
What are the key factors in deciding which track to place the case on?
1) Financial value
2) Part 36 factors – remedy sought, complexity of facts & law, value of counterclaim & amount of oral evidence and circumstances of parties.
Small claims track
– Financial value of £10,000 or less.
– Non-complex cases, consumer disputes, ownership of goods disputes, landlord & tenant disputes.
– Low value personal injury disputes
Do disclosure requirements, experts and evidence apply to small claims track?
No
Are parties required to bring original documents to a small claims track hearing?
Yes.
Fast Track
– Claim must be between £10,000. 01 and £25,000.
– Only cases where the trial is expected to last no longer than 1 day (5 hours)
– Cases which require only 1 joint expert.
Procedure for fast track
Court fixes a date and place of trial.
Are the parties allowed to alter the trial date or the date for returning the pre-trial checklists (fast track)?
No.
Multi Track
– Cases which have a value of more than £25,000.
– Complex cases in fact and law.
For complex matters under the multi track, what will the court fix to determine the appropriate directions?
Case Maagement Conference (CMC)
What occurs in the CMC?
(a) Review steps the parties have already taken to prepare the case;
(b) Check their compliance with any directions; and
(c) Consider and give directions about future steps to ensure the claim proceeds in accordance with the overriding objective.
How long will the court give notice for any proposed CMC?
– 3 days notice
Is a CMC mandatory?
No. Only used if it would be useful.
Where a party has a legal representative, who must attend the CMC?
- Where a party has a legal representative, an individual who is familiar with the case must attend the CMC.
- This individual needs to be personally involved in the matter and has authority and information to deal with matters reasonably expected to arise (like fixing the timetable, identification of issues and matters of evidence).
What is a wasted costs order?
- Where the individual proves inadequate, and the CMC needs to be adjourned, the court can order that the other party’s costs incurred in prepping for & attending the hearing are paid either by the solicitor personally or their firm
State 4 things which the parties under a multi track case require permission from the court to change:
(a) Any case management conference (CMC)
(b) A pre-trial review
(c) The return of a pre-trial checklist; or
(d) The trial or the trial period.
What form are costs budgets prepared in?
Form Precedent H.
Can costs which are incurred before the budget be approved by the court?
No. For costs incurred before the costs budget is submitted, the court can only comment on them and take them into account when considering reasonableness and proportionality of the party’s costs.
What formalities should be complied with for a costs budget?
1) Dated
2)) Verified by statement of truth
3) Signed by senior legal representative
What does a costs budget include?
1) Incurred costs
2) Future costs
What are the formalities for filing a costs budget?
1) filed with the directions questionnaire for claims of less than £50,000 and;
2) No later than 21 days before the first CMC for all other claims.
3) File a budget discussion report (Precedent R) at least 7 days before the first CMC (itemising the aspect of the budget which are agreed and those disputed).
When can a costs budget be ammended?
Where there has been a significant development – E.g., something which is unforeseen which increases the costs / work/
How to request an amendment of the costs budget?
1) Submit a budget variation summary sheet to the other side for agreement
2) Court decides whether to approve or disapprove the revision
Once a costs budget amendment has been approved, what needs to happen?
Revised budget must be promptly submitted to all parties using precedent Form T1.
A new precedent must be completed, setting out particulars of the proposed revision.
Where the other parties do not agree with the revision, it must be submitted to the court.
What is the effect of a failure to file a costs budget on time?
Automatic sanction:
If a party files their costs budget late or not at all, the party will be treated as having filed a costs budget consisting only of the court fees.
Therefore, this party will be unable to recover any of its future legal costs, apart from court fees, from the other party.
What does the court do in a CMO? Costs management order
1) Record agreed costs
2) Record court’s approval of revisions to costs.