NEW MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR WITNESS STATEMENTS IN APRIL: STATE THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE STATEMENT WAS OBTAINED
It is worth isolating one aspect of the changes to the rules relating to witness statements coming into force in April as a result of The 113th update to Practice Direction Amendments. That is the mandatory obligation in every witness statement…
WITNESS STATEMENTS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES: CHANGES COMING INTO FORCE IN APRIL
The 113th update to Practice Direction Amendments introduces important changes to to witness statements in foreign languages (Coming into force from the 6th April 2020). CHANGES TO PRACTICE DIRECTION 22 – STATEMENTS OF TRUTH There are amendments and addition…
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH (1): WHY IT NEEDED “BEEFING UP” (THE RULES COMMITTEE COULD HAVE DONE THIS FIVE YEARS AGO…)
Yesterday was, by a long way, the busiest day on this blog ever. The reason for this being that everyone is anxious to know the new wording for the statement truth. There is a need for a short series on…
MORE RULE CHANGES IN APRIL: CHANGES TO THE STATEMENT OF TRUTH: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED…
We are returning to the 113th update to Practice Direction Amendments. This introduces important changes to to the wording of the statement of truth. (Coming into force from the 6th April 2020). THE AMENDMENT The amendment makes changes to the…
NEW RULE CHANGES: THE RULES WILL NOW GET IT RIGHT ON PLEADING MITIGATION OF LOSS: A SMALL CHANGE THAT TOOK FAR TOO LONG
The 113th update to Practice Direction Amendments makes a small but important change to the rules relating to mitigation of loss. In short it puts the position right and stops the Practice Direction being the shambles it was before. This…
NEW RULES COMING INTO FORCE: PLEADING SPECIFIC ISSUES IN RELATION TO THE HIRE OF A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE
The 113th update to Practice Direction Amendments comes into force on the 6th April 2020. It introduces new, and quite specific, obligations on a claimant claiming the cost of a replacement hire vehicle. THE NEW RULE There is a new Paragraph…
NEW RULES ON ENTERING A DEFAULT JUDGMENT WHERE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SERVICE OR DEFENCE IS FILED LATE
We have looked several times at the cases (sometimes conflicting cases) about whether a defence can be filed late. In some cases it has been held that a claimant faced with a late defence can enter default judgment even when…
ELECTRONIC WORKING IN THE SENIOR COURTS COSTS OFFICE: USEFUL LINKS
The Electronic Working Pilot Scheme in the Senior Courts Costs Office comes into force on the 7th October. There are some useful links on the working of the sceme. USEFUL LINKS A summary on the Courts and Tribunal Judiciary website …
RULE CHANGES (109): ELECTRONIC FILING, INCURRED COSTS AND THE CCMC, SMALL CLAIM HEARINGS IN PRIVATE
We are now on the 109th update to the Civil Procedure Rules. The three points I want to look at in particular are: mandatory electronic filing in the QBD; the costs of the CCMC being clearly categorised as incurred costs;…
FATAL ACCIDENTS: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO BEREAVEMENT PAYMENTS : ADVANCE NOTICE FOR LECTURES LATER IN THE YEAR (AND A NEW EDITION OF A BOOK…)
The government is, at long last, putting forward a draft remedial order to amend Section 1A of the Fatal Accidents Act 1976. This would allow cohabitees, who have been living together for more than two years, to recover the statutory…
FIXED COSTS WHEN A PERSONAL INJURY ACTION SETTLES FOR MORE THAN £25,000: “NEW RULES” TO BE APPLIED AND FIXED COSTS APPLY
I am grateful to Matthew Hoe from Taylor Rose TTKW for sending me a copy of the judgment of HHJ Sephton QC in Lovatt -v- Lew Diecastings Ltd (County Court in Manchester, 4th December 2018). Lovatt v LEW Diecastings Ltd…
THE RULES THEY ARE A CHANGING: NEW RULES ON BUNDLES FROM THE 6th APRIL 2019
New rules are coming into force on the 6th April. The CPR update can be found here. The most important from the point of view of anyone preparing for a hearing or trial on or after the 6th April is…
NEW DISCLOSURE SCHEME IN THE BUSINESS AND PROPERTIES COURTS: USEFUL LINKS AND GUIDANCE
The Disclosure Pilot Scheme for the Business and Properties Courts commences on the 1st January 2019. Here are some links to guides, written by practitioners, to the practical impact of the Pilot Scheme. THE RULES AND PRACTICE DIRECTIONS The Draft…
101st CPR UPDATE: WELCOME TO THE VIDEO LINK WORLD
The 101st update to the Civil Procedure Rules apply from 8th and 30th November 2018. The main development is a procedure whereby applications to set aside default judgment may be heard by video link. SETTING ASIDE DEFAULT JUDGMENTS: HEARD BY…
NEW INSOLVENCY PRACTICE DIRECTION: CAME INTO FORCE TODAY: WATCH OUT FOR THIS
I am grateful to barrister Simon Bradshaw for pointing out that there is a new Practice Direction in force in relation to insolvency procedure. This was introduced today and comes into effect immediately. CHANGES The PD now refers to the…
THE NEW ELECTRONIC BILL OF COSTS: ONE DAY TO GO: USEFUL LINKS AND GUIDANCE
The electronic bill of costs will be compulsory from the 6th April. Here are some useful links to help you prepare and survive. I will add to these if anyone has any particular recommendations. PRACTICE DIRECTIONS The Practice Direction…
ATTENDING A HMCTS REFORM ROADSHOW: “JUSTICE BY SNAPCHAT”?
There have been a series of HMCTS Reform Roadshows throughout the country. These are discussing reforms to courts and tribunals. Discussing “Virtual Hearings”; “Flexible Operating Hours” and “Scheduling and Listing” I attended the Roadshow in Leeds. I made notes. This…
THE COSTS OF COSTS BUDGETING CANNOT BE ASSESSED UNTIL THE END OF THE CASE – A QUICK REMINDER: THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES
The early part of the year may be a good time to remind people that it is now not possible to put the 1% and 2% figures in the costs budget at the end of the budgeting process. CHANGE IN…
CHANGES TO THE RULES IN RELATION TO THE COSTS OF COSTS MANAGEMENT: COMPARE AND CONTRAST
There has been a change to the rules governing the costs of costs management. This was introduced by the 93rd Update on Practice Direction Amendments. The Ministry of Justice have confirmed that these have come into force. * THE NEW RULE:…
THE NEW PRE-ACTION PROTOCOL FOR DEBT CLAIMS: LINKS AND COMMENTARY
A new Pre-Action Protocol for debt claims comes into force on the 1st October 2017. Here are links to the Protocol itself and commentary on the Protocol. THE PROTOCOL The protocol itself is available in full here ARTICLES AND COMMENTARY…