Budget 2017: Chancellor plays safe & avoids an omnishambles – New Law Journal
‘Peter Vaines shares his views on Phillip Hammond’s first & last spring budget.’
New Law Journal, 9th March 2017
Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk
Category: budgets
Jackson: solicitors tell me costs budgeting is working – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Lord Justice Jackson has said large numbers of respondents have answered his call for evidence on the extension of fixed recoverable costs.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 7th March 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Judge calls for ‘procedural co-ordination’ in development of legal costs law – OUT-LAW.com
‘It will be important for judges to take a co-ordinated approach as the case law around legal costs and cost budgeting develops, a High Court judge has said.’
OUT-LAW.com, 2nd March 2017
Source: www.out-law.com
The Importance of Costs Budgets – Merrix v Heart of England NHS Trust [2017] EWHC 346 (QB) – Zenith PI Blog
‘The Appellant had succeeded against the Respondent in a clinical negligence claim but when the matter came before District Judge Lumb for a detailed assessment of her costs, he was asked to determine as a preliminary issues whether his discretion on costs was fettered by the cots budgeting regime. The case had settled in advance of the trial with the inevitable consequence that the Appellant’s costs were significantly less than those which had been budgeted for and approved pursuant to a previous costs management order made under CPR 3.15(2).’
Zenith PI Blog, 1st March 2017
Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com
County council defends High Court challenge to cut to personal budget – Local Government Lawyer
‘A county council has defended a High Court challenge to its decisions to reduce a severely disabled man’s personal budget and revise his care and support plan.’
Local Government Lawyer, 28th February 2017
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Civil procedure update: new rules – make sure you know what’s coming! – Zenith PI Blog
‘On 3rd February 2017 the Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2017 were made. The majority of these rules will come into force on 6th April 2017.’
Zenith PI, 28th February 2017
Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com
High Court: costs budget DOES trump detailed assessment – Litigation Futures
‘An approved or agreed budget will bind the parties at detailed assessment unless there is good reason not to, the High Court has ruled in a decision that is almost certain to go to the Court of Appeal.’
Litigation Futures, 24th February 2017
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
EU referendum campaign spending probed – BBC News
‘The spending returns of the Stronger In and Vote Leave campaigns in last year’s EU referendum are under investigation, the Electoral Commission has announced.’
BBC News, 24th February 2017
source: www.bbc.co.uk
Solicitors unite to oppose fee cuts – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The criminal defence community cannot absorb any more legal aid fee cuts, the Law Society and practitioner groups have told the government, which this week suggested that it will press ahead with controversial proposals.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 24th February 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Jackson watch: fixed recoverable costs review – New Law Journal
‘David Pilling records the contributions & discussion points from Jackson LJ’s Manchester roadshow.’
New Law Journal, 21st February 2017
Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk
Whole of split bill, less additional liabilities, subject to proportionality test, rules regional costs judge – Litigation Futures
‘A court faced with a bill of costs that straddles the Jackson reforms should consider both the pre and post April 2013 costs when deciding whether it is proportionate, but ignore any additional liabilities, a regional costs judge has ruled.’
Litigation Futures, 20th February 2017
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Budget does not replace detailed assessment, says another regional costs judge – Litigation Futures
‘A second regional costs judge has ruled that an approved budget does not hinder a detailed assessment, but also called on the higher courts or the rule committee to give a definitive view.’
Litigation Futures, 16th February 2017
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Impact of currency fluctuation on costs awards up in air after judge rejects application this time – Litigation Futures
‘The novel issue of recovering more in costs to reflect changes in the exchange rate between sterling and the euro since the referendum has come before the High Court again, but this time it was refused.’
Litigation Futures, 6th February 2017
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
Local government: cuts to library provision – Law Society’s Gazette
‘When local authorities plan to reduce, restructure or rationalise library services, litigation often results.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 16th January 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Justice denied: the damning results of the latest report on the impact of legal aid cut – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘Secretary of State for Justice, Liz Truss, recently announced that the government would soon confirm the time-table for the post legislative review of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). There has been growing pressure on ministers for some time to announce this (see “Back to the drawing board”, 166 NLJ 7698 13 May 2016, p 6). The Legal Action Group (LAG) hopes that the review will be used as an opportunity by the still relatively new team at the top of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to look at funding the provision of early advice in civil legal cases.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 11th January 2017
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
High Court judge condemns Leigh Day claimants for “deliberate disregard” of court order in £50m+ costs battle – Litigation Futures
‘A High Court judge has “unequivocally” condemned claimants represented by group litigation specialists Leigh Day for “deliberate disregard of a court order” in a case where the costs of both sides were estimated at well over £50m.’
litigation Futures, 10th January 2017
Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk
Unreasonable defendant must face costs consequences – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The High Court has sent another warning message to litigants that they should expect to face costs penalties for unreasonable conduct. In Barkhuysen v Hamilton, published just before Christmas, Mr Justice Warby said the claimant was entitled to more than budgeted costs due to how the case was handled.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 4th January 2017
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
MoJ says it sets no travel time target when closing courts – Law Society’s Gazette
‘The Ministry of Justice has denied ever promising a benchmark figure for an acceptable maximum public transport travel time for people attending court when it considers court closures. In a letter to House of Commons justice select committee chair Bob Neill MP, permanent secretary Richard Heaton said access to justice was “not just about” court proximity.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 30th November 2016
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Legal aid cuts have created a ‘two-tier justice system’ benefiting the wealthy, damning report finds – The Independent
‘Access to justice is in crisis, with cuts to legal aid having created a two-tier system for the wealthy and the less well off, according to a new report. The Bach Commission on access to justice states that poor people are being left without advice or professional support due to cuts which strictly limit the type of cases for which which legal aid can be applied.’
The Independent, 24th November 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Judge makes value of security contingent on costs management hearing – Litigation Futures
‘A deputy High Court judge has made a security for costs order whose value is contingent on the outcome of a forthcoming costs management hearing.’
Litigation Futures, 24th November 2016
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
