By Claire Mansell - 21 May 2012
From 14 June 2012, changes will be occurring to procedure
in the District Courts. These changes aim to "iron out some of the
kinks" in the District Courts Rules which came into force in
2009.
Key changes include:
- Shorter time frames for serving documents; and
- Reintroduction of the Summary Judgment procedure.
The reduction in time frames for serving documents from
30 working days to 20 working days will streamline District
Court claims in general and mean that plaintiffs will be able to
get to Court faster.
Summary Judgments are a simplified hearing to be used where
there is no defence to a claim. This procedure stops defendants
running an untenable claim and will be available in most cases
after a response has been received by the plaintiff.
These changes mean simple matters such as debt collection in the
District Courts will become cheaper and more efficient for
clients.
If you have any queries about the above, please contact Claire Mansell.