Legal Aid means test review paused
July 27, 2020
The Justice Minister, Alex Chalk, has confirmed that work on the means test review has been “temporarily paused” due to COVID-19 and that a revised timetable will be announced shortly. LA statistics showed a 23% fall in the number of domestic violence or child abuse civil applications between January and March compared to the same period in 2019. For more information click here
Calderbank offers should have time limits in substantive hearings
June 30, 2020
The question at the heart of the appeal, (MEF v St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust), was whether a “Calderbank” offer to settle (without express time limit), can be accepted once the relevant substantive hearing, and in particular here, a detailed assessment hearing, has commenced or whether such an offer lapses at the commencement of the hearing.
Tip of the month
June 24, 2020
Well presented and orderly files create a good impression, poorly presented and disorganised files make the assessment process more difficult and may incur the assessor’s wrath.
SCCO judge rules that a budget phase underspend is “not a good reason to depart” from the budget
June 24, 2020
Ruling in Utting v City College Norwich [2020] (Costs), Master Brown explained that if an underspend were to be a good reason for departing from a budget, “it would be liable to substantially undermine the effectiveness of cost budgeting”. For more information please click here
Consultation opened to move court assessed claims to the LAA
June 24, 2020
An operational consultation is being made in relation to moving the assessment of civil court assessed claims to the LAA’s civil finance team from the courts.
The court will retain the right of assessment where there is an “inter partes” element to the claim.
For more information please click here
