header-logo header-logo

A one way street?

15 April 2010 / Patrick Allen
Issue: 7413 / Categories: Opinion , Costs
printer mail-detail

A central theme of the Jackson Report is that making costs proportionate to damages under the CPR has not been achieved in practice and that major rule changes are needed.

A central theme of the Jackson Report is that making costs proportionate to damages under the CPR has not been achieved in practice and that major rule changes are needed. Can this be done without significant damage to access to justice?

The litigation world outside commercial litigation is divided into two classes—claimants who are individuals of modest resources and their opponents—well resourced litigants, insured parties,  corporations, local and central government.

The Jackson proposals amount to “One-Way Proportionality”—they affect claimants and their ability to recover the necessary costs of litigation. They will not affect their opponents.

A limit on recoverable costs for corporate litigants or insurers is of no interest to them as they mainly pay out damages and costs rather than recover costs. This is because most claimant cases succeed after careful risk

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
back-to-top-scroll