Leeds DR trialling 6 month costs budget practice

With the intention of avoiding the expense and inconvenience of cost management and likewise the need to have a Costs and Case Management Conference the Chancery District Judges at Leeds District Registry with the support of the Vice Chancellor have introduced a new practice as follows:

PRACTICE

Provided that, when filing their Directions Questionnaires:

The parties express a wish to limit the extent of cost budgeting, and;

The parties also file agreed case management directions.

The parties may file along with their Directions Questionnaires a simple form of cost budget (being page 1 of Precedent H whether or not a cost budget exceeds £25,000).

If the Court considers the costs budgets to be reasonable and proportionate an order may be made dispensing with costs management in accordance with CPR 3.15(2) and CPR 3EPD.1B.

The court will also then consider whether the agreed directions can be approved.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE

If the parties are unable to agree directions and/or do not wish to limit the extent of costs management, a Costs and Case Management hearing will be listed and for cost budgets in excess of £25,000 a fully completed Precedent H will be required.