Case Management in United Kingdom

Definition of Case Management

In accordance with the work A Dictionary of Law, this is a description of Case Management : Under the *Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), the new procedure for managing civil cases, as proposed in Lord Woolf s Access to Justice (Final Report) 1996. Under the new regime, the judge becomes the case manager. A case is allocated to one of three tracks, depending on the value of the dispute and the complexity of the case: the *small claims track, *fast track, or *multi-track. Each case is actively managed by the judge on a court-controlled timetable with the aims of encouraging and facilitating cooperation between the parties, identifying the areas in dispute, and encouraging settlement. The court can control progress and even ‘strike out’ an action. In considering the benefits of a particular way of hearing it can use a range of procedural devices to enforce discipline against lawyers not complying with CPR *pre-action protocols and/or *Practice Directions, including costs sanctions and refusing an extension of time.

Definition of Case Management Tracks

There are three case management tracks, civil cases are allocated to one of these three tracks.

Definition of Plea And Case Management Hearing

This is always heard at crown court and is the first hearing after committal.

Costs and Case management and the first case management conference

Contents in relation to the Technology and Construction Court

The topics include the following: The Fixing of the First case management conference, The Case Management Information Sheet and Other Documents, Checklist of Matters likely to be considered at the first case management conference, Further statements of case, Scott Schedules, Agreement Between the Parties, Drawing Up of Orders, Further case management conference, and the Permanent Case Management Bundle.