48. Enforcement

Parties occasionally refuse to comply with the judgments and orders of the court. A range of enforcement procedures is available to ensure compliance. This chapter discusses enforcement of money judgments; enforcement of judgments for the delivery of goods; enforcement of judgments for the possession of land; contempt of court; and enforcement of foreign judgments.

47. Qualified One-Way Costs Shifting

Qualified one-way costs shifting (QOCS) provides costs protection to claimants in personal injuries claims. If the claimant wins, the defendant should be ordered to pay the claimant’s costs in the usual way. However, if the claimant loses, under QOCS while the claimant remains liable to pay its own lawyers’ costs, and may be ordered to pay the successful defendant’s costs, the claimant will be protected against actually having to pay those costs to the defendant. This chapter discusses cases where QOCS applies; the effects of QOCS; and loss of QOCS protection.

42. Interim Injunctions

This chapter discusses the rules on interim injunctions. Interim injunctions are temporary orders made with the purpose of regulating the position between the parties to an action pending trial. Such an order is particularly useful where there is evidence that the respondent’s alleged wrongdoing will cause irreparable damage to the applicant’s interests in the period between issue of process and trial. The chapter covers judges able to grant injunctions; pre-action applications for interim injunctions; applications during proceedings; principles for the granting of interim injunctions; defences and bars to relief that may be raised on an application for an interim injunction; interim injunction orders; and effect of not applying for interim relief.

41. Judgments and Orders

This chapter discusses the rules on judgments and orders. Although there is likely to be a delay between judgment being pronounced and the judgment being sealed and served, r 40.7(1) of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (CPR) provides that judgment in fact takes effect from the day it was given. After a judgment or order has been pronounced by the court, the next step is to have it drawn up. This chapter discusses settlements; orders made at hearings; form of judgments and orders; general rules relating to drawing up orders and judgments; and register of judgments.

38. Listing and Pre-Trial Reviews

Claims that are not compromised and which do not end through striking out or summary or default judgment, have to be determined by the court at trial. Listing is the process whereby the court gives a date for the trial. This chapter discusses listing for trial; pre-trial reviews; listing in the Royal Courts of Justice; and adjournments.

30. Striking Out, Discontinuance, and Stays

This chapter discusses striking-out orders, discontinuance, and stays in civil proceedings. Rule 3.4(2) of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (CPR) allows the court to strike out a statement of case if it appears to the court: that the statement of case discloses no reasonable grounds for bringing or defending the claim; that the statement of case is an abuse of the court’s process or is otherwise likely to obstruct the just disposal of the proceedings; or that there has been a failure to comply with a rule, practice direction, or court order. A party who realizes their case is doomed is often best advised to discontinue to prevent the accumulation of further costs, but often has to pay the costs of the other parties to date. Stays are temporary halts in proceedings, and can be granted for a range of reasons. A stay is normally lifted once the reason no longer applies.

24. Summary Judgment

Summary judgment is used where a purported defence can be shown to have no real prospect of success and there is no other compelling reason why the case should be disposed of at trial. The procedure for entering summary judgment is not limited to use by claimants against defendants. Defendants may apply for summary judgment to attack weak claims brought by claimants. This chapter discusses time for applying for summary judgment; defendant’s application for summary judgment; excluded proceedings; orders available; amendment at hearing; other compelling reasons for a trial; directions on summary judgment hearing; and specific performance, rescission, and forfeiture in property cases.

22. Amendment

Changes in the parties’ knowledge of a case as it progresses and straightforward drafting errors make it necessary on occasion to make amendments to the statements of case. This chapter discusses amendment by consent; amendment without permission; principles governing permission to amend; amendment after the expiry of the limitation period; and procedure on amending.

17. Costs Capping and Protection

Costs capping orders limit the amount of costs a party may be ordered to pay to its opponent. This chapter will consider the general rules governing costs capping in CPR, Part 3. When it comes into force, there will be a parallel statutory costs capping scheme for judicial review claims in the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, ss 88 and 89. In addition, there are a number of judge-made costs protection orders, namely: Beddoe orders; protective costs orders; Aarhus Convention cases; and costs limitation orders.

10. Alternative Dispute Resolution

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR), particularly mediation, plays a key role in reducing the costs of civil disputes by fomenting the early settlement of cases. This chapter discusses ADR processes; advantages or disadvantages of ADR and litigation; the cost of ADR; reference to ADR; and court involvement in ADR. Adjudicative ADR results in the third party neutral deciding the dispute or difference between the parties. Non-adjudicative ADR processes involve moving the parties towards reaching a compromise agreement between themselves. Rules of court require parties to consider using ADR. Sanctions may be imposed on parties who act unreasonably.