News story

Clarke announces major overhaul of civil justice

皇冠体育app first major overhaul of the civil justice system in 15 years and reform of controversial 'no win no fee' deals were announced today.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

皇冠体育app proposals, which have been launched for public consultation, aim to modernise the civil justice system and make it simpler, quicker, cheaper and more effective.

Mr Clarke said: 鈥楢n effective system of civil justice is one of the cornerstones of a civilised society. Without it businesses couldn鈥檛 trade, individuals couldn鈥檛 protect their liberties, and government couldn鈥檛 be held to account.

鈥楤ut with no major reform for 15 years, the civil justice system has got out of kilter. Businesses and other people who have been sued can find that spiralling legal costs, slow court processes, unnecessary litigation, and the 鈥榥o win, no fee鈥� structures which mean greater payments to lawyers than to claimants, are setting them back millions of pounds each year.

鈥楢t a time when the Government is committed to doing all it can to help businesses to grow and to help ordinary citizens to regard the justice system without fear, I will not allow this to continue.鈥�

Major reforms

皇冠体育app proposed reforms also include plans to improve how court judgments are enforced and increasing the use of mediation to help people avoid court where possible.

Mr Clarke said: 鈥楳ost people dread going to court because of all the cost and anxiety it involves. We must change that by helping them to avoid court where possible and cutting costs where that is unavoidable.鈥�

皇冠体育appre are also plans to:

  • Raise the small claims limit from 拢5,000 to 拢15,000
  • Change the county court jurisdiction so that the High Court is used for bigger and more complex claims only
  • Expand the use of a successful online system to slash waiting times and legal expenses
  • Abolish recoverability of success fees and associated costs in 鈥榥o win no fee鈥� conditional fee agreements

Updates to this page

Published 29 March 2011