Trial

Preparing for trial and the pre-trial review

The period leading up to a trial can be busy and it is important to understand the pre-trial hearings that parties may need to attend, as well as the different documents the parties may need to provide.

The court may order the parties to attend court for a 'pre-trial review' (PTR). This enables the court to review the state of preparation of the case, deal with any outstanding procedural matters prior to trial and agree a timetable for the trial. For information on the PTR, see Practice Note: Pre-trial review (PTR).

Leading up to the trial, the parties may be required to prepare certain documents including:

1. •

   a chronology of events surrounding the dispute

2. •

   a summary of the case, outlining the matters in dispute

3. •

   a list of issues in the case

4. •

   a list of the case authorities that will be referred to at trial

5. •

   a skeleton argument setting out a summary of the party's arguments that will be put forward at trial. These are used to provide the platform for oral submissions made during the hearing

6. •

   bundles