Cockerill J publishes practice note on time estimates in the Commercial Court

Article summary

The Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court, Mrs Justice Cockerill, has published a practice note expressing concerns with regard to time estimates for longer applications and trials in the Commercial Court. The practice note identifies instances where inaccurate time estimates have resulted in counsel resorting to ‘unacceptable’ practices such as making submissions too quickly for transcribers to keep pace and giving judges a note of key passages in legal authorities to read and consider after the hearing has finished. Mrs Justice Cockerill stressed that parties should carefully consider what is to be covered in the hearing time, the pace at which authorities can be addressed and the need for accurate estimates regarding oral argument timings, warning that inaccurate time estimates for hearings may result in the case being stood out of the list and relisted, along with the costs consequences which follow. Parties are also urged to consider whether peripheral points will...