The Victorian Attorney General, Rob Hulls, will introduce a bill to Parliament next week aiming to reduce court costs and foster pre-trial settlements.
The AG says the cost of litigation is becoming prohibitive for ordinary folk, while well heeled litigants (insurers for the main) use their financial position and the court process for tactical advantage.
Hulls told the Australian that litigation was now so expensive that ''access to the civil courts is beyond the reach of most Victorians". He said that insurers were able to drag out proceedings and had "virtually bankrupted other parties. This Civil Procedure Bill will change that power imbalance."
This follows on from the Federal Government cutting its legal spend, the extraordinary prospect of fair and reasonable bills and the billable hours model coming in for attack. All very good news for those concerned with access to justice, and rather less welcome for fat litigation practices that thrive off delays, discovery and interrogatories. And it's a further reminder that the legal service business has a few challenges ahead of it in the post GFC economic environment.
Tip Off ROF
The AG says the cost of litigation is becoming prohibitive for ordinary folk, while well heeled litigants (insurers for the main) use their financial position and the court process for tactical advantage.
Hulls told the Australian that litigation was now so expensive that ''access to the civil courts is beyond the reach of most Victorians". He said that insurers were able to drag out proceedings and had "virtually bankrupted other parties. This Civil Procedure Bill will change that power imbalance."
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Leaner times ahead |
This follows on from the Federal Government cutting its legal spend, the extraordinary prospect of fair and reasonable bills and the billable hours model coming in for attack. All very good news for those concerned with access to justice, and rather less welcome for fat litigation practices that thrive off delays, discovery and interrogatories. And it's a further reminder that the legal service business has a few challenges ahead of it in the post GFC economic environment.