Court and the legal profession

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This topic contains information that applies to the civil courts generally, such as links to court guides published by the individual courts and details of fees charged in the civil courts.

For detail of the structure and hierarchy of civil courts in England and Wales, see: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary—Structure of Courts and Tribunals System.

Online dispute resolution and the online court

Lord Justice Briggs, in his Final Report on the Civil Courts Structure Review, which was published on 27 July 2016, recommended the creation of an online court for the resolution of certain disputes. Since that report, there has been much discussion among the judiciary and elsewhere of the concept of online dispute resolution (ODR) and the need for digitisation of the dispute resolution process for civil proceedings in England and Wales.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service embarked on a significant reform programme for the justice system, which included the introduction of schemes to test online court environments.

The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 also provided for Online Procedure Rules (OPR) to be made to govern practice and procedure of online civil proceedings,

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Latest PI & Clinical Negligence News

Mozambique wins application to add Safa heirs in US$1.9bn dispute

Law360, London: A London judge ruled 16 June 2025 that Mozambique should be allowed to add the heirs of shipbuilding magnate Iskandar Safa to the government's claim over a bribery scheme as it seeks to enforce a US$1.9bn damages award.

CTJ adds chapter on trans people to Chief Coroner’s guidance

The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary (CTJ) has added a 19th chapter to its Chief Coroner’s Guidance for Coroners on the Bench with guidance on cases in the coroner’s court that involve trans people. The guidance outlines the legal obligations under the Gender Recognition Act 2004, including the criminal offence of disclosing protected information about Gender Recognition Certificate holders as well as emphasising the need for sensitivity in post-mortem examinations and avoiding unnecessary disclosure of a deceased person’s trans status.

Amending pleadings in insolvency applications (CL Realisations v Suttle and another)

Restructuring & insolvency analysis: The court considered a contested application by the joint liquidators of CL Realisations 2020 Ltd (the ‘Company’) for permission to amend their claims against two directors of the Company. The originating application had been grounded on sections 212 (summary remedy against delinquent directors etc) and 238 (transactions at an undervalue) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (IA 1986). It had been issued on a protective basis, without a witness statement, to avoid being statute-barred. The liquidators filed their amendment application at the same time as their detailed particulars of claim.

A door is not ‘equipment’—defective equipment claim against law firm fails (Chuhan v Dechert LLP)

PI & Clinical Negligence analysis: The judgment offers guidance on the meaning of ‘equipment’ under the Employer’s Liability (Defective Equipment) Act 1969 (EL(DE)A 1969), which imposes liability on employers for personal injury to their employees caused by defective equipment negligently manufactured by a third party. The court held that a fire door at the exit of the defendant solicitors’ firm’s office was not ‘equipment’ for this purpose. It dismissed a claim by an employee who had been injured when the door’s handle became detached. The judgment will be of interest to personal injury practitioners, especially given the lack of recent authority on the meaning of ‘equipment’ in EL(DE)A 1969. It contains a useful survey of previous authorities on that issue, as well as addressing the relationship between the ‘six-pack’ health and safety regulations and EL(DE)A 1969 and the impact of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (ERRA 2013) on the scope of EL(DE)A 1969. Written by Thomas Westwell, barrister at Devereux Chambers.

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