Both the 102^nd and 103^rd Updates will become effective on Monday 14 January 2019.

The 102^nd Update creates Practice Direction 51W, which establishes a two year “Costs Capped Pilot Scheme” in the Business and Property Courts in Leeds and Manchester (Chancery, Circuit Commercial and the Technology and Construction Court) and the London Circuit Commercial Court for cases valued up to £250,000. Claimants may start their claims under the pilot scheme or ask for their cases to be transferred to it. Defendants can object to the case being included. Cases following the pilot will be subject to a streamlined case management process and overall costs limit of £80,000.

The 103^rd Update amends Practice Direction 51R, renames the “Online Court Pilot” to the “Online Civil Money Claims Pilot” and enables Defendants to use the following responses to a claim within the pilot:

 Admissions

• Part Admissions
• Part defence/Part Admissions; and
• Defences of having already paid

 

Further details of the scheme can be found here.