Civil way: 4 October 2013

THE PARTY’S OVER

A taxi driver once subjected me to an account of the succession of small claims he brought in a certain county court each year which he timed to coincide with the regular prolonged summer break he took having “signed on”. By so doing, he procured remission of court fees. At journey end, the writer informed him of his involvement in the administration of civil justice whereupon he took off before the writer’s feet had touched the pavement and there had been an opportunity to tender a gratuity. You might say it was a gratuity remission situation.

As threatened (see “Civil way”), the annual £28m lost in fee income is coming to an end next Monday 7 October 2013 so skates are needed to beat the new system of remission which is introduced by the Courts and Tribunals Fee Remissions Order 2013 (SI 2013/2302) and will apply across the board—civil, family, magistrates’ courts, Court of Protection and non-contentious fees included