Report on long trials released

Plans to make trials in complex cases shorter and more structured have been drawn up in a report by the Commercial Court’s Long Trials Working Party.

The working party, chaired by Mr Justice Richard Aikens, was set up following criticisms arising from the BCCI/Bank of England case and the Equitable Life case. Aikens says: “Recent cases have highlighted the need for the Commercial Court to look carefully at its procedures and large case management arrangements to ensure they remain up-to-date and relevant for the business community that we serve. “Many of our proposals have been designed specifically to ensure that cases remain manageable not just for judges but also, critically, for clients who rightly feel that aspects of the process of heavy and complex litigation have become too expensive and drawn out.”