Offers of Compromise now available in the Australian Capital Territory courts

Parties to a proceeding in the ACT now have another method to protect themselves against costs.

The Court Procedures Amendment Rules 2014 (ACT) (Amendment Rules) enabled a number of amendments to be made to the Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) (CPR). These amendments include specific provisions relating to Offers of Compromise which are now contained in part 2.10 of the CPR, and commenced on 1 January 2015.

What are Offers of Compromise?

The primary purpose of an Offer of Compromise is to provide a method through which a matter may be resolved without incurring the costs of proceeding to hearing. It is an offer made by one party to another, in a proceeding, pursuant to Regulation 1002 of the CPR.