Ontario's Court Rules undergo a significant overhaul
The Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General has made sweeping
changes to the Superior Court of Justice's Rules of Civil
Procedure. The primary objective of the revisions, which took
effect January 1, 2010, is to make the judicial system more
accessible and more affordable. Among the changes and additions,
the new Rules will:
- integrate the concept of proportionality into Court
procedures
- codify the duties of experts
- reform the often lengthy and costly discovery procedure
- provide ways to bring about an earlier disposition of
matters
Proportionality
To reduce the costs of litigation, the new Rules direct the
Court to take into account the importance and complexity of the
issues and the amounts involved when making orders (including
orders for costs) or giving directions. Proportionality is
exhibited in amendments that narrow the scope of oral and
documentary discovery, increase the powers of the
