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ARTICLE · 15 AUGUST 2018

Short But Mighty…?

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The Shorter Trials Scheme (ST") is one of a raft of measures designed to improve the customer experience of civil justice.

United KingdomLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
John Coldham
John Coldham
Rebecca Limer
Rebecca Limer
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The Shorter Trials Scheme (ST") is one of a raft of measures designed to improve the customer experience of civil justice.

In the face of ever greater competition between jurisdictions, the Woolf and Jackson Reforms sought to open up litigation procedure, demystifying it, and reducing costs and timelines into the bargain.  In developing the STS, their Justices Hamblen (as he was), Edwards-Stuart, Birss and Jay picked up the baton. With support from Sara Cockerill QC (Essex Court Chambers, now Mrs Justice Cockerill) and Ed Crosse (Partner, Simmons & Simmons LLP), they prepared the draft Practice Direction (51N, which also covers the Flexible Trial Scheme) for the pilot scheme. The pilot opened for business in October 2015 and, if you haven't had cause to test it out yet, fear not, at a conference on 2 July 2018 Mr Justice Birss announced the STS is now a permanent option for High Court litigation.

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