The package of reforms recommended by Lord Justice Jackson in 2009 represented wholesale change to the civil litigation landscape. Our timeline illustrates what has happened since and what we expect to unfold going forward.
15 July 2024
Statutory deadline for review of personal injury discount rate in England & Wales to begin
Nov 2023
Online civil money claims pilot extended from 30 November 2021
October 2023
Fixed recoverable costs to be extended in England and Wales
Summer 2023
Sir Vos, Master of the Rolls, to report on the next review of guideline hourly rates.
April 2023
ASHE 2022 revised data now available.
17 January 2023
Ministry of Justice launches Personal Injury Discount Rate Call for Evidence
15 December 2022
Ministry of Justice launches consultation on whether UK should become signatory to Hague Convention 2019 on recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments
November 2022
Ministry of Justice roundtables on the personal injury discount rate in England & Wales
1 Oct 2022
The Disclosure Pilot Scheme in the Business and Property Courts becomes permanent
15 Sept 2022
Damages claims portal becomes mandatory for defendant legal representatives
Related item: Damages Claims Portal: an update for defendants
26 July 2022
Government launches consultation on increasing the use of mediation in the civil justice system
30 June 2022
The Civil Justice Council (CJC) Costs Working Group launches costs consultation
Related item: Holistic costs review launched by the Civil Justice Council
1 June 2022
Small Claims Paper Determination Pilot launched
4 April 2022
Damages claims portal becomes mandatory for all claimant solicitors with any claim for damages in the County Court
April 2022
Small claims limit increases from £1,000 to £1,500 for personal injury arising out of EL and PL claims
29 Mar 2022
Government responds to Dispute resolution in England and Wales: Call for Evidence
Related item: Dispute resolution in England and Wales: the full power of technology yet to be unlocked
1 Oct 2021
New guideline hourly rates come into force
6 Sep 2021
Government responds to fixed recoverable costs consultation
August 2021
Call for Evidence launched on the future of dispute resolution in England and Wales
Related item: More needs to be done to encourage the use of technology to facilitate settlement
Summer 2021
Interim report on the court modernisation programme expected
30 June 2021
QOCS applies in Scotland
31 May 2021
Implementation of whiplash reforms and the Official Injury Claim portal
Introduction of the amended discount rate of minus 1.75% in Northern Ireland
28 May 2021
Damages claims pilot launched
6 Apr 2021
Practice Direct 57AC applies to witness statements in the Business and Property Courts
Feb 2021
Consultation on increasing the jurisdiction of County Court in Northern Ireland
Related item: Proposed reform of County Court civil jurisdiction in Northern Ireland – striking the right balance
13 Jan 2021
End of cost capping pilot in Business and Property Court for cases valued £100,000 to £250,000
Oct 2019
Commencement of large scale user testing of the new ‘Whiplash Portal’
1 Oct 2019
Discount rate in Scotland will continue at minus 0.75%
2 Sep 2019
Commencement of the flexible courts hours pilot
5 Aug 2019
New discount rate of minus 0.25% in force in England and Wales.
For more information on pre-2019 discount rates updates, see our discount rate timeline.
6 Jun 2019
Consultation on extending the scope of fixed recoverable costs ends
Apr 2019
Claims management companies enter FCA regulation
28 Mar 2019
Consultation launched on extending fixed recoverable costs - horizontally and vertically to claims valued up to £100,000
19 Mar 2019
Commencement of the first review of the personal injury discount rate
7 Feb 2019
Post-implementation review of Part 2 of LASPO completed
14 Jan 2019
Capped costs pilot begins in the Business and Property Courts for cases valued between £100,000 and £250,000
20 Dec 2018
Civil Liability Act 2018 receives Royal Assent
30 Nov 2018
Commencement of virtual online hearing pilot for default judgments
28 Jun 2018
Post-implementation review of Part 2 LASPO commenced
5 Jun 2018
Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018 receives Royal Assent
12 Sep 2017
Commencement of county court online pilot for money claims up to £25,000
31 Jul 2017
Commencement of online county court pilot for money claims up to £10,000
31 Jul 2017
Publication of Jackson’s Supplemental Report on Fixed Recoverable Costs
27 Jul 2016
Publication of the Briggs Report: Civil Courts Structure Review
31 Jul 2013
Horizontal and vertical extension of the Claims Portal to include RTA claims and EL and PL claims between £1,000 and £25,000
1 May 2012
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO) 2012 receives Royal Assent
Apr 2010
Claims Portal for RTA motor personal injury claims valued between £1,000 and £10,000 introduced
14 Jan 2010
Publication of Lord Jackson’s Review of Civil Litigation Costs: Final Report
Corporate Affairs Director - London
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