Keep calm and litigate: court orders virtual trial during COVID-19 (Australia)

By Siyabonga Mathe on April 28, 2020 Posted in General

An Australian court refused to postpone a six-week trial, and ordered the parties to work out the details of how the trial can proceed electronically. The parties have to decide on an electronic platform, how documents are to be exchanged, and how experts will confer prior to the trial. In light of COVID-19, the defendant … Continue reading

Fastest road to trial in USA

By Patrick Bracher (ZA) on May 17, 2016 Posted in General

The fastest trial dockets in the US are in Virginia where it takes a median time of only 15.1 months from summons to trial (including, remarkably, class actions and patent cases). The slowest is in New York where the median period is 39.6 months. The fast jurisdictions call their trial dockets “Rocket Dockets”. The Virginia … Continue reading

Claims of higher value to be heard in magistrate’s courts

By Patrick Bracher (ZA) on April 25, 2014 Posted in General

The monetary limits of jurisdiction of regional and district divisions of the magistrate’s courts has been increased. From 27 March 2014: district magistrate’s courts may hear actions for civil claims up to a value of R200 000 and impose a criminal fine of up to R120 000; and regional magistrate’s courts may hear actions for civil claims … Continue reading