New Practice Notes affecting litigation in the Supreme Court will come into effect from 30 January 2017.
New Practice Notes affecting litigation in the Supreme Court of Victoria will come into effect from 30 January 2017.
Consolidation and Modernisation
The Court conducted a significant body of work to audit, consolidate and reorganise the Court's Practice Notes. A comprehensive set of 48 Practice Notes will replace more than 150 Notes and Notices to the Profession.
Chief Justice Marilyn Warren said Practice Notes provide important information to the legal profession about practice and procedure before the Court and assist in the smooth running of litigation.
'We have introduced an improved system for modernising these documents which will make it easier for practitioners.'
New Categories
The Practice Notes are categorised under the Divisions of the Court with a general category for Notes applicable across Divisions:
- SC CA Court of Appeal
- SC CC Commercial Court
- SC CL Common Law
- SC CR Crime
- SC Gen General
Practice Note SC Gen 1 provides guidance regarding the use of Notices to the Profession and Practice Notes and revokes all previous Notes and Notices. The new system will allow Practice Notes to be kept up to date as practice develops over time.
The Court's website has also been updated to support the improved structure, and assist legal practitioners in easily locating current information.
Highlights
The majority of new Practice Notes are revised and updated versions of existing notes.
A significant, new and updated Note on Technology in Civil Litigation is introduced. There is a new Practice Note dealing with procedure for Crimes Mental Impairment matters.
In the Commercial Court the Green Book has been replaced by a re-organised and simpler 'toolbox' of case management procedures to ensure that litigation is conducted to best facilitate the just, efficient and cost effective resolution of issues in dispute.
All legal practitioners are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new Practice Notes in advance of January 30. They can be found on the Supreme Court website at New Practice Notes for 2017.