The principal object of the Fast Track List is to streamline court procedures thereby reducing significantly the costs of litigation.
In broad outline the key elements of the Fast Track List are:
The abolition of pleadings. In the place of pleadings each party must provide a case summary.
A scheduling conference approximately 6 weeks after filing. The parties’ lawyers must attend. The principal issues in dispute will be identified, the parties will indicate the witnesses likely to be called, the case will then be set down for hearing.
In all but urgent cases interlocutory applications to be dealt with on the papers.
A substantial reduction in the volume of discovery. The two key changes are first, that only significant documents will be discovered and second, the search for discoverable documents is a “good faith proportionate search”.
A pre-trial conference where outstanding issues will be dealt with, objections to evidence resolved, witnesses and what documents to be tendered will be identified.
A trial that will be a “chess-clock” style following the current trend in arbitration.
The Court will endeavour to deliver judgment within 6 weeks. In urgent matters, the Court will endeavour to deliver judgments more quickly.
