解題
Allocation Procedure and Criteria:
- Following the Woolf Reforms and under the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), once a defendant files a defence, the court sends each party an allocation/directions questionnaire (Form N180 or N181) to assess the nature and scale of the dispute.
- The District Judge or procedural judge determines the allocation based on both financial value and non-financial factors set out in CPR Part 26, such as the complexity of facts or law, the number of parties, the importance of the case, and the amount of oral and expert evidence required.
Application to Marcus's Claims:
1. Claim for £6,500 (Contractor):
- Financial threshold: Straightforward money claims up to £10,000 are allocated to the Small Claims Track.
- Characteristics: Heard informally by a District Judge in the County Court (often around a table in chambers); strict rules of evidence are relaxed; parties are encouraged to represent themselves; legal costs are generally not recoverable from the losing party (limiting financial risk).
2. Claim for £18,000 (Personal Injury / Disputed Facts):
- Financial threshold: Claims between £10,000 and £25,000 (and personal injury claims above £1,000/£1,500 up to £25,000) are allocated to the Fast Track.
- Characteristics: Handled in the County Court with a strict timetable (aiming for trial within 30 to 39 weeks); hearings are strictly limited to one day; limited expert evidence is permitted (often a single joint expert); fixed costs regime applies to keep litigation proportionate.
3. Claim for £140,000 (Technical Commercial Dispute):
- Financial threshold: Claims exceeding £25,000, or complex cases of lower value requiring extensive management, are allocated to the Multi-Track.
- Characteristics: Managed actively by a Circuit Judge in the County Court or High Court; involves Case Management Conferences (CMCs) and pre-trial reviews to establish bespoke timetables, disclosure orders, and management of multiple expert witnesses.
評分準則
Mark Breakdown (10 marks total):
Band 4 (8–10 marks):
- Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the allocation procedure (Directions Questionnaires, CPR criteria, judicial role).
- Accurately details the financial thresholds and procedural characteristics of all three tracks (Small Claims, Fast Track, Multi-Track).
- Fully and accurately applies the law to allocate all three of Marcus's disputes with coherent justification.
Band 3 (5–7 marks):
- Demonstrates sound knowledge of the civil tracks and allocation process.
- Correctly identifies the tracks and applies them to at least two of Marcus's claims with supporting reasons.
- May lack fine procedural detail or omit non-financial allocation criteria.
Band 2 (3–4 marks):
- Shows basic awareness of the three tracks and their financial limits.
- Limited application to Marcus's scenarios; explanations may be incomplete or generalized.
Band 1 (1–2 marks):
- Fragmentary knowledge of civil courts or track names without meaningful procedural explanation or correct application.
Credit any other relevant points of English civil procedure.