New court on trial

Press, 20 March 1987, Page 10

New court on trial

PA Auckland A new fast-track business court aimed at cutting legal red tape will be launched in Auckland next month. Called the Commercial List, it will bq a fast, cheap way of resolving disputes in trade and commerce. There will be no room for formality or delaying tactics, according to the man in charge, of setting it up, Mr Phil Milward. Mr Milward, deputy registrar at the High Court civil office in Auckland, is in

charge of the day-to-day running of a four-year trial of the new court. It will be the first in New Zealand, but there are successful commercial lists in some Australian states and in Britain. The list will be run from the civil office alongside the existing civil proceedings and miscellaneous lists. Hearings will be at the High Court at Auckland, with Mr Justice Barker in charge of the list, and Mr Justice Henry as his

deputy. Starting date for filing on the new list will be April 1, but the formal launch will be at the High Court at Auckland on April 13.

Mr Milward said the civil proceedings and miscellaneous court lists were both overburdened with a backlog of cases caused by too many applications before the main hearing. He hopes the new list will cut by half the average time cases are on the books.