Possible improvements to the Poor Persons Procedure and a critique on the implementation of technology in office procedures.

The Law Society’s Gazette May 1939

Poor Persons ProcedureThe Council consider there is a legitimate grievance where a solicitor has conducted a successful case for a poor person, resulting in the award of substantial damages against a party who is well able to afford to pay party and party costs, and no order for costs is made in the ordinary way. They are of the opinion that the Rules should be amended so as to give the court or judge discretion to award profit costs to a poor person where the means of any other party to the action or suit justify the making of such an order.

The Law Society’s Gazette 9 May 1979

PostboxI have recently tried to modernise my accounts department by installing a computer costing £8,500 excluding VAT, and after mechanical malfunctions, I was told to keep a thermometer near the machine to ascertain whether the temperature had any effect upon its operation. Some progress!

The Law Society’s Gazette 6 May 1999

Claims tumble in first week of WoolfSolicitors have failed to grasp fully the new civil justice regime with the implementation of the civil procedure rules last week, according to figures released by the courts. A spokesman for Bristol County Court said around 75% of matters received for issue last week were returned as solicitors were still using old forms. Only 112 county court claims were issued in the week as opposed to around 1,000 the week before. Court Service chief Ian Magee maintained that the ‘monitor computer system’ for the new procedures had gone in ‘literally without a hitch’ in the 230 courts around the country.