The number of claims handled by the flagship Commercial Court in London continues to decline, according to latest Courts and Tribunals Judiciary statistics. 

According to the court's annual report for 2021-22, 723 claims were issued in the court in the year, a 9.9% drop from 2020-21. More than two thirds of the cases - 69% - were classed as 'international', a slight fall from the 74% of the previous year. 

Business and Property Court, Rolls Building, London

Commercial Court: Annual report shows 9.9% drop in claims issued

Source: Michael Cross

In the foreword, Mr Justice Foxton, judge in charge of the Commercial Court, writes that the court has remained 'very busy'. The reduction in the number of claims being issued 'is in part off-set by an increase in the number of cases being commenced in the Circuit Commercial Courts'. There has also been a 'very significant increase' in the number of arbitration-related applications. 

The number of claims filed in the London Circuit Commercial Court - which handles claims generally worth less than £5m - rose from 283 to 290 in the year, the report states. The majority were contractual claims. 

Overall, 48% of contested trials were tried within four days - however the number of longer trials increased in the year, with five running more than four weeks.