2010 – it’s a whole new world out there for civil litigation – is your law firm up on all the changes?
(If we’re your law firm, the answer is yes, by the way.)
Here is a quick highlight of two important changes:
Small Claims Court now goes up to $ 25 000.00 – don’t do this yourself, however, retain a law firm – ours handles these matters on a flat fee basis so you don’t get any surprises in costs at the end of the day.
Simplified Procedure is now mandatory for $ 100 000.00, but there is a twist (is it just me, or do I sound like a Reality TV Show host?) the twist being that this procedure, which came in years ago in an effort to reduce legal fees by eliminating discoveries is now bringing back discoveries, but capping them to two hours maximum.
There are also many changes regarding how far in advance documents must be served, so if we are suddenly hounding you to swear materials far earlier than you are used to, please do not shoot the messenger (well, don’t shoot anyone, ever. That is just good legal advice).
As I said at the top, if we’re your law firm, we are on top of the new Rules. If we are not, ensure your current firm doesn’t charge you for their education, you do not have to pay to educate your law firm!
Happy New Rules (and of course, New Year!)