Chief Justice Bowskill today issued Supreme Court Practice Direction 8 of 2023, relating to representative proceedings (class actions) and creating a Class Actions List.
Under this practice direction, which starts immediately:
- All class actions will be managed by two judges: Justice Bradley and Justice Williams.
- These judges will deal with all interlocutory matters for class actions.
- When a matter is ready for trial, it will be assigned to another Trial Division judge for hearing, after consultation with the Senior Judge Administrator.
- Where a class action was commenced in the Central, Northern or Far Northern region of the Supreme Court, the trial will take place in that region, unless otherwise ordered by the Senior Judge Administrator.
The two judges referred to above will continue to sit in all other jurisdictions of the court.
The new practice pirection will be reviewed at the end of 2023, in consultation with members of the profession.
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