Judges’ plan to overhaul legal system set to anger lawyers

A GROUP of senior judges has recommended penalties for all parties in personal injury cases who falsify or exaggerate claims, delay proceedings or create unnecessary expense.

In a report set to cause tension between the legal profession and the judiciary, the high-powered group also want responsibility for case management taken out of the hands of solicitors and given over to judges or senior court officials.

This would mean solicitors would be told what preparatory work was necessary and would be subjected to strict deadlines, limiting the scope for unforeseen hold-ups, deliberate delays and non-essential paper-chasing.