Compensation cap rise set to increase number of civil cases without juries

THE number of civil cases heard without juries is set to rise steeply following a significant raising of the cap on compensation in the District and Civil courts.

In future, cases involving claims worth up to €20,000 will be heard in the District Court and claims up to €100,000 in the Circuit Court. Currently the value of claims each court can handle is capped at £5,000 (€6,350) and £30,000 (€38,100) respectively.

Those limits were set in 1991 and even though legislation was introduced to increase them in 2002, the changes were not made. A Government-appointed advisory group said yesterday the higher limits should be implemented immediately.