Magistrates' Court General Civil Procedure and Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings (Costs Amendment) Rules 2024 (Vic)

Magistrates' Court General Civil Procedure and Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings (Costs Amendment) Rules 2024

S.R. No. 134/2024

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

Rule  Page

Part 1—Preliminary

1Objects

2Authorising provisions

3Commencement

4Principal Rules

Part 2—Amendment of Magistrates' Court General Civil Procedure Rules 2020

5Amendments to Appendix A—Scale of costs

Part 3—Amendment of Magistrates' Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2020

6Amendment of definitions

7Amendments to Appendix AA

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Endnotes

STATUTORY RULES 2024

S.R. No. 134/2024

Magistrates' Court Act 1989

Magistrates' Court General Civil Procedure and Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings (Costs Amendment) Rules 2024

The Chief Magistrate together with one or more Deputy Chief Magistrates jointly make the following Rules:

PART 1—PRELIMINARY

1Objects

The objects of these Rules are—

(a)to amend the Magistrates' Court General Civil Procedure Rules 2020 to make further provision for costs payable in matters and proceedings before the Court; and

(b)to amend the Magistrates' Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2020 to make further provision for costs awarded in proceedings referred to arbitration.

2Authorising provisions

These Rules are made under section 16 of the Magistrates' Court Act 1989 and all other enabling powers.

3Commencement

These Rules come into operation on 1 January 2025.

4Principal Rules

In these Rules, the Magistrates' Court General Civil Procedure Rules 2020[1] are called the Principal Rules.

PART 2—AMENDMENT OF MAGISTRATES' COURT GENERAL CIVIL PROCEDURE RULES 2020

5Amendments to Appendix A—Scale of costs

(1)In item 1 of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules—

(a)in paragraph (a), for "260" substitute "270";

(b)in paragraph (b), for "545" substitute "565";

(c)in paragraph (c), for "668" substitute "693";

(d)in paragraph (d), for "804" substitute "834";

(e)in paragraph (e), for "998" substitute "1035";

(f)in paragraph (f), for "1202" substitute "1246";

(g)in paragraph (g), for "1436" substitute "1489".

(2)In item 60 of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules—

(a)for "$2.85" substitute "$2.96";

(b)for "81 cents" substitute "84 cents".

(3)In item 79 of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules, for "81 cents" substitute "84 cents".

(4)In note B in the notes to items 76 to 79 of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules, for "81 cents" substitute "84 cents".

(5)In item 82 of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules—

(a)for "$335" substitute "$347";

(b)for "$2359" substitute "$2446";

(c)for "$83" substitute "$86";

(d)for "$416" substitute "$431".

(6)In item 82A of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules—

(a)for "$176" substitute "$183";

(b)for "$961" substitute "$997".

(7)In paragraph (c) of item 83 of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules—

(a)omit "Appendix A of the Scale of Costs in";

(b)for "Appendix A or" substitute "Schedule 1 to Chapter I of the Rules of the County Court".

(8)In item 84 of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules—

(a)for "$74" substitute "$77";

(b)for "$515" substitute "$534".

(9)In item 85 of the scale of costs in Appendix A to the Principal Rules—

(a)for "$294" substitute "$305";

(b)for "$74" substitute "$77";

(c)for "$515" substitute "$534".

(10)For Table 1 in Appendix A to the Principal Rules substitute—

"TABLE 1

(Costs in dollars for items 2 to 85)

Item	A Less than $500	B $500 to less than $5000	C $5000 to less than $7500	D $7500 to less  than $20 000	E $20 000 to less  than $40 000	F $40 000 to less  than $70 000	G $70 000 and over
2.	93	93	93	138	175	207	241
3.	270	566	695	835	1036	1249	1493
4.	n/a	n/a	201	265	270	288	305
5.	124	268	332	396	494	593	712
6.	144	298	365	437	539	651	780
7.	64	64	64	64	64	64	64
8.	94	213	258	308	385	459	546
9.	86	179	214	258	319	386	461
10.	n/a	n/a	216	300	325	365	409
11.	n/a	n/a	23	61	61	61	61
12.	61	101	124	147	187	218	253
13.	76	144	169	209	262	312	368
14.	150	314	386	461	584	689	817
15.	61	94	124	150	187	218	253
16.	121	252	305	365	458	545	630
17.	162	344	439	527	651	784	928
18.	n/a	n/a	216	300	325	365	408
19.	60	107	125	151	189	220	267
20.	162	162	162	220	279	338	401
21.	162	162	162	220	279	338	401
22.	138	138	138	207	258	308	368
23.	31	52	71	71	93	112	132
24.	30	32	32	53	58	66	79
25.	86	89	90	135	169	201	241
26.	17	17	17	64	83	101	120
*  *                  *                  *                  *                  *
28.	52	116	125	144	178	213	251
29.	56	56	56	56	56	56	56
29A.	122	228	308	344	461	553	642
29B.	122	228	308	344	461	553	642
30.	55	55	55	55	55	55	55
31.	121	252	305	365	458	539	629
32.	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
33.	491	1603	1980	2378	2974	4298	6683
34.	118	363	485	587	727	874	1001
35.	214	383	588	727	908	1096	1278
36.	118	356	485	587	713	857	982
37.	214	411	588	727	896	1077	1256
38.	62	116	146	170	221	268	311
39.	62	116	146	170	221	268	311
40.	refer to item 40
41.	refer to item 41
42.	125	284	351	426	530	637	759
43.	214	411	589	730	915	1100	1280
44.	192	192	192	192	192	192	192
45.	452	908	1371	1643	2054	2454	2856
46.	97	179	214	262	325	390	457
47.	206	351	438	527	651	784	905
48.	62	116	146	171	213	258	302
49.	62	125	161	204	255	306	360
50.	83	153	199	231	299	359	415
51.	83	153	199	231	299	359	415
52.	n/a	n/a	264	401	432	483	724
53.	546	1224	1650	1978	2468	2964	3237
*  *                  *                  *                  *                  *
55.	225	440	624	771	967	1161	1354
56.	68	123	152	181	245	288	338
57.	229	446	633	782	982	1180	1417
57A.	782	782	782	782	782	782	782
58.	5.60	13.30	13.30	14.60	17.00	19.40	26.30
59.	3.60	3.60	3.60	3.60	3.60	3.60	3.60
60.	refer to item 60
61.	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50	3.50
62.	1.70	1.70	1.70	1.70	1.70	1.70	1.70
63.	53	53	53	53	53	53	53
64.	36	36	36	36	36	36	36
65.	20	20	20	20	20	20	20
66.	36	36	36	36	36	36	36
67.	62	62	62	62	62	62	62
68.	31	31	31	31	31	31	31
69.	69	143	169	213	267	319	375
70.	72	171	207	228	289	351	408
71.	206	413	465	557	693	829	1086
72.	368	522	561	704	880	1055	1383
73.	62	108	125	151	189	220	255
74.	62	108	125	151	189	220	255
75.	93	93	93	138	138	138	138
76.	89	89	89	89	89	89	89
77.	16	16	16	16	16	16	16
78.	61	61	61	61	61	61	61
79.	refer to item 79
80.	183	330	391	460	581	684	796
81.	refer to item 81
82.	refer to item 82
82A.	refer to item 82A
83.	refer to item 83
84.	refer to item 84
85.	refer to item 85

".

(11)For Table 2 in Appendix A to the Principal Rules substitute—

"TABLE 2—CIRCUIT FEES

Circuit town

Fee for each day

or part of day

Ararat

634

Benalla

672

Colac

532

Echuca

672

La Trobe Valley

521

Mansfield

532

Portland

734

Stawell

672

Swan Hill

672

".

PART 3—AMENDMENT OF MAGISTRATES' COURT (MISCELLANEOUS CIVIL PROCEEDINGS) RULES 2020

6Amendment of definitions

(1)In Rule 2.01A of the Magistrates' Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2020[2], in the definition of Cap A—

(a)in paragraph (a)(i), for "$1928" substitute "$1999";

(b)in paragraph (a)(ii), for "$1928 and $364" substitute "$1999 and $377";

(c)in paragraph (b)(i), for "$2893" substitute "$3000";

(d)in paragraph (b)(ii), for "$2893 and $364" substitute "$3000 and $377".

(2)In Rule 2.01A of the Magistrates' Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2020, in the definition of Cap B—

(a)in paragraph (a)(i), for "$2079" substitute "$2156";

(b)in paragraph (a)(ii), for "$2079 and $452" substitute "$2156 and $469";

(c)in paragraph (b)(i), for "$3119" substitute "$3234";

(d)in paragraph (b)(ii), for "$3119 and $452" substitute "$3234 and $469".

(3)In Rule 2.01A of the Magistrates' Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2020, in the definition of Cap C—

(a)in paragraph (a)(i), for "$2228" substitute "$2310";

(b)in paragraph (a)(ii), for "$2228 and $544" substitute "$2310 and $564";

(c)in paragraph (b)(i), for "$3343" substitute "$3467";

(d)in paragraph (b)(ii), for "$3343 and $544" substitute "$3467 and $564".

7Amendments to Appendix AA

(1)For the Table in clause 1.1 of Part A of Appendix AA to the Magistrates' Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2020 substitute—

"TABLE

Item	If any of the following things occur...	The amount of costs that may be awarded is not more than...
1	If the amount awarded in arbitration is $500 or more but is less than $3000	If the arbitration does not exceed 2 hours—$1999 If the arbitration exceeds 2 hours—$3000
2	If the amount awarded in arbitration is $3000 or more but is less than $5000	If the arbitration does not exceed 2 hours—$2156 If the arbitration exceeds 2 hours—$3234
3	If the amount awarded in arbitration is $5000 or more but is less than $10 000	If the arbitration does not exceed 2 hours—$2310 If the arbitration exceeds 2 hours—$3467
4	If a party is awarded costs only and the amount claimed in the complaint is $500 or more but is less than $3000	If the arbitration does not exceed 2 hours—$1999 If the arbitration exceeds 2 hours—$3000
5	If a party is awarded costs only and the amount claimed in the complaint is $3000 or more but is less than $5000	If the arbitration does not exceed 2 hours—$2156 If the arbitration exceeds 2 hours—$3234
6	If a party is awarded costs only and the amount claimed in the complaint is $5000 or more but is less than $10 000	If the arbitration does not exceed 2 hours—$2310 If the arbitration exceeds 2 hours—$3467

".

(2)In clause 1.2 of Part B of Appendix AA to the Magistrates' Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2020—

(a)in paragraph (a), for "$364" substitute "$377";

(b)in paragraph (b), for "$452" substitute "$469";

(c)in paragraph (c), for "$544" substitute "$564".

Dated:   16 December 2024

LISA HANNAN,
Chief Magistrate

SUSAN WAKELING,
Deputy Chief Magistrate

TIM BOURKE,
Deputy Chief Magistrate

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ENDNOTES

[1] Rule 4: S.R. No. 112/2020 as amended by S.R. Nos 23/2021, 89/2021, 167/2021, 54/2022, 102/2022, 134/2022, 68/2023 and 128/2023.

[2] Rule 6(1): S.R. No. 113/2020 as amended by S.R. Nos 23/2021, 89/2021, 143/2021, 167/2021, 20/2022, 134/2022, 68/2023 and 128/2023.