EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Statutory Rules 1982 No. 316
Issued by the Authority of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
AMENDMENTS OF THE RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
The purpose of the amendments is to simplify the scale of costs appearing in the Fourth Schedule to the Rules of the Supreme Court which governs the remuneration of solicitors for work done in litigation in the Court. It reduces the number of items in the Schedule from 106 to 35 and standardises as many charges as possible. In the interests of conformity and simplicity costs payable in respect of a few items have been increased and in respect of two decreased. Some items are quantified in line with the scale where previously they had been left solely to the taxing officer’s discretion. One item allowed by usage under a general heading has been particularised and its amount reduced. In general the scale of remuneration remains in substance what it has been since 1 August 1981.
It is believed that the simplification of the Schedule will result in more rapid and efficient preparation of bills of costs, and taxation of costs, and thus save costs to litigants.