New year resolutions: Be prepared, organise paperwork, respect deadlines

As I collected my thoughts waiting for my wife in a shopping centre last month, I listened to The Twelve Days of Christmas.
I thought I would offer my own version, in the hope that one
or two verses will come true
in 2014.

On the first day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court witness statements that contained pagination of the statement and exhibits CPR32PD19.

On the second day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court applications for relief from sanctions that contained an estimate of the length of hearing that included time for the judge to hear the application and to read the court file in advance and then to hand down a judgment, PD23A CPR Part 23.

On the third day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court bundles of documents that complied with practice direction 27A supplementing FPR27 '“ the corresponding practice
direction in civil proceedings
is CPR39APD.3.

On the fourth day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court bundles of documents in ring binders or lever arch files that were capable of being opened so the judges could gain access to the contents that didn't fall out as soon as it was opened.

On the fifth day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court bundles of documents that reached the court file no later than the day before the hearing.

On the sixth day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court a case summary and skeleton argument that wasn't handed to the usher ten minutes before a two-hour contested application.

On the seventh day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court confirmation that all their private law family clients had attended a pre-issue mediation meeting that was successful.

On the eighth day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors were sent to court by their firms and provided with up-to-date Red or White or Green books so they could assist the district judge.

On the ninth day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court, in advance of a hearing, copies of the authorities on which they intended to rely.

On the tenth day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to the court when they couldn't attend a fully briefed solicitor agent or counsel.

On the 11th day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to their local court all the orders they had agreed to perfect to assist their litigant in person opponent and the district judge within 24 hours of the hearing.

On the 12th day of Christmas, more and then more solicitors sent to their local court staff a thank-you letter for all the hard work undertaken by them in the past year, together with wine and chocolates.

That would make for a happy new year for them. And a happy and prosperous new year from all your district judges. SJ