Evaluation of the civil courts

• Advantages - fair

  The process is fair, in that everyone is treated alike and the judge is impartial

  + The trial is conducted by a legal expert with the decision being made by a judge who is an

  experienced and qualified lawyer
• Advantages - enforcement

  Enforcement of the court’s decision is easier, as any decision made by the courts can be enforced

  through the courts

  + There is an appeal process with specific appeal

  routes from decisions made in the courts, so if the claimant is not happy with the decision, it is usually possible to appeal against it
• Disadvantages - cost

  often more than the amount claimed. In

  the High Court, the cost can be hundreds of thousands of pounds. For smaller claims, the costs are often more than the amount claimed.
• Disadvantages- delay

  many stages. Even after a case is set for

  hearing, there is still a long wait (usually one year for larger claims) before the case is heard in court. The total time of all this can mean that some cases are not finished for years
• Disadvantages - complicated process

  compulsory steps to be taken before a case heard in court; e.g. for some

  case, parties must use set pre-action protocols