The B.C. Government has added new rules to reduce the costs and waiting times for trials. The new “Expedited Litigation Project Rule” applies to claims for money, real property or personal property with a value of $100,000 or less, exclusive of interest and legal costs. The rule will not apply to family law cases or cases under the Class Proceeding Act.
The new rules aim to make the cost of pre-trial processes proportionate to the value of the amount in dispute. They place limits on examination for discovery and pre-trial disclosure. The rules also impose obligations on the parties to engage in earlier and more comprehensive exchange of information, such as witness lists and a summary of the evidence they expect witnesses to deliver at trial.
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