Justice delayed is justice denied

A costs consequentials hearing for a Part 36 offer accepted out of time was unable to be fully effective last week as there was insufficient reading time for the judge. He adjourned it to be relisted for the first available slot with a half day pre-reading and then a day for the hearing. We have just been listed for 9 October 2026. The application for the consequentials hearing was made November last year and once we have the final order on the basis of our costs we will then be looking at detailed assessment.

The knock on effects are that the other side will have even more interest to pay on the costs when finally awarded, and the liquidations from which the original claims arose have to remain open whilst the we wait for the judicial system to work through to us.

Andrew Goodson of Griffins Litigation commented "I do not blame the judges, nor those who assist them in HMCTS, but there is a risk of cases ending up like Jarndyce v Jarndyce, only with the interminable nature of the proceedings being a drawn out wait for the next hearing."