Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (CPR): An Overview

The Civil Procedure Rules ("CPR") for the County Court and High Court are procedural rules governing civil litigation. They were introduced to make civil disputes less adversarial, more transparent and more proportionate.

The CPR set out how claims are issued, how parties exchange documents, how cases are managed by the court, and what costs consequences follow at each stage. Understanding the rules — and the pre-action protocols that sit alongside them — is essential before commencing proceedings.

The overriding objective requires the court to deal with cases justly and at proportionate cost. That means parties are expected to engage with alternative dispute resolution, comply with deadlines and behave reasonably throughout the process.

If you are considering issuing or defending a claim, early advice can save significant time and cost. Our litigation team will explain how the CPR applies to your case and the strategy that gives you the best prospect of success.