No skeleton? No costs - Warns judge

A warning to barristers appearing in the applications court in the High Court.

You may have been instructed late or may not think a skeleton is necessary, but High Court judges are calling time on the late provision of skeleton arguments.

I was in the applications court last week when Briggs J heard an application by lawyers for luxury property developer BLV Realty Group II who were asking for more time to prepare evidence in support of their application for an administration order.

Skeletons were late and the unfortunate lawyer was warned by Briggs J that he and his fellow judges had had enough and, in future, if a skeleton was late then the costs of preparation of skeletons would be crossed off the costs schedule when it came for determination.

You have been warned.

Image by Sue Clark via Flickr.