No matter what type of dispute you are involved in, Alker Ball Healds can help you navigate your way right through the Court process from preparing the initial letter of claim to representing you at the final court hearing.
Types of claim
Small claims
These include most claims where the amount in dispute is under £10,000. Small claims are usually heard before a District Judge in the County Court. The procedure is kept as informal as the nature of the case allows. In Small claims the court does not have the power to order one party to pay the other party's legal costs (except in exceptional circumstances) even if the claim is successful or successfully defended.
Fast Track Claims
If the amount in dispute is between £10,000 and £25,000 the claim will usually be allocated to the County Court fast track. These claims are usually more complicated than small claims and the Court will determine the procedure the parties have to follow. Normally only one expert witness per party will be allowed and the court does have power to order the loser to pay the winner's legal costs.
Multi track Claims
If your claim is for a higher amount or is more complex, it is likely that the claim will be allocated to the County Court multi-track or possibly it might need to be issued in the High Court. The Court will usually hold a preliminary hearing to determine the issues in the case and the procedural steps to be followed. Expert evidence is usually needed in these cases and a careful eye has to be kept on the legal costs involved as costs in multi track or High Court claims can be very high.
Defending Claims
Alker Ball Healds can also help if you are being sued and want to defend the claim made against you. We will prepare your Defence to the claim and advise you throughout the court process. We can help you avoid any pitfalls and if it's in your interests we can attempt to negotiate a settlement with your opponent
Costs
We work on a fixed fee or hourly rate basis depending on what is appropriate for your case. The basis on which we charge will be agreed with you in advance. If we charge on an hourly rate basis we will give you an estimate of the likely fees at the outset and this will be reviewed as your matter progresses.
Contact us
To arrange an initial consultation, you can phone our specialist team on 01942 246241