application bundle

An application bundle is an indexed collection of papers filed with the court in advance of a hearing to present to the Court the documents which are likely to be referred to at the hearing of an application. They are also called “Hearing Bundles”.

Properly prepared application bundles are essential for a hearing of an application notice to go well. Judges are overwhelmed with cases. Time is short. The purpose of the application bundle is present relevant papers in an order which is logical for the judge for the particular hearing. They are required to be prepared where the papers are more than 25 pages (Chancery Court Guide).

Requirements: Application Bundles

The application bundle:

1. must be filed by the Applicant;
2. should be filed with the Court at least the day before the hearing. In many courts it is more;
3. should be served upon the respondent to the application in advance of the hearing;
4. will ideally:
   1. separate the different documents contained in it with numbered dividers;
   2. group relevant documents which should be included in the bundle together with numbered.
5. will not include all Court documents will be required for all Applications. It is only the documents which are relevant to the hearing which should be included in any particular application bundle.

Categories of Documents

Categories which are likely to be required for the hearing of an application will include some or all of the Court documents:

1. The application notice and draft order for the application to be heard;
2. Statements of case;
3. Orders previously made, such as case management directions. If an interim injunction has previously been made in the proceedings, the judge will more than likely want to see it;
4. Other case management documents;
5. Witness statements relevant to the application;
6. Exhibits to witness statements, grouped separately to the witness statements, particularly if they are bulky.

Skeleton arguments are filed separately to the application bundle.

Example of Index to Application Bundle

An index to an application bundle should be prepared. The lever arch file should state th case number, parties names, the court in which it is heard, and the date of the hearing. If there is more than one lever-arch file, the lever-arch files should be labelled along the lines of “Volume 1 of 3”, “Volume 2 of 3”.

CASE: [number]

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

CHANCERY DIVISION

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ENTERPRISE COURT

BETWEEN

[Party A]

Claimant

- v -

[Party B]

Defendant

INDEX TO APPLICATION BUNDLE
HEARING ON [DATE]
Before Mr/Mrs Justice [Name]