trial timetable

Trial timetables set out how the time available for trial will be used. The judge at the trial ultimately controls the order of proceedings.

The first draft should be prepared by the claimant and circulated to the defendant and any other party to the proceedings to ascertain whether the timetable for trial may be agreed, in advance of the pre-trial review. The court will set the timetable for trial at the pre-trial review.

Items for the Trial Timetable

Courts are likely to fix limited time for each of the stages of the trial which include opening speeches, evidence-in-chief, cross-examination and closing statements. The Court may direct that the order events are to take place is varied from the trial timetable at or before the trial. The timetable for trial should be filed with the trial bundle.

After the claimant prepares the first draft of the trial timetable and serves it, if the parties cannot agree how the time will be allocated, they are expected by the court to cooperate to minimise areas of dispute. If the trial timetable cannot be agreed, the court will resolve those matters at a hearing.

Example Trial Timetable

A trial timetable may be as simple as: