Preface: As the title of the book “Civil Trials Guidebook”, suggests, it is intended to serve as a quick reference guide to civil procedural matters. It is meant for legal and judicial officers, legal practitioners and law students. Others interested to know the workings of civil litigation may find it useful as it is written in simple language.
The civil procedural process has undergone significant changes recently. The Rules of High Court 1980 and the Subordinate Courts Rules 1980 have been replaced by the combined rules known as the Rules of Courts 2012. For example, under the new Order 34, Judges have a greater say in case management. Judges are now empowered to direct parties in suitable cases to attempt mediation before proceeding to a full trial. These and other changes are highlighted in this book.
This book comprises 42 chapters. It has addressed all the essential civil procedure topics and also some non-procedural topics such as defamation and personal injury claims. However the information contained in this book is not exhaustive. It is hoped that improvements will be made in future editions of this book. It must however be emphasized that the views expressed in this book do not necessarily reflect the official position.