Rules of Procedure of the Unified Patent Court (RoP)

Rule 332

General principles of case management

Active case management includes

• (a) encouraging the parties to co-operate with each other during the proceedings;
  (b) identifying the issues at an early stage;
  (c) deciding promptly which issues need full investigation and disposing summarily of other issues;
  (d) deciding the order in which issues are to be resolved;
  (e) encouraging the parties to make use of the Centre and facilitating the use of the Centre;
  (f) helping the parties to settle the whole or part of the action;
  (g) fixing timetables or otherwise controlling the progress of the action;
  (h) considering whether the likely benefits of taking a particular step justify the cost of taking it;
  (i) dealing with as many aspects of the action as the Court can on the same occasion;
  (j) dealing with the action without the parties needing to attend in person;
  (k) making use of available technical means; and
  (l) giving directions to ensure that the hearing of the action proceeds quickly and efficiently.

Notes

Status: 15th draft of 31st May 2013