The Department of Justice has announced its intention to increase the general civil jurisdiction of the County Court from £30,000 to £60,000, with District Judge jurisdiction rising to £20,000 and the defamation limit increasing to £10,000. Implementation is expected via secondary legislation, with a target date in autumn 2026.
This update marks a significant development in the operation of the civil justice system in Northern Ireland. The increase aims to modernise jurisdictional thresholds, improve proportionality, and ease pressure on the High Court by ensuring more cases can be dealt with at County Court level.
While the jurisdictional uplift is welcome, several important operational details have not yet been confirmed, including:
The Department of Justice has acknowledged that changes to jurisdiction will bring “significant and complex issues” around scale costs and that any changes may require separate consultation.
This reform represents a positive step towards modernising civil justice in Northern Ireland and improving efficiency. As further details emerge on costs, procedure and implementation, stakeholders across the sector will be watching closely to understand how the new framework will operate in practice.
If you would like to discuss case reserving, forum strategy or indicative cost modelling for your portfolio, please get in touch.
Victoria McLean - Partner
Rachel Keenan - Partner
Stephen Olver - Associate
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