In our client alert dated 14 March, we provided an update on developments regarding the Damages Claims Portal (DCP), including the upcoming mandatory use of the Online Civil Money Claims (OCMC) system. As previously communicated, the OCMC, which has been available for voluntary use, is set to be mandated in the near future.
Initially, HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) indicated that the OCMC would become mandatory from March. However, at the time of our last update, there was still a lack of clarity regarding publication of the updated Practice Directions.
We have since received further information from HMCTS, confirming that the rollout of the OCMC mandate has been postponed to the latter half of April, though an exact date has yet to be confirmed. It is important to note that this timeline remains subject to change, particularly as the updated Practice Directions have not yet been published.
While rollout of the OCMC to in-house legal teams is not on the current roadmap, we are aware that discussions within HMCTS have commenced to consider extending use of the OCMC to in-house legal teams provided they have a relevant SRA number in order to enable them to set up an account. We will keep you updated as these discussions develop.
Given the need for system updates and staff training, we will continue to monitor the situation closely. We will provide a further update as soon as we receive confirmation of a firm mandate date or the release of the updated Practice Directions.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions in the meantime.
Gavin Miller - gmiller@keoghs.co.uk
Matthew Christopher - mchristopher@keoghs.co.uk
Natalie Larnder - nlarnder@keoghs.co.uk
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