Electronic filing, storage of e-files and online payments were one of the many recommendations of Jackson LJ and have been compulsory in some Business and Property Courts since April 2017.
CE-File was extended to the Senior Courts Costs Office on a voluntary basis on 7 October 2019, and will become mandatory in the SCCO for legally represented parties from 20 January 2020. This covers Part 8 proceedings, and all detailed and provisional assessments file on or after 20 January 2020 including legal aid bills and bills of Deputies in the Court of Protection.
Providers should set up an account if they have not done so already online, and consider the user guide and the SCCO practice note, and well as Practice Direction 51O.
Key points of Note;
- The file size upload limit per file is 50MB. If larger files need to be submitted, they should be split into multiple files, each not exceeding 50M.
- When you submit your bill, the fee will be calculated automatically by bill type, and the fee can be taken from you PBA. You should receive an email confirmation of payment. You should then receive a notification when the bill is accepted for assessment. Once the court has sealed the document, you should receive a further notification and then be able to access and print the document.
- Remember that in addition to costs incurred in the High Court and Court of Protection, the SCCO deals with assessment of costs from the relevant courts including Barnet, Brentford, Bromley, Central London, Clerkenwell and Shoreditch, Croydon, Edmonton, Ilford, Kingston, Mayors and City of London, Romford, Uxbridge, Wandsworth and Willesden.
