29/03/2022

Small Claims Court Upper Limit To Be Increased

The upper limit for claims which can be heard in the small claims court is to be increased, Justice Minister Naomi Long has announced.

From 3 October 2022, the maximum value of a claims which can be heard in the small claims court will increase from the current level of £3,000 to £5,000.

The increase was brought forward following consideration of responses to a public consultation on increasing the general civil jurisdiction of the county court. Legal provision for the increase was made today by the signing of the County Courts (Financial Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022.

Naomi Long said: "I want the system for making civil claims to be as efficient as possible by ensuring that cases are heard in the right court setting, consistent with their complexity and relative value.

"The small claims court is designed to bring speedy resolution for citizens in lower value cases. Increasing the maximum financial value of claims which that court can hear helps to ensure a more accessible justice system, supporting litigants who may not otherwise wish to pursue a claim in the county court."


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