Harold Hamilton Wright

In a Commercial List case conference concerning potential refusals motions, the court addressed whether interlocutory motions to compel answers to refused discovery questions should be scheduled.

The case management judge emphasized the court’s inherent jurisdiction and the proportionality principles in the Rules of Civil Procedure to control litigation and allocate scarce judicial resources.

The court held that a Commercial List case management judge may decline to schedule refusals motions and instead direct that, if a refusal later proves improper at trial, an adverse inference may be drawn against the refusing party.

Such directions may bind the parties at trial unless the trial judge determines otherwise to prevent injustice.

In a complex commercial fraud and negligence action involving multiple defendants, the court issued a case conference memorandum addressing the status of discovery, mediation, expert reports, and pre‑trial procedure.

The court directed timelines for completion of undertakings and remaining examinations for discovery.

It encouraged the parties to consider avoiding refusals motions due to limited judicial resources and proposed an alternative approach allowing trial judges to address refused questions if necessary.

The parties were instructed to advise the court whether they would forego refusals motions or proceed with them.

The court also directed the parties to contact a judge to schedule a lengthy trial and to return for a further case conference if mediation failed.

In a Commercial List case conference, the court addressed procedural issues arising during case management of complex banking litigation.

A related action commenced by another party against the plaintiff bank had not been disclosed at an earlier case conference, prompting the court to require an explanation and direct counsel to attend a further appointment to address potential motions and case coordination.

The court also addressed discovery disputes, including requests to examine additional representatives and disagreements about whether discovery rights had been exhausted.

Timetables were set for written motion materials regarding discovery disputes, interrogatories, expert reports, and a forensic accounting report.

The court emphasized the importance of transparency in case management and minimizing interlocutory motions in complex litigation.