Practice: New Patents Court Guide
I have just had an email from Richard Miller QC to say that a new Patents Court Guide (dated September 2008) has appeared on HM Courts Service website though the November 2003 guide remains for the time being on another part of the HMCS site. Possibly the reason for keeping the old one is that it contains specimen directions whereas the new one does not. On a quick run through I spotted the following changes: a statement of what most practitioners probably already knew, namely that cases of technical difficulty 4 and 5 will normally be tried by Mr Justice Kitchin or Mr Justice Floyd who, of course, came from the patent bar whereas the others practised in general chancery; Kav's full contact details (tel 020 7073 4251, fax 020 7073 4253, (Kav.rekhi@hmcourts-service.gsi.gov.uk) and some practical guidance on issuing and listing; the paragraph on arrangements for sitting outside London (a subject very dear to my heart) has been promoted form para. 18 of the old guide to para. 1.5 ...