(1) This Part applies to claims in the Commercial Court of the King's Bench Division.

(2) In this Part and Practice Direction 58, ‘commercial claim’ means any claim arising out of the transaction of trade and commerce and includes any claim relating to –

(1) The commercial list is a specialist list for claims proceeding in the Commercial Court.

(2) One of the judges of the Commercial Court shall be in charge of the commercial list.

These Rules and their practice directions apply to claims in the commercial list unless this Part or a practice direction provides otherwise.

(1) A commercial claim may be started in the commercial list.

(2) Rule 30.5 applies to claims in the commercial list, except that a Commercial Court judge may order a claim to be transferred to any other specialist list.

(Rule 30.5(3) provides that an application for the transfer of proceedings to or from a specialist list must be made to a judge dealing with claims in that list.)

(1) If, in a Part 7 claim, particulars of claim are not contained in or served with the claim form –

(2) A statement of value is not required to be included in the claim form.

(3) If the claimant is claiming interest, he must –

in both the claim form and the particulars of claim.

(1) A defendant must file an acknowledgment of service in every case.

(2) Unless paragraph (3) applies, the period for filing an acknowledgment of service is 14 days after service of the claim form.

(3) Where the claim form is served out of the jurisdiction, or on the agent of a defendant who is overseas, the time periods provided by rules 6.12(3), 6.35 and 6.37(5) apply after service of the claim form.

(1) Part 11 applies to claims in the commercial list with the modifications set out in this rule.

(2) An application under rule 11(1) must be made within 28 days after filing an acknowledgment of service.

(3) If the defendant files an acknowledgment of service indicating an intention to dispute the court's jurisdiction, the claimant need not serve particulars of claim before the hearing of the application.

(1) If, in a Part 7 claim in the commercial list, a defendant fails to file an acknowledgment of service, the claimant need not serve particulars of claim before he may obtain or apply for default judgment in accordance with Part 12.

(2) Rule 12.6(1) applies with the modification that paragraph (a) shall be read as if it referred to the claim form instead of the particulars of claim.

Where the claim is for a specified amount of money and the defendant admits part of the claim, the claimant may apply under Part 14 for judgment on the admission but rules 14.2 and 14.6(5) to (7) do not apply.

(1) Part 15 (defence and reply) applies to claims in the commercial list with the modification to rule 15.8(a) that the claimant must –

within 21 days after service of the defence.

(2) Rule 6.35 (in relation to the period for filing a defence where the claim form is served out of the jurisdiction) applies to claims in the commercial list, except that if the particulars of claim are served after the defendant has filed an acknowledgment of service the period for filing a defence is 28 days from service of the particulars of claim.

The court may at any time before or after the issue of the claim form order a claim in the commercial list to proceed without the filing or service of statements of case.

Part 8 applies to claims in the commercial list, with the modification that a defendant to a Part 8 claim who wishes to rely on written evidence must file and serve it within 28 days after filing an acknowledgment of service.

(1) All proceedings in the commercial list are treated as being allocated to the multi-track and Part 26 does not apply.

(2) The following parts only of Part 29 apply –

(3) As soon as practicable the court will hold a case management conference which must be fixed in accordance with Practice Direction 58.

(4) At the case management conference or at any hearing at which the parties are represented the court may give such directions for the management of the case as it considers appropriate.

(1) If, in proceedings relating to a marine insurance policy, the underwriters apply for specific disclosure under rule 31.12, the court may –

(2) An order under this rule may be made at any stage of the proceedings and on such terms, if any, as to staying the proceedings or otherwise, as the court thinks fit.

(1) Except for orders made by the court on its own initiative and unless the court orders otherwise, every judgment or order will be drawn up by the parties, and rule 40.3 is modified accordingly.

(2) An application for a consent order must include a draft of the proposed order signed on behalf of all the parties to whom it relates.

(3) Rule 40.6 (consent judgments and orders) does not apply.