Group Litigation Order
Encyclopedia
A group litigation order (or GLO) is an order of a court
in England and Wales
, which permits a number of claim
s which give rise to common or related issues (of fact or law) to be managed collectively.
(now claimant) who shared the same interest in a claim as a group to either begin or continue a claim as a representative of that group. The court could also consolidate one or more claims so that they were managed or heard together.
The Final Access to Justice Report, published in July 1996, concluded that these methods were not sufficiently flexible and recommended that a system for group litigation be introduced.
Group Litigation Orders were added to the Civil Procedure Rules from 2 May 2000.
of the claim. A single court will be assigned to manage the GLO. A Group Register will then be set up listing all claims which have become part of the GLO. Any party to a case may apply to be added or removed from the group register.
All claims that from part of a GLO will be automatically allocated to the multi-track
and will be moved to the management court. There is great flexibility in how group litigation may be managed and directions should be tailored to the specific needs of a particular set of claims.
Queen's Bench Division and proceedings against the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital
in the Liverpool District Registry.
A full list of current GLOs is available on Her Majesty's Courts Service
website.
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, which permits a number of claim
Cause of action
In the law, a cause of action is a set of facts sufficient to justify a right to sue to obtain money, property, or the enforcement of a right against another party. The term also refers to the legal theory upon which a plaintiff brings suit...
s which give rise to common or related issues (of fact or law) to be managed collectively.
History
Prior to the introduction of the Civil Procedure Rules the courts of England and Wales had used a number of techniques to manage multiple claims. In particular representative claims permitted a plaintiffPlaintiff
A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...
(now claimant) who shared the same interest in a claim as a group to either begin or continue a claim as a representative of that group. The court could also consolidate one or more claims so that they were managed or heard together.
The Final Access to Justice Report, published in July 1996, concluded that these methods were not sufficiently flexible and recommended that a system for group litigation be introduced.
Group Litigation Orders were added to the Civil Procedure Rules from 2 May 2000.
Procedure
Any party to a claim may apply for a Group Litigation Order to be made before or after issueIssue
Issue may refer to:* Issue , a monthly Korean comics anthology magazine* Issues, a Jewish magazine published by the American Council for Judaism* Issue , a unit of work to accomplish an improvement in a data system...
of the claim. A single court will be assigned to manage the GLO. A Group Register will then be set up listing all claims which have become part of the GLO. Any party to a case may apply to be added or removed from the group register.
All claims that from part of a GLO will be automatically allocated to the multi-track
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
and will be moved to the management court. There is great flexibility in how group litigation may be managed and directions should be tailored to the specific needs of a particular set of claims.
Examples
Notable cases in which such an order has been issued include the McDonald's Hot Drinks litigation in the High Court of JusticeHigh Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
Queen's Bench Division and proceedings against the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital
Alder Hey organs scandal
The Alder Hey organs scandal involved the unauthorised removal, retention, and disposal of human tissue, including children’s organs, during the period 1988 to 1995...
in the Liverpool District Registry.
A full list of current GLOs is available on Her Majesty's Courts Service
Her Majesty's Courts Service
Her Majesty's Courts Service is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the civil, family and criminal courts in England and Wales....
website.