Practice Note from Mr Justice Andrew Baker: Admiralty – Assessors’ Remuneration

Admiralty CourtPractice Guidance

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1. This guidance sets out the remuneration terms which should normally apply to Trinity Masters and nautical and other assessors summoned to assist the Court of Appeal, the Admiralty Court on the trial of an action, or a Divisional Court of the King’s Bench Division, in the absence of special directions given in a particular case. It is issued as a Practice Note by Mr Justice Andrew Baker, with the agreement of Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls, and Dame Victoria Sharp, President of the King’s Bench Division.

2. By way of fees:

  • Reading time spent on or from the (first) day allocated to the judge for reading time (or earlier if approved by the judge on request), but not exceeding the reading time allocated to the judge: £175 per hour up to £875 per day;
  • Full day’s attendance at hearing: £875;
  • Half day’s attendance at hearing: £437.50;
  • Attendance at court when case is not heard: £175 per hour;
  • Consultation with the court on a day when there is no hearing: £437.50;
  • Attendance to hear reserved judgment (including any consultation with the court on the same day): £218.75;
  • If attendance is cancelled less than two days before the hearing: £437.50.

3. By way of expenses:

  • Reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses;
  • If resident too far from Court for it to be reasonable to commute for and during the hearing, reimbursement of reasonable sums for overnight accommodation and a reasonable allowance for overnight subsistence.

4. Where there is a cross appeal, or where appeals are heard together, or where actions are consolidated or tried together, the proceedings should be treated as one appeal or action.

5. Fees and expenses should be paid by the appellant or the claimant without prejudice to any right to recover from any other party the amount so paid on assessment.

6. The guidance in this Practice Note takes effect from 1 January 2024 and applies to all actions and appeals the hearing of which begin on or after that date. For guidance concerning actions and appeals the hearing of which began before 1 January 2024 see the preceding Practice Note of 30 July 2021.

7. This guidance is subject to periodic adjustment, but will not be adjusted more often than every two years.

Mr Justice Andrew Baker
16 January 2024

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