Rule 1.4 Court’s duty to manage casesI1

encouraging the parties to co-operate with each other in the conduct of the proceedings;

identifying the issues at an early stage;

deciding promptly which issues need full investigation and trial and accordingly disposing summarily of the others;

deciding the order in which issues are to be resolved;

F1ordering or encouraging the parties to use, and facilitating the use of, alternative dispute resolution;

helping the parties to settle the whole or part of the case;

fixing timetables or otherwise controlling the progress of the case;

considering whether the likely benefits of taking a particular step justify the cost of taking it;

dealing with as many aspects of the case as it can on the same occasion;

dealing with the case without the parties needing to attend at court;

making use of technology; and

giving directions to ensure that the trial of a case proceeds quickly and efficiently.