Patents County Court reforms

The financial limit of the Patents County Court (“PCC”) should be set at £500,000, according to the Judiciary Working Group on Reform of the PCC.  The recommended limit, which is higher than originally proposed, follows a consultation by the Working Group on PCC reforms.   The Working Group has now also suggested a limit on recoverable costs at £50,000 for all types of claim, but limited to £25,000 for inquiries and accounts. It also recommends that guidance is given on the contents of statements of case and the criteria for the transfer of cases between the PCC and the High Court. The potential reforms follow concerns that the PCC is not providing an affordable forum for intellectual property litigation for SMEs.