Our blog explores everything you need to know about court bundles, including when they are used, how to put them together, and why they are needed.
Court bundles are physical folders or digital files that contain copies of key documents relevant to a court case. They are produced to facilitate a better understanding of a case for the court and all parties involved.
Otherwise known as trial bundles, court bundles can include any of the following types of documents: evidence, statements, applications, expert reports, care plans, and more. The contents of a court bundle may vary depending on the case in question.
A court bundle is normally created at the request of the judge assigned to the case. Commonly used in family law matters, but also required in certain criminal, bankruptcy or employment cases, court bundles should be compiled by the applicant, or their solicitor, in advance of a court hearing.
If you have been tasked with preparing a trial bundle, you will be given clear guidance on when this is to be completed and how it should be shared with the relevant parties. In most cases, you will have to send your bundle to the court a certain number of days before the trial begins.
Access to clear, well-formatted bundles can aid understanding of the case, support comparisons between documents, and provide a useful point of reference for everyone involved in the hearing. Depending on the case in question, lawyers may be asked to create a separate bundle for the judge, witnesses, fellow legal professionals, and all other relevant parties.
Traditionally, courts have asked for bundles to be presented in one or more A4 lever arch files or ring binders. With the advent of legal software and a shift to digital ways of working, trial bundles can now also be put together electronically, and there are different formatting requirements based on the type of bundle you have been asked to create.
For hard copies, each folder must be labelled appropriately, with information such as the title and number of the case, the name of the judge, the name of the court, and the date and time of the hearing clearly visible on the front and the spine.
Each folder should be divided into different sections, with clear pagination and an index that lists the contents of the file. Physical bundles will often need to include separate areas for preliminary documents, applications and orders, statements and affidavits, and more. Folders are typically limited to 350 pages, so you may have to apply to the court for permission if you would like this limit to be extended.
If you are lodging an e-bundle, there is similarly exhaustive guidance. This includes sending the bundle in PDF format, numbering the pages electronically, adding hyperlinks, creating an easy-to-follow index, and ensuring that all text is OCR readable. More information on how to present an electronic bundle can be found on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website.
Presenting a court bundle that doesn’t comply with formatting requirements can result in significant problems. At best, this can obscure understanding of the case and delay proceedings. At worst, it can lead to judges handing out costly sanctions and cause irreparable damage to your reputation.
It is therefore in your best interests to compile a court bundle that is easy to follow and features all the necessary information in a clear, logical manner. Doing so will increase all parties’ ability to understand the case and improve your chances of achieving a positive outcome.
Court bundle software, either from Lawsyst other providers, helps legal professionals and support staff create court bundles quickly and efficiently. With the ability to create cover and index pages, automate pagination, and seamlessly move pages between sections, court bundling software makes light work of what can be an extremely time-consuming process. Good-quality bundle software supports secure sharing and multiple file types to streamline compilation. It can also aid searchability, using bookmarks and hyperlinks to help those involved in the case access key documents quickly.
To learn more about how our case preparation software can help you create trial bundles that fully comply with court requirements, book a live demonstration with Lawsyst today.
