Newsflash: cost-capping works!

Judge Colin Birss QC (Patents County Court, England and Wales) delivered his judgment earlier today on costs in Dame Vivienne Westwood OBE v Knight [2011] EWPCC 011 (not yet on BAILII; decision on liability here). The costs ruling is only nine pages long, but I've not had time to read and digest it. The important bit is the judge's conclusion:

"46. The practical application of the costs capping system in the Patents County Court was always going to raise issues to be addressed. Having now conducted an assessment under the scheme, none of the issues raised so far are particularly problematic. The costs capping system works and I am sure it can be readily applied to all the intellectual property disputes in the Patents County Court".

Further comment will follow.

STOP PRESS: The decision is now available on BAILII here