This report is the final product of the first stage of the commission’s civil justice inquiry.

The terms of reference required the commission to undertake a number of tasks including identification of the goals of the civil justice system and the principles that should guide the rules of civil procedure. The commission was also asked to identify the key factors that influence the operation of the civil justice system, including matters affecting the timeliness, cost and complexity of litigation.

An analysis of this magnitude required extensive research and consultation with interested parties, most particularly the judiciary and the legal profession.