Civil Procedure and Courts in the South Pacific, by Jennifer Corrin Care, Cavendish Publishing Limited, 2004. pp 342

Abstract

This book deals with civil practice and procedure in the various island states in the South Pacific. The focus is practical and contains detailed discussion of the main areas of civil practice and procedure. This book review is available in Bond Law Review: http://epublications.bond.edu.au/blr/vol16/iss1/9 220 CIVIL PROCEDURE AND COURTS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC By Jennifer Corrin Care Cavendish Publishing Limited, 2004. pp342 This book deals with civil practice and procedure in the various island states in the South Pacific. The focus is practical and contains detailed discussion of the main areas of civil practice and procedure. As Corin Care states in her preface the book can used by legal practitioners and teachers and students in their degree programs. The book would also be extremely useful in South Pacific law professional legal training programmes. This focus is evident throughout the book as each section is introduced with general commentary, practical advice and relevant terms are explained and defined. Sample documents accompany each relevant area as well. This book is a welcome addition to the various recent publications on various aspects of law in the South Pacific. Its value lies not only in the detailed dissection of this area of the law accompanied by sample documents but by the fact that it opens up this area of law to the wider international academic community and to those legal practitioners who may need assistance and reference to the book for practical matters that may arise with their dealings in these jurisdictions whether they are located in the South Pacific islands or not. The main divisions within the book are a general introduction dealing with definitions of civil procedure and the rules of court concept. The second chapter deals with pre-action considerations and takes the reader through the practical steps that need to be undertaken with reference to relevant local laws. Chapter 3 covers the Courts, their hierarchy and jurisdiction with the addition of very useful tables detailing the interrelationships between the island states and the larger Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions. Further chapters deal with the various types of parties that could be involved, the processes involved in initiating proceedings, service of documents and pleadings, interlocutory proceedings, trial matters and determinations without trial, costs and execution matters as well as the appeal procedure in the various island jurisdictions. CIVIL PROCEDURE AND COURTS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC 221 The book concludes with a discussion of the weakness inherent in the various island systems civil procedure rules and offers suggestions for reform. The book is accompanied by useful case tables arranged alphabetically and by jurisdiction. The legislation index is arranged by jurisdiction. Overall this book provides a thorough and up to date coverage of the various areas associated with civil practice and procedure within the South Pacific island states and incorporates the new developments in this area in Vanuatu. John Bahrij Manager John and Alison Kearney Law Library Bond University