Trial bundles can be pain-free if you follow the rules. When it comes to preparing trial bundles for court there are many pointers and guidelines to take into consideration. It has been said that a good trial bundle will not win a case but a bad one may damage it. 

Production is generally considered to be a laborious administrative task and is consequently often assigned to trainees and paralegals but this should not deflect from the necessity to get it right. A good eye and attention to detail is crucial in the collation, production and eventual printing of the trial bundle.   A judge’s time is valuable and limited, so time cannot be taken up searching through a badly produced bundle. 

Why produce a trial bundle?  

The purpose of a trial bundle is to assist lawyers and the courts to access relevant documents and affect a smooth-running process throughout the hearing. Key considerations are:   

• What to include/exclude.  Finding a happy balance should be made a priority when deciding what documents need to be included, and as referred to in White Winston Select Asset Funds LLC and another v Mahon and another - a “building up from nothing” approach should be preferred to “thinning down from everything”.