Consolidated practice directions

party seeks to make a claim for interest under s 108 of the
Service and 
 
Execution of Process Act 1992
(Cth) that party must also file an affidavit 
which complies with the requirements set out in O 81B r 3. If a party 
seeks to both enforce a judgment and claim interest, that party may file 
one affidavit that complies with the requirements of both O 81B r 2(2)
and O 81B r 3. 

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4. General Division - Civil 
Supreme Court of Western Australia 
Consolidated Practice Direction
4.7
Costs and Taxations 
4.7.1
Costs of Interlocutory Applications 
___________________________________________________________ 
1. 
Where one party to a case management request is awarded costs to be 
paid, he or she is entitled to have the costs taxed and paid at once, 
although the order does not refer to taxation. But where the order says 
'plaintiff's (or defendant's) costs in any event', unless the action is settled 
without costs, those costs are only payable after taxation at the 
conclusion of the proceedings: see O 66 r 10(1).
2. 
The Registrar, when settling interlocutory costs orders, is authorised to 
use the form, 'plaintiff's (or defendant's) costs in any event', except 
where it is apparent that the Judge or Master intended the costs to be 
taxed and paid immediately.
3. 
As a general rule, where an order for costs is to be made against a party 
in interlocutory proceedings, the costs will be fixed and ordered to be 
paid forthwith or by a particular date. Likewise as a general rule, where 
costs are ordered to be in the cause, the quantum will be fixed. 
4. 
That is for a number of reasons. First, as an action progresses, parties 
have an interest in knowing the quantum of costs awarded to or against 
them, or the liability for which awaits the cause.
5. 
Secondly, the historical practice of ordering costs to be paid 'in any 
event' does not sufficiently serve the purpose of discouraging 
ill-considered or needless interlocutory applications. The overwhelming 
majority of actions settle and the orders are not enforced. The apparent 
benefit to parties in whose favour such orders are made is illusory. 
6. 
Thirdly, where actions do proceed to judgment and an order for costs, 
the subsequent taxation would be simplified if the costs of interlocutory 
procedures had already been dealt with. 
7. 
Accordingly, the Court will generally order that interlocutory costs 
ordered to be paid by a party are to be paid forthwith or by a particular 
date, rather than in any event. 

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4. General Division - Civil 
PD 4.7.1 
Supreme Court of Western Australia 
Consolidated Practice Direction
8. 
Further, judicial officers can be expected, in the usual run of routine 
matters, to fix the costs payable by reference to the attached schedule 
(4.7.1.1), rather than ordering them to be taxed. 
9. 
The schedule has been prepared by reference to the applicable 
determination of the Legal Costs Committee. As determinations are 
altered, the schedule will be amended.
10. The figures suggested are calculated by reference to the time required in 
a typical, or median, instance. The Court will fix costs in a lower sum in 
a simple matter, or adjust the amount upward (or order costs to be 
taxed) for unusually heavy matters. If the policy of fixing costs for 
simple interlocutory matters is to succeed, the profession has to accept 
that the amounts fixed are appropriate as approximating, by and large, 
those that might be determined on taxation. 
11. As the judicial officer fixing the costs will not be engaging in a taxation, 
in most cases it will be necessary for counsel to make no more than the 
briefest submissions as to whether there should or should not be an 
order for fixed costs, and the amount of the costs. 
12. This Practice Direction and the schedule do not fetter in any way the 
discretion of any judicial officer as to whether a costs order is to be 
made, or in whose favour. These discretions will continue to be 
exercised in accordance with long-established and well-known 
principles. It will remain open to counsel to submit, and to a judicial 
officer to determine, that costs be dealt with in some other way. 

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4. General Division - Civil 
Supreme Court of Western Australia 
Consolidated Practice Direction
4.7.1.1.
Schedule of Standard Costs Orders for Interlocutory Applications