Consolidated practice directions

Certifying agreed costs (allocaturs) 
 
8. 
Where a bill of costs has been agreed between the parties prior to the 
commencement of a taxation, the parties may ask the taxing officer to 
certify the bill on a consent basis. For this purpose the certification 
appearing at the end of the agreed bill (allocatur) may be amended in the 
following or similar terms: 
'I certify that costs have been agreed in the sum of $ . 
_____________________ 
Taxing Officer 
(date)' 

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4. General Division - Civil 
 
PD 4.7.3 
Supreme Court of Western Australia 
Consolidated Practice Direction
Modes of taxation 
 
9. 
Generally, bills are taxed by each and every item in the bill being 
considered in turn and an allowance being made in respect of each.
Prior to the taxation, however, the parties should consider whether there 
may be a more efficient means of conducting the taxation. This is 
particularly the case with bills that contain numerous items, such as in 
those drawn by reference to costs agreements or which deal with 
non-contentious work. The parties should consider whether such bills 
may be taxed by, for example, considering a sample of items in the bill 
and then applying the conclusions drawn in respect of those items to the 
balance of the bill. In the event that the parties agree a method of 
taxation which departs from the usual practice, then the agreement of 
the taxing officer to this method of taxation should be sought, preferably 
well prior to the taxation.
Directions 
 
10. Parties should also consider, in the case of bills that are substantial either 
in terms of the number of items in the bill or the quantum of the bill, 
whether directions should be sought from the taxing officer prior to the 
taxation regarding: 
(a) the filing and service of a notice by the paying party that sets out: 
(i) 
each item in the bill to which the paying party objects; 
(ii) the grounds upon which each objection is made; and 
(iii) what would be a reasonable allowance for each item; 
and; 
(b) the referral of the bill to a mediation conference to be conducted by 
a Registrar. 
 

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4. General Division - Civil 
 
PD 4.7.4 
Supreme Court of Western Australia 
Consolidated Practice Direction
4.7.3.1.
Sample bill of costs schedule (getting up)