Who are ordered costs payable to?

Hi

Can anyone shed any light on this for me?

Went to a hearing once in the three year battle we had.
We lost this particular hearing on a point of law.
The costs were £1250, the Judge ruled they were excessive and reduced them to £890 and ordered the costs against us.

Can anyone tell me who the costs are payable to? A)The Solicitors who represented the other party? or B)The other party?

Considering her full costs were £29,750, are those costs included in her bill (I.E. has she already paid them and its her we owe the money to or do we owe the money to the Solicitors?

They seem to be very very quiet with us at the moment, except to say we need to pay this bill to prevent further litigation against us. So who would it be taking us back to court if we didnt pay? The other party or the Solicitors?

Kind Ones
Louise

Hi Louise

Had a long think about this one and in a strange way I have a feeling that you probably owe her.

However, even if thats the case you would probably hae to go the legal route and send your cheque to her solicitors who would no doubt immediately use this to reduce her bill to them??

Just a thought!!

Anyone else out there with half a clue??

Regards

OBEs 1

Hi Louise

Had a long think about this one and in a strange way I have a feeling that you probably owe her.

However, even if thats the case you would probably hae to go the legal route and send your cheque to her solicitors who would no doubt immediately use this to reduce her bill to them??

Just a thought!!

Anyone else out there with half a clue??

Regards

OBEs 1

OBEs 1 canoodly wrote:

Anyone else out there with half a clue??

If it helps, in my first divorce (1999) I was awarded Costs, (because judge considered that I had to go to court to get justice done).

My ex-husband paid directly to me, because I had already paid my sols invoices, and I asked the judge to consider them.

I guess you re-pay her if she's already paid sols, or ask sols if to pay them directly? It's not like you're stalling if you are simply asking where to send payment.

In my partners case, he paid court awarded costs to 2bx solicitor so there was a record of the payment. then it was up to 2bx solicitor to handle as they wished.

I do not know this for certain, but...


I would say that the court is dealing with a dispute between to parties (the husband and wife)...so they can only make orders with respect to these two parties
(e.g. the judge in my case definitey said he could not order me to pay the mortgage [instead of maintenance to wife])

so I would say the costs must be officially paid to your ex (and not to their solicitor).

Be careful - Worst case could be that your ex is in dispute over her sols bill. You pay cheque to sol. Sol cashes it. Then ex claims you did not pay her her costs as ordered by the court and you have to pay again.

I'd suggest paying it to ex, with a letter stating that she is in receipt of the cheque. (State in letter that cheque payment is for £.... Court Costs Award, as Ordered by District Judge Fudge... on ... November 2007.

That way there's not dispute later. You could also forward a copy of that agreement to her sol, to add to their file.