(1) An application in a commercial claim shall be made to and heard by the judge.
(2) The lodging of bundles for the hearing of an application must be in accordance with the practice direction.
(3) Rule 11.11(1)(b) does not apply in a commercial claim and an application must be served as soon as practicable after the day on which it is issued.
(4) In the case of an application made on notice, the legal practitioner for the applicant shall within 7 days after the application has been served, arrange for the parties to contact the Case Management Unit of the Commercial Division in person or by telephone to arrange a date and time for hearing of the application.
(5) An application that is estimated to require a hearing of less than 2 hours is classed as a short application.
(6) The hearing of a short application shall be in accordance with the practice direction.
(7) An application in a commercial claim shall be supported by evidence on affidavit and the application and affidavit shall be filed and served together.
(8) Evidence in answer to an application must be served within 14 days of the application and any evidence in reply within 7 days after service of any evidence in answer.
(9) The time referred to in paragraph (8) may be extended or abridged by agreement in writing between the parties.
(10) The parties shall immediately inform the Case Management Unit of the Commercial Division and arrange for the hearing to be re-listed if —
(a) an extension is agreed between the parties before the respondent files his or her evidence; and
(b) the extension is likely to affect the date of the hearing.
(11) Notwithstanding any agreement between the parties to the contrary, in an appropriate case, the court may abridge the time referred to in paragraph (8) —
(a) either of its own motion; or
(b) on an application by a party.
(12) If the court or the Case Management Unit of the Commercial Division or any party to an application is of the view that a case management conference or pre-hearing review would enable the court to dispose of an application more efficiently, the court may direct that a case management conference or, as the case may be, a pre-hearing review be held —
(a) on its own motion;
(b) at the suggestion of the Case Management Unit of the Commercial Division; or
(c) on the application of any party.
(13) If the court directs a case management conference under paragraph (12), it shall direct that the case management conference be held on the first available date not earlier than 7 days after making the direction and rule 71.10(7) applies with such modifications as may be necessary or appropriate.
(14) Where the court directs a pre-hearing review under paragraph (12), it shall direct the pre-hearing review to be held not later than 14 days before the date fixed for the hearing of the application and rule 71.11(1) to (6) shall apply with such modifications as may be necessary or appropriate.