An insight into the civil process before the present change was first made by Charles Dickinson in his novel bleak house The civil justice process is in many respect quite different from the criminal justice system .the criminal justice system pits the state and its agencies the citizen while civil justice system essentially involves different individuals, companies etc But civil justice process is a complex social process.
It is important to note that an effective civil justice process is one which is effective as justice delayed is justice denied. In 1995 a survey by national consumer council found that 3 out of every 4 people in serious legal dispute were dissatisfied with the civil justice system According to the civil justice review 1998 the civil justice system was costly, unfair, and ineffective .It caused anxieties, tress and economic fears amongst people and as a result people usually hesitated from being involved in the process of litigation.
In the past, there have been many review carried out But the biggest attempt to reform the process has been carried out as a result of measures introduced in the report made by lord Woolf [2] . The present system of civil justice is based on the reform recommended by Lord Woolf
In 1994 conservation government appointed lord Woolf to head a review into the civil system .In his report access to justice 1996 lord Woolf identified fundamental problem with the system and suggested ways to overcome them The final format of report contained 303 recommendation and it was published in July 1996 The changes proposed by lord Woolf were widely supported by the government, trade unions, opposition etc the government approved most of the reforms
Lord Woolf began form the proposition that the system was in a state of crisis a crisis for the government, the judiciary and the opposition .consequently in 1997 the civil procedure act was passed to introduce necessary changes .in