Overview

This Report Summary provides an accessible overview of the policy framework and recommendations in the Final Report in the Inquiry into the discovery of documents in federal courts by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC). The full report sets out in detail the issues raised by the Terms of Reference, and the research and evidence base upon which the ALRC’s recommendations were formulated, including a thorough discussion of the views expressed in consultations and submissions and the conclusions reached.

The summary begins with a brief account of the background for the Inquiry, including the law reform brief and the key themes that emerged during the course of the Inquiry. This is followed by a consideration of the framework for the recommendations for reform, including a description of the development of the reform response, the principles underpinning the recommendations put forward by the ALRC and the key themes that emerged during the Inquiry. Finally, this Report Summary includes a description of the key recommendations and their net effect.