CPR 1.3 requires parties to help the court to further the overriding objective. The overriding objective in turn requires the court to ensure that cases are dealt with expeditiously and fairly with and with an appropriate share of the court’s resources. CPR 1.4 requires the court to further the overriding objective by actively managing cases.

This specifically includes “encouraging the parties to use alternative dispute resolution procedure if the court considers that appropriate and facilitating the use of such procedure” and “helping the parties to settle the whole or part of the case”. A party who fails to take steps to settle their dispute and who consequently takes up the court’s time and resources where a compromise might have been achieved breaches their duty under CPR 1.3.