CFI PRESIDENT: 'USEFUL' TO KNOW HOW EU COURT JUDGES VOTE.

It would be "useful" for lawyers to know how EU Court judges had voted on an opinion, European Court of First Instance (CFI) President Bo Vesterdorf told a British Institute of International and Comparative Law conference on December 6. But the judge warned lawyers not to expect any reform: "I don't see it happening". EU law insisted that decisions are usually presented as if all judges on the panel were in agreement, he said. Courts in the US and in some EU countries tell the public whether judges voted 3-2 or unanimously. Mr Vesterdorf said publishing the details of how the judges had voted might give litigants a better idea if an appeal was worthwhile. Knowing that all judges were unanimous in their verdict might prevent a case being referred to a higher court, he said.

Mr Vesterdorf said the CFI - which was created to cut the Court of Justice's workload - is so overworked itself now that it is a major problem. It currently has 16 judgements pending, including the hotly awaited decision on Microsoft's attempt to lift European Commission anti-trust...