MOSCOW, May 24 - RAPSI. The State Duma adopted a draft bill yesterday in the second reading extending the number of summary only cases.

The cases now include company claims worth less than 300,000 rubles ($9,560) and 100,000 rubles ($3,000) for private individuals.

The draft bill also stipulates changing from simplified to ordinary procedure during a trial. For example, the court might need to change to ordinary proceedings if a third party enters the case or a counterclaim is filed which is subject to ordinary proceedings.

Meanwhile, the court may decide to switch to summary proceedings either at its own discretion or upon the party's request. If the plaintiff requests the case to be tried according to simplified procedures, the defendant will have a month to prepare its response and objections.

Neither corporate litigations nor class actions are subject to simplified procedure.

Under the bill, the court is expected to hear the case in the absence of both parties. Instead, the parties will study the arguments, responses and evidence via the Internet. Access to the case documents will be granted only to the parties involved.

The court judgments passed under the simplified procedure can be appealed within ten days.