The documents that define a civil claim — from issue of the claim form to the defence and beyond — and the deadlines and rules that govern each.
Once proceedings are issued, everything the parties intend to argue must be set out on paper, and a missed deadline or defective document can derail a claim before the merits are ever reached. This chapter begins with what counts as a statement of case, the verification requirement, and when proceedings are formally commenced, before turning to the contents of the claim form, the rules and deemed dates for service, and the tests for extending time. It then works through the particulars of claim — what they must contain and what must be specifically pleaded — and the defendant's options in response, including the deadlines for a defence and the consequences of failing to deal with an allegation. It closes with the reply, counterclaims, and when a statement of case can be amended, including the addition of new claims after the limitation period has expired.
