Starting and Responding to Proceedings; Allocation and Directions

We will be teaching the following parts of the SQE1 Assessment Specification:

Where to start proceedings:

• allocation of business between the High Court and the county court
• jurisdiction of the specialist courts.

Issuing and serving proceedings:

• issuing a claim form
• adding, removing or substituting parties
• service of a claim form within the jurisdiction
• procedure for service of a claim form outside the jurisdiction (with or without the court’s permission) and mechanisms for effecting valid service in another jurisdiction
• deemed dates of service and time limits for serving proceedings
• service by an alternative method.

Responding to a claim:

• admitting the claim
• acknowledging service and filing a defence and/or counterclaim
• disputing the court’s jurisdiction
• entering and setting aside judgment in default
• discontinuance and settlement
• time limits for responding to a claim.

Statements of case:

• purpose, structure and content of a claim form, particulars of claim, or defence relating to a claim in contract or tort
• purpose, structure and content of a reply, Part 20 claim, or defence to Part 20 claim
• requests for further information about statements of case
• amendments.

Case management:

• the overriding objective
• track allocation
• case management directions for cases proceeding on the fast, intermediate, or multi-tracks
• non-compliance with orders, sanctions and relief
• costs and case management conferences.

We will finish by practising MCQs on what we have covered.

The Session will be recorded.