If you receive notification of a County Court Judgment against you that you had no prior knowledge of then you may be able to set aside the Default Judgment under CPR 13.3 to allow you to enter a defence against the claim.
The relevant Civil Procedure Rules can be read here.
First step is to contact the claimants and ask them to consent to a set aside of the judgment. If they consent the application will cost £100. If they refuse your request you will need to make a payment of £255 to the court to make the application. If you are on a low income and/or certain benefits then you may be exempt from court fees and should read the information on the EX160 form.
You will need to make your application on form N244
The N244 form will need to be accompanied by a Witness Statement, a Draft Order, and a Draft Defence.
The N244 is quite self explanatory but here is an example/guide.
You then need to attach a 'Draft Order for Directions' and a 'Witness Statement' to this application, these should be printed on separate sheets of paper.
You will also need a Witness Statement (see next post)
WITNESS STATEMENT - the sections in green will need amending and an explanation of events leading up to this application made.
If you mention a letter or document you should name it as an [EXHIBIT ] and attach it to this Witness Statement. This is JUST AN EXAMPLE and you should adjust to suit your own case and circumstances. If in any doubt please post on the forum.
And Your DRAFT DEFENCE TO THE CLAIM (if you know what the claim was) This needs to show you have a reasonable chance of success at defending the claim against you.
IN THE XXXXXXXXXXXXXX COUNTY COURT
BETWEEN:
1. It is admitted that the Defendant entered into an agreement with CLAIMANT / ORIGINAL CREDITOR on XXXXXX DATE XXXXXXXXXX.
2. It is denied that the Defendant owes the Claimants £XXXX as stated in their particulars of claim.
3.
4.
5.
I believe the facts stated in this Defence are true.
Signed __________________________
Dated: ____________________________
N244_setaside_example.jpgN244_setaside_example2.jpg
The relevant Civil Procedure Rules can be read here.
First step is to contact the claimants and ask them to consent to a set aside of the judgment. If they consent the application will cost £100. If they refuse your request you will need to make a payment of £255 to the court to make the application. If you are on a low income and/or certain benefits then you may be exempt from court fees and should read the information on the EX160 form.
You will need to make your application on form N244
The N244 form will need to be accompanied by a Witness Statement, a Draft Order, and a Draft Defence.
The N244 is quite self explanatory but here is an example/guide.
You then need to attach a 'Draft Order for Directions' and a 'Witness Statement' to this application, these should be printed on separate sheets of paper.
IN THE XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX COUNTY COURT
BETWEEN:
IT IS ORDERED THAT:
Upon reading the defendant's application dated xxxxxxxxxxxxx
It is ordered that:
Claim No. XXXXXXXX
BETWEEN:
XXXXXXXXXX
Claimant
- and –
Defendant
XXXXXXXXXX
_________________________________
DRAFT ORDER
_________________________________
DRAFT ORDER
_________________________________
IT IS ORDERED THAT:
Upon reading the defendant's application dated xxxxxxxxxxxxx
It is ordered that:
-
The judgment dated [insert date of judgment] be set aside. -
The Defendant shall file and serve its Defence by 4pm on [insert date].
The Claimant do pay the Defendant's costs of this application to the sum of £255
The Claimant has permission to file and serve a reply if so required.
You will also need a Witness Statement (see next post)
WITNESS STATEMENT - the sections in green will need amending and an explanation of events leading up to this application made.
If you mention a letter or document you should name it as an [EXHIBIT ] and attach it to this Witness Statement. This is JUST AN EXAMPLE and you should adjust to suit your own case and circumstances. If in any doubt please post on the forum.
IN THE XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX COUNTY COURT
BETWEEN:
I XXXXXXXXXX of XXXXXXXXXX address XXXXXXXXXX being the Defendant in this case will state as follows;
1. I make this Witness Statement in support of the application for an order that the judgment in this case (Claim No. XXXXXXXXXXX Judgment dated XXXXX) be set aside.
2: CPR 13.3 states (1) In any other case, the court may set aside or vary a judgment entered under Part 12 if –
3. I learnt of the existence of this claim on the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX when I received a letter from the Claimant requesting payment of the judgment forthwith [EXHIBIT A]
4. My address changed in XXXXXXXXXXXXX and a redirection service was in place from XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX / I informed the Creditor that I had moved house in writing/telephone on XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. // I was admitted to hospital on XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX until XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and had no knowledge of the claim until XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX // I was out of the country on business //
5. xxxxxxxxxxxxx further information about why you did not defend/acknowledge originally
6: On XXXXXXXXXX 2014 I made a written/telephone request to the Claimant solicitors inviting them to consent to set aside the judgment due to the reasons in paragraph 4.
7. The Claimant did not respond to my request / turned down my request.
8. I therefore ask that the Court sets aside the judgment in this claim and allows 14 days for me to submit my defence.
Statement of Truth
I, XXXXXX, the Defendant, believe the facts stated within this Witness Statement to be true.
Signed: ________________________________
Dated:
Claim No. XXXXXXXX
BETWEEN:
XXXXXXXXXX
Claimant
- and –
Defendant
XXXXXXXXXX
_________________________________
WITNESS STATEMENT OF xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_________________________________
WITNESS STATEMENT OF xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_________________________________
I XXXXXXXXXX of XXXXXXXXXX address XXXXXXXXXX being the Defendant in this case will state as follows;
1. I make this Witness Statement in support of the application for an order that the judgment in this case (Claim No. XXXXXXXXXXX Judgment dated XXXXX) be set aside.
2: CPR 13.3 states (1) In any other case, the court may set aside or vary a judgment entered under Part 12 if –
(a) the defendant has a real prospect of successfully defending the claim; or
(b) it appears to the court that there is some other good reason why –
(b) it appears to the court that there is some other good reason why –
(i) the judgment should be set aside or varied; or
(ii) the defendant should be allowed to defend the claim.
(ii) the defendant should be allowed to defend the claim.
3. I learnt of the existence of this claim on the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX when I received a letter from the Claimant requesting payment of the judgment forthwith [EXHIBIT A]
4. My address changed in XXXXXXXXXXXXX and a redirection service was in place from XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX / I informed the Creditor that I had moved house in writing/telephone on XXXXXXXXXXXXXX. // I was admitted to hospital on XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX until XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and had no knowledge of the claim until XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX // I was out of the country on business //
5. xxxxxxxxxxxxx further information about why you did not defend/acknowledge originally
6: On XXXXXXXXXX 2014 I made a written/telephone request to the Claimant solicitors inviting them to consent to set aside the judgment due to the reasons in paragraph 4.
7. The Claimant did not respond to my request / turned down my request.
8. I therefore ask that the Court sets aside the judgment in this claim and allows 14 days for me to submit my defence.
Statement of Truth
I, XXXXXX, the Defendant, believe the facts stated within this Witness Statement to be true.
Signed: ________________________________
Dated:
And Your DRAFT DEFENCE TO THE CLAIM (if you know what the claim was) This needs to show you have a reasonable chance of success at defending the claim against you.
IN THE XXXXXXXXXXXXXX COUNTY COURT
CLAIM No: xxxxxxx
BETWEEN:
NAME of CLAIMANT
CLAIMANT
And
YOUR NAME
YOUR NAME
DEFENDANT
__________________________________________________ ______
Draft Defence
__________________________________________________ ______
Draft Defence
__________________________________________________ ______
1. It is admitted that the Defendant entered into an agreement with CLAIMANT / ORIGINAL CREDITOR on XXXXXX DATE XXXXXXXXXX.
2. It is denied that the Defendant owes the Claimants £XXXX as stated in their particulars of claim.
3.
4.
5.
I believe the facts stated in this Defence are true.
Signed __________________________
Dated: ____________________________
N244_setaside_example.jpgN244_setaside_example2.jpg
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