Part 16 STATEMENTS OF CASE

Contents of this Part
Title	Number
Part not to apply where claimant uses Part 8 procedure	Rule 16.1
Contents of the claim form	Rule 16.2
Statement of value to be included in the claim form	Rule 16.3
Contents of the particulars of claim	Rule 16.4
Content of defence	Rule 16.5
Defence of set-off	Rule 16.6
Reply to defence	Rule 16.7
Court’s power to dispense with statements of case	Rule 16.8

Part not to apply where claimant uses Part 8 procedure

16.1

This Part does not apply where the claimant uses the procedure set out in Part 8 (alternative procedure for claims).

This Rule is referred to in: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government v Bovale Ltd [48].

Contents of the claim form

16.2

(1)

The claim form must –


(a)	contain a concise statement of the nature of the claim;


(b)	specify the remedy which the claimant seeks;


(c)	where the claimant is making a claim for money, contain a statement of value in accordance with rule 16.3;


(cc)	where the claimant’s only claim is for a specified sum, contain a statement of the interest accrued on that sum; and


(d)	contain such other matters as may be set out in a practice direction.

(1A)

In civil proceedings against the Crown, as defined in rule 66.1(2), the claim form must also contain –


(a)	the names of the government departments and officers of the Crown concerned; and


(b)	brief details of the circumstances in which it is alleged that the liability of the Crown arose.


(2)	If the particulars of claim specified in rule 16.4 are not contained in, or are not served with the claim form, the claimant must state on the claim form that the particulars of claim will follow.


(3)	If the claimant is claiming in a representative capacity, the claim form must state what that capacity is.


(4)	If the defendant is sued in a representative capacity, the claim form must state what that capacity is.


(5)	The court may grant any remedy to which the claimant is entitled even if that remedy is not specified in the claim form.

(Part 22 requires a claim form to be verified by a statement of truth)

(The costs practice direction^pdp-43 sets out the information about a funding arrangement to be provided with the statement of case where the defendant intends to seek to recover an additional liability)

(‘Funding arrangement’ and ‘additional liability’ are defined in rule 43.2)

This Rule is referred to in: PDP 07 (8.2), PDP 16 (15.2), (2.1), QB Guide - Chapter 4 (4.2), Haq v Singh [16], Hashtroodi v Hancock [21], Totty v Snowden [10], [10], Wragg v Partco Group Ltd [9], [9].

This Rule is referred to in the following SIs: Civil Procedure (Amendment No 3) Rules 2000 (8), Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2005 (22), (Notes), Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2005 (5), (Notes).

In 16.2(1) add para (cc) (with consequential amendments) w/e from 6 April 2006,
New Rule 16.2(1A) added w/e from 1 October 2005.

Statement of value to be included in the claim form

16.3


(1)	This rule applies where the claimant is making a claim for money.

(2)

The claimant must, in the claim form, state –


(a)	the amount of money claimed;

(b)

that the claimant expects to recover –


(i)	not more than £5,000;


(ii)	more than £5,000 but not more than £25,000; or


(iii)	more than £25,000; or


(c)	that the claimant cannot say how much is likely to be recovered.

(3)

In a claim for personal injuries, the claimant must also state in the claim form whether the amount which the claimant expects to recover as general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity is –


(a)	not more than £1,000; or


(b)	more than £1,000.

(4)

In a claim which includes a claim by a tenant of residential premises against a landlord where the tenant is seeking an order requiring the landlord to carry out repairs or other work to the premises, the claimant must also state in the claim form –

(a)

whether the estimated costs of those repairs or other work is –


(i)	not more than £1,000; or


(ii)	more than £1,000; and

(b)

whether the value of any other claim for damages is –


(i)	not more than £1,000; or


(ii)	more than £1,000.

(5)

If the claim form is to be issued in the High Court it must, where this rule applies –


(a)	state that the claimant expects to recover more than £25,000;


(b)	state that some other enactment provides that the claim may be commenced only in the High Court and specify that enactment;


(c)	if the claim is a claim for personal injuries state that the claimant expects to recover £50,000 or more; or


(d)	state that the claim is to be in one of the specialist High Court lists and state which list.

(6)

When calculating how much the claimant expects to recover, the claimant must disregard any possibility –

(a)

that the court may make an award of –


(i)	interest;


(ii)	costs;


(b)	that the court may make a finding of contributory negligence;


(c)	that the defendant may make a counterclaim or that the defence may include a set-off; or


(d)	that the defendant may be liable to pay an amount of money which the court awards to the claimant to the Secretary of State for Social Security under section 6 of the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997 ¹.


(7)	The statement of value in the claim form does not limit the power of the court to give judgment for the amount which it finds the claimant is entitled to.

This Rule is referred to in: Part 02 (2.3), Part 20 (20.3), Part 46 (46.2), PDP 07 (8.2), PDP 16 (2.1), Comm Ct Guide - Pt B (B3.3).

This Rule is referred to in the following SIs: Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2008 (15), (6), Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2005 (19).

Text omitted in Rule 16.3(4)(b) w/e from 6 April 2009,
Text substituted in Rule 16.3(2), Rule 16.3(3) and Rule 16.3(3) w/e from 6 April 2009,
Text substituted in Rule 16.3(6) and Rule 16.3(6)(a), text omitted in Rule 16.3(6)(b) w/e from 6 April 2009.

Contents of the particulars of claim

16.4

(1)

Particulars of claim must include –


(a)	a concise statement of the facts on which the claimant relies;


(b)	if the claimant is seeking interest, a statement to that effect and the details set out in paragraph (2);


(c)	if the claimant is seeking aggravated damages^(GL) or exemplary damages^(GL), a statement to that effect and his grounds for claiming them;


(d)	if the claimant is seeking provisional damages, a statement to that effect and his grounds for claiming them; and


(e)	such other matters as may be set out in a practice direction.

(2)

If the claimant is seeking interest he must –

(a)

state whether he is doing so –


(i)	under the terms of a contract;


(ii)	under an enactment and if so which; or


(iii)	on some other basis and if so what that basis is; and

(b)

if the claim is for a specified amount of money, state –


(i)	the percentage rate at which interest is claimed;


(ii)	the date from which it is claimed;


(iii)	the date to which it is calculated, which must not be later than the date on which the claim form is issued;


(iv)	the total amount of interest claimed to the date of calculation; and


(v)	the daily rate at which interest accrues after that date.

(Part 22 requires particulars of claim to be verified by a statement of truth)

This Rule is referred to in: Part 12 (12.6), Part 14 (14.14), Part 41 (41.2), Part 58 (58.5), Part 59 (59.4), PDP 16 (3.7), PDP 53 (2.10), Comm Ct Guide - Pt B (B3.9), Comm Ct Guide - Pt C (C1.2), Expandable Ltd v Rubin [28], Totty v Snowden [10], [11].

This Rule is referred to in the following SIs: Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 5) Rules 2001 (43), (43).

Content of defence

16.5

(1)

In his defence, the defendant must state –


(a)	which of the allegations in the particulars of claim he denies;


(b)	which allegations he is unable to admit or deny, but which he requires the claimant to prove; and


(c)	which allegations he admits.

(2)

Where the defendant denies an allegation –


(a)	he must state his reasons for doing so; and


(b)	if he intends to put forward a different version of events from that given by the claimant, he must state his own version.

(3)

A defendant who –


(a)	fails to deal with an allegation; but


(b)	has set out in his defence the nature of his case in relation to the issue to which that allegation is relevant,

shall be taken to require that allegation to be proved.


(4)	Where the claim includes a money claim, a defendant shall be taken to require that any allegation relating to the amount of money claimed be proved unless he expressly admits the allegation.


(5)	Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), a defendant who fails to deal with an allegation shall be taken to admit that allegation.

(6)

If the defendant disputes the claimant’s statement of value under rule 16.3 he must –


(a)	state why he disputes it; and


(b)	if he is able, give his own statement of the value of the claim.


(7)	If the defendant is defending in a representative capacity, he must state what that capacity is.


(8)	If the defendant has not filed an acknowledgment of service under Part 10, the defendant must give an address for service.

(Part 22 requires a defence to be verified by a statement of truth)

(Rule 6.23 provides that an address for service must be within the United Kingdom)

This Rule is referred to in: PDP 16 (10.3), Chancery Guide - App 3 (5), Comm Ct Guide - Pt C (C1.2), (C1.2), Kearsley v Klarfeld [49], Loveridge v Healey [11], [11], [15], [29], Roger v Merthyr Tydfil CBC [2], Sowerby v Charlton [17].

This Rule is referred to in the following SIs: Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2008 (13), (13), (44).

Text substituted in Rule 16.5(8) and in the second parenthesis below Rule 16.5(8) w/e from 1 October 2008.

Defence of set-off

16.6

Where a defendant –


(a)	contends he is entitled to money from the claimant; and


(b)	relies on this as a defence to the whole or part of the claim,

the contention may be included in the defence and set off against the claim, whether or not it is also a Part 20 claim.

Reply to defence

16.7


(1)	A claimant who does not file a reply to the defence shall not be taken to admit the matters raised in the defence.

(2)

A claimant who –


(a)	files a reply to a defence; but


(b)	fails to deal with a matter raised in the defence, shall be taken to require that matter to be proved.

(Part 22 requires a reply to be verified by a statement of truth)

Court’s power to dispense with statements of case

16.8

If a claim form has been –


(a)	issued in accordance with rule 7.2; and


(b)	served in accordance with rule 7.5,

the court may make an order that the claim will continue without any other statement of case.

This Rule is referred to in: Totty v Snowden [12], [32].

Cross references at end of Rule 16.8 deleted w/e from 15 October 2001.

Footnotes

1. 1997 c.27.