Legal proceedings are littered with various time frames and deadlines which means that making sense of what and when something needs to be done can be stressful and difficult.
The courts of England and Wales continually set deadlines throughout a case about what needs to be done and when.
Falling foul of the rules and missing a deadline could mean that your case never gets started, or that it will be brought to an abrupt stop. The case of Barton V Wright Hassall LLP [2018] UKSC 12. showed how a case can fail due to not serving a form correctly, which therefore meant that time limits elapsed. The Supreme Court made clear that litigants in person (individuals bringing their case themselves without a solicitor) are under the same duty as lawyers to comply with the Civil Procedure Rules.
Even before a case has ever begun there are different time limits for issuing legal proceedings which depend on the circumstances of the case. For example, some generic time limits before a case ever gets started are: 3 years for personal injury 6 years for contractual disputes and 1 year for defamation.
If you think you are close to your deadline or you have missed a deadline it may be possible to apply to the courts for an extension. Parnalls litigation team can work out when your deadline is and advise you on the best way forward. For all enquiries contact Parnalls on 01566 772375 or alternatively email enquiries@parnalls.com.
