Australia · Australian Capital Territory courts
When does the ACT leave to plead after a reply period end?
14 days after service of the relevant pleading. Apply for leave to file the further pleading. An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate 7 day exception.
- Period
- 14 days after service of the relevant pleading
- Trigger
- Effective service of the pleading to which the proposed further pleading would respond
- Rule
- Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026]
Authorised ACT Court Procedures Rules 2006 republication 73, effective August 1, 2026. Official current register and full authorised PDF retained. Legislation Act republication 126 and ACT published 2026–2027 calendars retained. Canberra. Compiled published ACT public holidays and rule 6300 standard Registry closures. Additional actual closures may be supplied but cannot remove compiled closures. The August bank holiday is excluded only for an act by or in relation to an authorised deposit-taking institution, outside this model.
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When does the ACT leave to plead after a reply period end?
14 days after service of the relevant pleading. Apply for leave to file the further pleading. An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate 7 day exception.
Responsible actor. Party seeking to plead after a reply.
Effective service of the pleading to which the proposed further pleading would respond
14 days after service of the relevant pleading
A reply has already been reached in the pleading sequence; Actual responsive pleading identified; No independent rule 481(3) newly arising set-off ground. An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate 7 day exception.
Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026]How does this provision count time?
- Apply for leave to file the further pleading
- Leave to plead after a reply uses 14 days after service of the relevant pleading. Exclude the triggering day. Rule 6350 omits closed Registry days for a period of five days or less and omits December 25 through January 1 from the relevant action period. A before-appointment interval excludes both the act day and appointment day under Legislation Act section 151.
- Apply for leave to file the further pleading. Apply the relevant Canberra completion-day rule in Legislation Act section 151A and Registry closures in rule 6300. This model refuses a closed backward completion endpoint instead of moving it beyond the required interval. Actual additional Registry closures must be retained.
- The court may extend or shorten the procedural period under rule 6351. The actual order replaces this ordinary source model.
Leave to plead after a reply uses 14 days after service of the relevant pleading. Exclude the triggering day. Rule 6350 omits closed Registry days for a period of five days or less and omits December 25 through January 1 from the relevant action period. A before-appointment interval excludes both the act day and appointment day under Legislation Act section 151.
Apply for leave to file the further pleading. Apply the relevant Canberra completion-day rule in Legislation Act section 151A and Registry closures in rule 6300. This model refuses a closed backward completion endpoint instead of moving it beyond the required interval. Actual additional Registry closures must be retained.
Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026]What do independently checked examples show?
Fictitious example
Actual effective service of the pleading to which the proposed further pleading would respond on October12,2026. All stated branch facts apply.
| Step | What is counted | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Example 1. Ordinary established facts | Actual effective service of the pleading to which the proposed further pleading would respond on October12,2026. All stated branch facts apply. 14 days after service of the relevant pleading. Apply for leave to file the further pleading. The independent counted-date record retains any excluded days and controlling branch endpoints. | Monday, October 26, 2026 |
| Example 2. Closed-day boundary | Actual effective service of the pleading to which the proposed further pleading would respond on December21,2026. The procedural count encounters the prescribed Christmas period. 14 days after service of the relevant pleading. Apply for leave to file the further pleading. The independent counted-date record retains any excluded days and controlling branch endpoints. | Tuesday, January 12, 2027 |
| Example 3. Material procedural branch | The actual prerequisite or controlling branch is absent. An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate7day exception. The illustrative event date is Monday, October 12, 2026. Missing branch facts prevent an automated endpoint. Establish the source-specific actor, event and branch. An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate7day exception. | Establish the source-specific actor, event and branch. An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate7day exception. |
Fictitious established facts. These examples do not establish eligibility, effective service, relief or a direction.
Try these dates in the calculatorWhich conditions and exceptions apply?
- A reply has already been reached in the pleading sequence
- A reply has already been reached in the pleading sequence
- Actual responsive pleading identified
- Actual responsive pleading identified
- No independent rule 481(3) newly arising set-off ground
- No independent rule 481(3) newly arising set-off ground
- A reply has already been reached in the pleading sequence; Actual responsive pleading identified; No independent rule 481(3) newly arising set-off ground. An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate 7 day exception.
- An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate 7 day exception.
What must the responsible actor complete?
Questions about this procedure
When does the ACT leave to plead after a reply period end?
What event starts the ACT application for leave to file a pleading after reply clock?
Effective service of the pleading to which the proposed further pleading would respond. Party seeking to plead after a reply. An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate 7 day exception.
Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026]What must be filed or served for application for leave to file a pleading after reply?
Apply for leave to file the further pleading. Complete it with Court Registry. Latest ordinary completion date does not prove that the act occurred.
Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026]When does the stated period apply to application for leave to file a pleading after reply?
14 days after service of the relevant pleading. A reply has already been reached in the pleading sequence; Actual responsive pleading identified; No independent rule 481(3) newly arising set-off ground.
Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026]Which material branch changes application for leave to file a pleading after reply?
An application for leave does not itself grant leave. A new defence to a set-off has its separate 7 day exception.
Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026]How do closed days affect application for leave to file a pleading after reply?
Leave to plead after a reply uses 14 days after service of the relevant pleading. Exclude the triggering day. Rule 6350 omits closed Registry days for a period of five days or less and omits December 25 through January 1 from the relevant action period. A before-appointment interval excludes both the act day and appointment day under Legislation Act section 151. Apply for leave to file the further pleading. Apply the relevant Canberra completion-day rule in Legislation Act section 151A and Registry closures in rule 6300. This model refuses a closed backward completion endpoint instead of moving it beyond the required interval. Actual additional Registry closures must be retained. Legislation Act 2001 sections 151 and 151A provide the separate statutory inclusion and completion rules.
Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT), rules 6300, 6350 and 6351 [R73]Can an order or another source term change application for leave to file a pleading after reply?
The court may extend or shorten the procedural period under rule 6351. The actual order replaces this ordinary source model.
Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026]Official sources and review
Provisions used (3)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT) r 481 (2) [R73, effective August 1, 2026] | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Court Procedures Rules 2006 (ACT), rules 6300, 6350 and 6351 [R73] | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Legislation Act 2001 (ACT), sections 151, 151A and 151C [R126] | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |