England and Wales · Civil enforcement
When must an order to attend an information hearing be personally served?
CPR 71.3(1) requires personal service on the person ordered to attend not less than fourteen days before the hearing, unless the court otherwise orders.
- Period
- At least fourteen clear days before the hearing unless the court orders otherwise
- Trigger
- Actual hearing date specified in the operative attendance order
- Rule
- CPR 71.2(1), 71.3, 71.7
Official Justice UK CPR text and legislation.gov.uk statutory XML retained on October 9, 2026. The retained source metadata and acquisition receipts identify each edition. No claim of later amendments or actual local court opening is made.
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Check the applicable procedure
The order may address a judgment debtor or an officer of a corporate debtor. Identify the named attendee and operative hearing, including any adjournment directions. This guide preserves the fixed ordinary interval without presenting an unsupported computed result. If the judgment creditor must serve the order and cannot do so, paragraph (2) requires informing the court not less than seven days before the hearing. That notice is separate from completing personal service.
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When must an order to attend an information hearing be personally served?
CPR 71.3(1) requires personal service on the person ordered to attend not less than fourteen days before the hearing, unless the court otherwise orders.
Responsible actor. The person responsible for serving the order to attend court.
Actual hearing date specified in the operative attendance order.
The order may address a judgment debtor or an officer of a corporate debtor. Identify the named attendee and operative hearing, including any adjournment directions. This guide preserves the fixed ordinary interval without presenting an unsupported computed result.
The order may address a judgment debtor or an officer of a corporate debtor. Identify the named attendee and operative hearing, including any adjournment directions. This guide preserves the fixed ordinary interval without presenting an unsupported computed result.
CPR 71.2(1), 71.3, 71.7How does this provision count time?
- For the ordinary fourteen-day interval, exclude personal-service day and hearing day. Interior weekends count because the period exceeds five days. Actual contrary directions must be applied instead of this default.
- The personal-service requirement is not an act at the court office. CPR 2.8(5) does not automatically move it to a convenient open court day. The actual personal-service and hearing facts remain necessary.
For the ordinary fourteen-day interval, exclude personal-service day and hearing day. Interior weekends count because the period exceeds five days. Actual contrary directions must be applied instead of this default.
The personal-service requirement is not an act at the court office. CPR 2.8(5) does not automatically move it to a convenient open court day. The actual personal-service and hearing facts remain necessary.
CPR 71.2(1), 71.3, 71.7Which facts prevent one automatic date?
The order may address a judgment debtor or an officer of a corporate debtor. Identify the named attendee and operative hearing, including any adjournment directions. This guide preserves the fixed ordinary interval without presenting an unsupported computed result. If the judgment creditor must serve the order and cannot do so, paragraph (2) requires informing the court not less than seven days before the hearing. That notice is separate from completing personal service.
The order may address a judgment debtor or an officer of a corporate debtor. Identify the named attendee and operative hearing, including any adjournment directions. This guide preserves the fixed ordinary interval without presenting an unsupported computed result. For the ordinary fourteen-day interval, exclude personal-service day and hearing day. Interior weekends count because the period exceeds five days. Actual contrary directions must be applied instead of this default. At least fourteen clear days before the hearing unless the court orders otherwise. Establish the actual applicable procedure before completing the act.
The personal-service requirement is not an act at the court office. CPR 2.8(5) does not automatically move it to a convenient open court day. The actual personal-service and hearing facts remain necessary. For the ordinary fourteen-day interval, exclude personal-service day and hearing day. Interior weekends count because the period exceeds five days. Actual contrary directions must be applied instead of this default. No automatic computed date or purchase.
If the judgment creditor must serve the order and cannot do so, paragraph (2) requires informing the court not less than seven days before the hearing. That notice is separate from completing personal service. Personal service of the attendance order differs from the creditor’s affidavit. Rule 71.5 permits filing the affidavit not less than two days before the hearing or producing it at the hearing. Check the identified alternate procedure and actual direction or events.
Which conditions and exceptions apply?
- Identified actor and operative event
- The order may address a judgment debtor or an officer of a corporate debtor. Identify the named attendee and operative hearing, including any adjournment directions. This guide preserves the fixed ordinary interval without presenting an unsupported computed result.
- Provision-specific counting and closure
- For the ordinary fourteen-day interval, exclude personal-service day and hearing day. Interior weekends count because the period exceeds five days. Actual contrary directions must be applied instead of this default. The personal-service requirement is not an act at the court office. CPR 2.8(5) does not automatically move it to a convenient open court day. The actual personal-service and hearing facts remain necessary.
- Required completion and separate procedural route
- If the judgment creditor must serve the order and cannot do so, paragraph (2) requires informing the court not less than seven days before the hearing. That notice is separate from completing personal service.
- The order may address a judgment debtor or an officer of a corporate debtor. Identify the named attendee and operative hearing, including any adjournment directions. This guide preserves the fixed ordinary interval without presenting an unsupported computed result.
- Personal service of the attendance order differs from the creditor’s affidavit. Rule 71.5 permits filing the affidavit not less than two days before the hearing or producing it at the hearing.
What must the responsible actor complete?
Questions about this procedure
When must an order to attend an information hearing be personally served?
Can the attendance order address an officer of a corporate debtor?
Yes. Rule 71.2(1)(b) permits an order requiring an officer of a company or other corporation to attend. Serve the person actually ordered to attend.
CPR 71.2(1)(b); 71.3(1)Is fourteen days an absolute interval despite a contrary court order?
No. Rule 71.3(1) expressly says unless the court otherwise orders. Retain the operative direction before applying the ordinary interval.
CPR 71.3(1)Does posting the attendance order establish the prescribed personal service?
No. The default requires personal service on the person ordered to attend. A different method needs the actual court order supporting it.
CPR 71.3(1)What if the creditor cannot serve the attendance order?
Where the creditor must serve, they must inform the court not less than seven days before the hearing if unable to serve it. That requirement does not deem the order served.
CPR 71.3(2)Must the creditor always file the supporting affidavit two days before the hearing?
Rule 71.5(2) offers filing not less than two days before the hearing or producing the affidavit at the hearing. Keep that alternative distinct from personal service.
CPR 71.5(2)What governs service after an adjournment of the information hearing?
The court gives directions for how notice of the new hearing must be served. Use those actual directions and the new hearing rather than preserving an obsolete date.
CPR 71.7Official sources and review
Provisions used (9)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| CPR 71.2(1), 71.3, 71.7 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| CPR 2.8(2)–(5) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| CPR 6.26 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| CPR 71.2(1)(b) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| CPR 71.3(1) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| CPR 71.3(2) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| CPR 71.5(2) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| CPR 71.7 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| CPR 71.2(1)(b); 71.3(1) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |