Hong Kong · civil procedure
What period applies to cfi reply service deadline?
28 days after defence service. Serve the reply on the defendant. A reply is not automatically required for every defence.
- Period
- 28 days after defence service
- Trigger
- Effective service of the defence on that plaintiff
- Rule
- Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)
Official verified English consolidated chapter 4A, version October 1,2025. Acquired October 9, 2026, with the official current register and immutable verified PDF. Current verified official English consolidated chapter PDFs acquired October 9, 2026. Version dates retained per chapter register. No claim that a calendar proves future gale, black-rainstorm or emergency office closures.
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What period applies to cfi reply service deadline?
28 days after defence service. Serve the reply on the defendant. A reply is not automatically required for every defence.
Responsible actor. Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8.
Effective service of the defence on that plaintiff
28 days after defence service
Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8. Reply needed for Order 18 rule 8 compliance; Actual defence service; No contrary direction. If no reply is served, Order 18 rule 14(1) applies. A defence to counterclaim is a different pleading with its own service anchor.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)How does this provision count time?
- Serve the reply on the defendant
- Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8 uses the established effective service of the defence on that plaintiff. 28 days after defence service. Exclude the effective event day. Ordinary intervening weekends remain counted unless an applicable source provision excludes them. High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4), section 31(1), omits Summer Vacation for the applicable civil procedural period not exceeding one month unless the Court directs otherwise. Order 64 rule 1 supplies August 1 through August 31. Order 3 rule 3 separately covers pleading periods.
- Serve the reply on the defendant. An office calendar does not automatically change this service, deemed-event, minimum-interval or status boundary. The source and the actual completion route control. A reply is not automatically required for every defence.
- A reply is not automatically required for every defence.
- A closed interparty or combined endpoint needs separate source qualification. An ordinary weekday calculation does not certify this boundary.
Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8 uses the established effective service of the defence on that plaintiff. 28 days after defence service. Exclude the effective event day. Ordinary intervening weekends remain counted unless an applicable source provision excludes them. High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4), section 31(1), omits Summer Vacation for the applicable civil procedural period not exceeding one month unless the Court directs otherwise. Order 64 rule 1 supplies August 1 through August 31. Order 3 rule 3 separately covers pleading periods.
Serve the reply on the defendant. An office calendar does not automatically change this service, deemed-event, minimum-interval or status boundary. The source and the actual completion route control. A reply is not automatically required for every defence. This closed interparty or combined filing and service boundary is withheld pending separate qualification of section71 and the applicable Court procedure. The calculator refuses that boundary.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)What do independently checked examples show?
Fictitious example
Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8. Effective service of the defence on that plaintiff occurs on Friday, October 9, 2026. The retained eligibility and ordinary procedural conditions apply.
| Step | What is counted | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Example 1. Ordinary established facts | Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8. Effective service of the defence on that plaintiff occurs on Friday, October 9, 2026. The retained eligibility and ordinary procedural conditions apply. 28 days after defence service. A reply is not automatically required for every defence. | Friday, November 6, 2026 |
| Example 2. Closed-day boundary | Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8. Effective service of the defence on that plaintiff occurs on Monday, September 21, 2026. The retained eligibility and ordinary procedural conditions apply. 28 days after defence service. A reply is not automatically required for every defence. | A closed interparty completion requires separate Cap.1 section71 and applicable Rules qualification. No unverified service carry is inferred. |
| Example 3. Material procedural branch | Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8. Effective service of the defence on that plaintiff occurs on Friday, October 9, 2026. The complete eligibility and procedural facts are not established. This actual branch must be established independently before any ordinary endpoint can be used. Reply needed for Order 18 rule 8 compliance | If no reply is served, Order 18 rule 14(1) applies. A defence to counterclaim is a different pleading with its own service anchor. |
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?
- Reply needed for Order 18 rule 8 compliance
- Reply needed for Order 18 rule 8 compliance
- Actual defence service
- Actual defence service
- No contrary direction
- No contrary direction
- Correct source counting and completion route
- Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8 uses the established effective service of the defence on that plaintiff. 28 days after defence service. Exclude the effective event day. Ordinary intervening weekends remain counted unless an applicable source provision excludes them. High Court Ordinance (Cap. 4), section 31(1), omits Summer Vacation for the applicable civil procedural period not exceeding one month unless the Court directs otherwise. Order 64 rule 1 supplies August 1 through August 31. Order 3 rule 3 separately covers pleading periods. Serve the reply on the defendant. An office calendar does not automatically change this service, deemed-event, minimum-interval or status boundary. The source and the actual completion route control. A reply is not automatically required for every defence.
- Plaintiff requiring a reply under Order 18 rule 8. Reply needed for Order 18 rule 8 compliance; Actual defence service; No contrary direction. If no reply is served, Order 18 rule 14(1) applies. A defence to counterclaim is a different pleading with its own service anchor.
- If no reply is served, Order 18 rule 14(1) applies. A defence to counterclaim is a different pleading with its own service anchor.
What must the responsible actor complete?
Questions about this procedure
What period applies to cfi reply service deadline?
Must every plaintiff serve a reply?
No. Order 18 rule 3(1) requires a reply when needed for compliance with rule 8.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)What starts the reply’s twenty-eight days?
Effective service of the defence on the plaintiff, not its preparation or filing date.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)Does a counterclaim use the same event?
No. Defence to counterclaim runs from service of the counterclaim under rule 3(4).
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)Can reply and counterclaim defence be separate documents?
If the plaintiff serves both on the same defendant, rule 3(3) requires them in the same document.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)What happens if there is no reply?
Rule 3(1) directs the reader to rule 14(1). Absence of a reply is not proof that every defence allegation is admitted.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)Does August reduce the available reply time?
No. Order 3 rule 3 omits Summer Vacation from High Court pleading service unless the Court directs otherwise.
Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4)Official sources and review
Provisions used (5)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Rules of the High Court (Cap. 4A), Order 18, rule 3(4) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Rules of the High Court (Cap.4A), Order3 rules1–5 and Order64 rule1 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| High Court Ordinance (Cap.4), section31(1), including its endorsed-writ proviso | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap.1), section71(1)–(2) | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| General Holidays Ordinance (Cap.149), section3 and Schedule | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |