Northern Ireland civil procedure
When must a plaintiff serve a Northern Ireland statement of claim?
Six weeks after entry of appearance. Serve the statement of claim on the appearing defendant. The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service.
- Period
- Six weeks after entry of appearance
- Trigger
- The defendant's actual entry of appearance
- Rule
- Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1
Current official revised XML accessed October 9, 2026, with retained amendment comparison. The June 2021 and February 2021 court PDFs are historical consolidation aids.
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When must a plaintiff serve a Northern Ireland statement of claim?
Six weeks after entry of appearance. Serve the statement of claim on the appearing defendant. The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service.
Responsible actor. The plaintiff in the defended writ action.
The defendant's actual entry of appearance.
The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service.
The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service. The result must identify pleading service for the plaintiff in the defended writ action. Confirm every actual event and completion before selecting the ordinary branch.
Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1How does this provision count time?
- Establish the defendant's actual entry of appearance.
- Serve the statement of claim on the appearing defendant.
- Six weeks after entry of appearance. Exclude the controlling event day under Order 3 rule 2(2). Count 42 following days. Intermediate weekends remain because this interval exceeds seven days. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation only in this actual pleading-service branch unless the court directs otherwise.
- Serve the statement of claim on the appearing defendant. The 2026 Long Vacation runs July 1 through September 4 for the Order 3 rule 3 pleading exclusion. That pause does not establish a registry opening or extend a different service duty.
Six weeks after entry of appearance. Exclude the controlling event day under Order 3 rule 2(2). Count 42 following days. Intermediate weekends remain because this interval exceeds seven days. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation only in this actual pleading-service branch unless the court directs otherwise.
Serve the statement of claim on the appearing defendant. The 2026 Long Vacation runs July 1 through September 4 for the Order 3 rule 3 pleading exclusion. That pause does not establish a registry opening or extend a different service duty.
Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1What do independently checked examples show?
Fictitious example
Fictitious established event on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Six weeks after entry of appearance. The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service.
| Step | What is counted | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Example 1. Ordinary established facts | Fictitious established event on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Six weeks after entry of appearance. The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service. Six weeks after entry of appearance. Exclude the controlling event day under Order 3 rule 2(2). Count 42 following days. Intermediate weekends remain because this interval exceeds seven days. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation only in this actual pleading-service branch unless the court directs otherwise. The independent ordinary endpoint is Tuesday, February 24, 2026 for pleading-service, not a different filing, service or entitlement date. | Tuesday, February 24, 2026 |
| Example 2. Closed-day boundary | Fictitious boundary event on Friday, February 20, 2026. The source-specific completion is serve the statement of claim on the appearing defendant. Serve the statement of claim on the appearing defendant. The 2026 Long Vacation runs July 1 through September 4 for the Order 3 rule 3 pleading exclusion. That pause does not establish a registry opening or extend a different service duty. | The ordinary pleading-service endpoint is Good Friday, April 3, 2026. RCJ Office closure cannot postpone this actual act merely because it prevents a different registry filing. Establish lawful completion on the controlling day or an actual variation. |
| Example 3. Material procedural branch | The defendant's actual entry of appearance is not established. The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service. The selected period cannot replace that missing source fact. The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service. | The defendant's actual entry of appearance is not established. The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service. The selected period cannot replace that missing source fact. |
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?
- Applicable event and branch
- The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service.
- Counting and boundary
- Six weeks after entry of appearance. Exclude the controlling event day under Order 3 rule 2(2). Count 42 following days. Intermediate weekends remain because this interval exceeds seven days. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation only in this actual pleading-service branch unless the court directs otherwise.
- Required completion
- Serve the statement of claim on the appearing defendant. The 2026 Long Vacation runs July 1 through September 4 for the Order 3 rule 3 pleading exclusion. That pause does not establish a registry opening or extend a different service duty.
- The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service. The result must identify pleading service for the plaintiff in the defended writ action. Confirm every actual event and completion before selecting the ordinary branch.
- This procedure concerns the plaintiff in the defended writ action. Its controlling event is the defendant's actual entry of appearance. The ordinary rule excludes an already indorsed statement and contrary leave. Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for pleading service.
What must the responsible actor complete?
Questions about this procedure
When must a plaintiff serve a Northern Ireland statement of claim?
Can the statement of claim be endorsed on the writ?
Yes. If already endorsed as required, the separate later-service obligation must not be treated as a second statement deadline.
Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1Does the plaintiff's deadline begin when the writ is issued?
The ordinary separate statement period is tied to the defendant's appearance. Writ issue is a different event.
Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1Does the Long Vacation affect this pleading?
Order 3 rule 3 excludes the Long Vacation for serving, filing or amending a pleading, unless the court directs otherwise.
Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1Can a court direction change the period?
Yes. Establish any actual extension or abridgment and any qualifying written consent under Order 3 rule 5.
Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1What if the defendant has not entered appearance?
The ordinary six-week appearance-triggered branch has not been established. Other procedural remedies require their own facts.
Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1What does the plaintiff need to prove about completion?
Prove service of the statement of claim on the appearing defendant through the permitted procedure.
Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1Official sources and review
Provisions used (3)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Rules of the Court of Judicature (NI) 1980, Sch 1, Order 18, rule 1 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Rules of the Court of Judicature (Northern Ireland) 1980, Order 3 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |
| Rules of the Court of Judicature (Northern Ireland) 1980, Order 64 rule 7 | Check the identified procedure, event, counting rule or qualification |