Search Legislation

The Civil Procedure Rules 1998

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

More Resources

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the The Civil Procedure Rules 1998, Section 12.3. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

[F1Conditions to be satisfiedE+W

12.3.(1) The claimant may obtain judgment in default of an acknowledgment of service only if at the date on which judgment is entered—

(a)the defendant has not filed an acknowledgment of service or a defence to the claim (or any part of the claim); and

(b)the relevant time for doing so has expired.

(2) Judgment in default of defence (or any document intended to be a defence) may be obtained only—

(a)where an acknowledgement of service has been filed but, at the date on which judgment is entered, a defence has not been filed;

(b)in a counterclaim made under rule 20.4, where at the date on which judgment is entered a defence has not been filed,

and, in either case, the relevant time limit for doing so has expired.

(Rule 20.4 makes general provision for a defendant’s counterclaim against a claimant, and rule 20.4(3) provides that Part 10 (acknowledgement of service) does not apply to a counterclaim made under that rule.)

(3) The claimant may not obtain a default judgment if [F2at the time the court is considering the issue]

(a)the defendant has applied—

(i)to have the claimant’s statement of case struck out under rule 3.4; or

(ii)for summary judgment under Part 24,

and, in either case, that application has not been dealt with;

(b)the defendant has satisfied the whole claim (including any claim for costs) on which the claimant is seeking judgment;

(c)(i)the claimant is seeking judgment on a claim for money; and

(ii)the defendant has [F3admitted liability to pay all the money claimed but has requested time to pay]; or

(d)notice has been given under rule 82.21 of a person’s intention to make an application for a declaration under section 6 of the Justice and Security Act 2013 in relation to the proceedings, and that application has not been dealt with.

(Part 14 sets out the procedure where a defendant admits a money claim and asks for time to pay.)

(Rule 6.17 provides that, where the claim form is served by the claimant, the claimant may not obtain default judgment unless a certificate of service has been filed.)]

Textual Amendments

F1Pt. 12 substituted (with application in accordance with rule 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2022 (S.I. 2022/101), Sch. 2

F2Words in rule 12.3(3) inserted (6.4.2023) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2023 (S.I. 2023/105), rules 1(1), 9

F3Words in rule 12.3(3)(c)(ii) substituted (1.10.2023 immediately after S.I. 2023/572 comes into force) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2023 (S.I. 2023/788), rules 1(1), 5(1)

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Instrument

The Whole Instrument you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Instrument as a PDF

The Whole Instrument you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Instrument without Schedules

The Whole Instrument without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Instrument without Schedules as a PDF

The Whole Instrument without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Instrument

The Whole Instrument you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Instrument without Schedules

The Whole Instrument without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open Schedules only

The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.