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Defend a County Court Claim UK

Received a County Court claim? We assess your position, prepare a structured defence, and help you respond properly within deadlines.

From £99
Get your free assessment

County Court filing and advocacy are reserved legal activities. We provide drafting and strategic support; filing can be done by you or a referred solicitor.

What we do

Review claim and assess defence strategy
Draft defence and witness statement
Prepare evidence bundle and chronology
You file as litigant in person, or we refer you to a solicitor (separate engagement and fees) for filing

Common questions

No. Court advocacy is reserved. We prepare your case and explain filing pathways.
Yes. We map key procedural dates so your response is submitted in time.

The process

1

Upload claim form and related documents

2

We assess prospects and deadline risk

3

We draft defence documents

4

You file as LiP or use solicitor referral

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Common scenarios we handle

You received a county court claim form for a debt you have already paid or do not recognise
A parking company has issued court proceedings after you ignored or lost an earlier charge notice
You are being sued for a breach of contract but believe the other party is at fault
You received a claim and the deadline to file a defence is approaching or has just passed

Legal framework

County Court claims are governed by the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR). Defendants have 14 days from service to file an Acknowledgment of Service, and a further 14 days (28 days total) to file a Defence. Failure to respond results in default judgment under CPR Part 12. Defences must address each allegation in the Particulars of Claim. Small claims (under £10,000) are dealt with under CPR Part 27, with limited costs exposure. Fast track claims (£10,000–£25,000) follow CPR Part 28.

Frequently asked questions

If you do not file a Defence or Acknowledgment of Service within the required timeframe, the claimant can apply for default judgment. This means the court will order you to pay without hearing your side. A default judgment can be set aside, but it is far better to respond in time.
Yes. If judgment has been entered in default, we can assess whether there are grounds to apply to set it aside under CPR Part 13. If you have simply missed the acknowledgment deadline but no judgment has been entered yet, we can prepare your Acknowledgment of Service urgently — you file it yourself as a litigant in person, or we arrange an urgent solicitor referral for filing.
Not necessarily. Many small claims are decided on paper if both parties agree. Others settle before hearing. If a hearing is required, we prepare you thoroughly — but court filing and advocacy are reserved activities handled by you as a litigant in person or by a referred solicitor.

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Being taken to court?

We help you prepare your defence and understand your options.

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Free assessment disclaimer: Our free assessment confirms whether we can assist, which service applies, and the fee. Response times depend on case complexity and documents submitted. The free assessment does not constitute legal guidance or advice — active work begins only after payment of the applicable service fee.