Module 4 · Chapter 9

Limitation Periods and Which Court Hears the Claim

A client who asks whether to sue wants three answers. How long does the claim last? Which court would hear it? And how long is the road to a judgment? This chapter gives all three.

≈ 9 min read 8-question test

In this chapter

  • How long a contract claim lasts, and the two dates that matter in this matter
  • Which court hears a money claim, and what a track is
  • The steps from the first letter to a trial, and how many months they take

9.1Suing in one paragraph

Duarte’s email ends with one more question: should Frescalva sue? He wants the cost and the time before he decides. This chapter gives him the time, in three parts.

How long does a claim last before the law shuts the door? Which court would hear it? And what are the steps to a judgment, and how many months do they take? The next chapter adds the cost, and what the winner gets back.

Duarte’s email, the last questionShould we sue?
And should we sue them? This is our first English dispute. I want to know what it costs and how long it takes before I decide.
Read in the Advice File →

Key point

Before you tell a client whether to sue, put three answers on one page. They are the last day to start a claim, the court that would hear it, and the months to a trial. The sums come after, and they mean nothing without the time.

Also in this chapter

  1. Six years from the breach
  2. Which court, and which track
  3. The steps and the months
  4. Your job

Preview

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