Obeying County Court Directions – does it actually apply to consumers?
Court directions in the run up to a hearing are not to be ignored and if they are, cases can be struck out. However, the leniency shown by one District Judge in favour of a consumer seems rather bizarre. This is what happened:
a. Consumer’s Particulars of Claim so vague that our client had no specific detail to defend.
b. Parties ordered to send the court a Witness Statement by a certain date. Client did but consumer did not send one at all.
c. Consumer asked for the hearing to be moved by a week – granted.
d. Hearing day – consumer does not show up as still on holiday – but sends his mother instead!
e. Mother tries to give Judge a Witness Statement in the form of letter - signed by her on her son’s behalf!
Outcome: Telling off by the Judge to consumer’s mother - but case adjourned until next year! Our client left court still not knowing what he was attempting to defend!
a. Consumer’s Particulars of Claim so vague that our client had no specific detail to defend.
b. Parties ordered to send the court a Witness Statement by a certain date. Client did but consumer did not send one at all.
c. Consumer asked for the hearing to be moved by a week – granted.
d. Hearing day – consumer does not show up as still on holiday – but sends his mother instead!
e. Mother tries to give Judge a Witness Statement in the form of letter - signed by her on her son’s behalf!
Outcome: Telling off by the Judge to consumer’s mother - but case adjourned until next year! Our client left court still not knowing what he was attempting to defend!