Rule changes
The rules have been amended to:
•clarify the circumstances in which the sheriff clerk may formally serve the claim form; and
•clarify the sheriff’s powers designed to ensure the effective management of cases; and
•make new provisions which facilitate a claim form or response form being served electronically by email service; and
•clarify the procedures for the issue of a decision form/alternative decision form, the recall of a decision and for hearings on expenses; and
•improve procedures for lodging documents and other evidence with the court before a hearing.
In addition, the application forms have been streamlined by consolidating several forms into a flexible ‘Additional Orders Application’ which the parties can use to ask the sheriff to make orders. Part 9 of the rules is therefore deleted and substituted by a new Part 9 regulating the procedure for these applications.