Free Traffic Legal Advice

Good morning
If you wish to adjourn the hearing then you either submit a formal application or file a Consent Order.
If the Consent Order is made with the written consent and signed by all parties to the agreement more than 14 days before the scheduled hearing date there no fee is payable.  If it is less than 14 days then the fee is £119.00
If you cannot get consent then you will need to submit a formal application [N244 Application Notice] which can be obtained from the website https://www.gov.uk/ and should be posted in triplicate.  The fee is £303.00 if you tick the box with a hearing or £119.00 if you wish the judge to consider your application on papers.
Once we are in receipt of your application / consent order it will be referred to the Judge for consideration.
Please note an application itself does not guarantee your request will be automatically granted. It will be under the Judge to review it, consider it and review any supporting evidence you supply.
Therefore, it will be your interest to seek qualified independent advice before you submit any application to the Court because court fees are non-refundable.
The fee can be paid via the following methods:
By cheque or postal order, which should be made payable to 'HMCTS';
By credit/debit card. If you wish to pay by credit/debit card, please provide the Court with a telephone number in a covering letter, which should state you wish to pay by card, when you submit your application. A member of staff will then contact you to take payment. The Court can take card payments between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.
If you are on benefits or low income you may be eligible for help with fees please see How to apply for help with fees EX160a  www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-help-with-court-and-tribunal-fees/how-to-apply-for-help-with-fees-ex160a

If you are uncertain how to proceed, you should seek professional legal advice. You may be able to obtain free legal advice from a Legal Advice Agency or the Citizens Advice Bureau
Court Officers are not able to provide legal advice, suggest a course of action, or provide a solution to a problem. Court Officers do not receive legal training, and have no qualifications in law. Further, the Court must remain impartial. You may wish to read www.advicenow.org.uk.

Court Manager
Watford County Court
10 King Street
Watford
WD18 0BW

[Date]

RE: Request for Clarification on Urgent Hearing Rescheduling and Response to Court's Reply

Claim Number: [Insert Claim Number]
Defendant: [Your Full Name]

Dear Court Manager,

I acknowledge receipt of your response dated [insert response date] regarding my request for an urgent rescheduling of my set aside hearing. However, I believe there may have been a misunderstanding of my original request, as the response focused on the process for adjournment or formal applications, which was not the nature of my inquiry.

To clarify, my request was not for an adjournment or delay but rather an expedited hearing date due to significant financial hardship caused by the CCJ, which was obtained through improper service. I respectfully reiterate the following key points for reconsideration:

1. Financial Hardship and Impact: The delay in the hearing date is causing ongoing and severe financial distress. The CCJ, noted on my credit report since [insert date], has substantially affected my credit rating, restricted my access to credit, and adversely impacted my housing and employment prospects.

2. Overriding Objective: CPR 1.1 mandates that cases are handled fairly, expeditiously, and proportionately. The current timeline for the hearing—scheduled for nearly eight months from now—does not align with this objective. A hearing scheduled so far into the future effectively nullifies the expectation that a defendant acts promptly upon discovering a default judgment.

3. Improper Service: I have provided evidence demonstrating that the claim was not properly served, as the claimant did not comply with CPR 6.9 and failed to make reasonable efforts to verify my current address.

I appreciate that the court must operate impartially and within procedural limits, but given the financial repercussions and the nature of the procedural irregularities in this case, I am requesting that the court considers scheduling an earlier hearing. This request is not to delay but to seek relief from the current hardship that the delayed hearing is perpetuating.

I am prepared to provide additional documentation or submit a formal application if absolutely necessary. However, I am seeking clarification on whether my initial request for an expedited hearing can be reconsidered based on the merits outlined, without needing to file a formal application.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response or guidance on how to proceed in the interest of fairness and efficiency.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
Defendant