DMBM676170 - Summary proceedings (Sc): The day of the hearing

The majority of this manual will be archived on 30 Apr 2024. If there is content within this manual you use regularly, email hmrcmanualsteam@hmrc.gov.uk to let us know.

All cases to be heard on a particular day are listed on the court’s Summary CauseRoll and are normally dealt with in the order of listing.

You should

  • arrive at the court early
  • find out in which courtroom your case will be heard
  • be seated in court before the time given for the hearing ensuring that you sit at the front of the court (on the public benches or as directed by the court official) so that you can hear clearly
  • have all your papers to hand
  • ensure your mobile telephone is either switched off or ‘silent’
  • be ready to stand up and respond as soon as you hear your case being called.

Checks before leaving

Before leaving the debt management office to go to court you should

  • do a recovery proceedings (RP) check and record it on the relevant computer records and (DMBM615040)
  • note any payment received on the case papers.

What to take with you

As well as all the relevant case papers, you should also ensure that you take with youto court

  • your Warrant and
  • a receipt book
  • a mobile telephone (this enables you to contact the office to process a payment by debit card).

Discussing the case with the defender beforehand

If you know the defender is attending

  • try to discuss the case with him before it is called to see if you can resolve any areas of dispute or difficulty and
  • obtain details of the defender’s financial circumstances and any other information likely to be of use in helping you to present your case to the court.