Candidate Attorney Support

Step-by-Step Checklist for a Simple Default Judgment in the Magistrates Court

1. Issue Summons: Ensure that the summons is in the prescribed form and has been issued by the clerk of the court.
2. Service of Summons: Proper service must be effected, and the sheriff’s return of service must be attached. Note that electronic signatures are only acceptable if compliant with the rules.
3. Wait for the Defendant’s Response: Allow the defendant the prescribed time to respond.            This period is usually 10 days for a notice of intention to defend. This is different in the High Court and in cases against the State, so check your rules!
4. Check for Notice of Intention to Defend: If the defendant does not file a notice of intention to      defend within the prescribed time, you can proceed with the default judgment application.
5. Prepare the Application for Default Judgment: Complete the necessary forms and ensure all     required documents are attached. This includes the original summons, the sheriff’s return of           service, and any other supporting documents.
6. File the Application: Submit the application for default judgment to the clerk of the court.              The clerk may refer the application to the magistrate for consideration or it may be set down for a day for you to bring the application in Court – more on how to do that below.
7. Magistrate’s Consideration: The magistrate may request additional evidence, either in writing or orally, to support the claim.
8. Obtain the Default Judgment: If the magistrate is satisfied with the application and supporting      evidence, he/she will grant the default judgment.
9. Serve the Default Judgment: Once the default judgment is granted, ensure that it is served on     the defendant. This is typically done by the sheriff.

Important Points to Remember

Bringing a Default Judgement in Court

If you are at a court where the magistrate prefers the default judgements to be brought in court, you will do the following:

1. When it is your turn, you will stand up and say: “Your Worship, I am ABC, from CDE Inc, this is an application for a Default Judgement”.
2. “The Defendant was served on XYZ date by:” (personal service, served on a person older than 16 years, or whatever the Sheriff wrote on the summons of how service was effected.)
3. “The time for entering an appearance to defend has passed. The papers are in order, and I ask the Honourable Court to grant the default judgement.”
4. You may be asked about certain matters by the magistrate and if satisfied your Default Judgement will be granted.
5. If you have more than one default judgement before the court, you can say: “Your Worship, my second matter is case number XYZ” and you repeat steps 1(without introducing yourself again) to 3.

• When your matters are done you will say: “Your Worship, these are all the matters I have for today, may I please be excused?” Wait for the magistrate to give you leave. You will then walk to the door, turn around, bow towards the bench and leave, unless you are the last attorney in court, then you will wait for the magistrate to get up, you will stand and leave after the magistrate has exited the courtroom.

We will deal with Default Judgements regarding the State, National Credit Act and unliquidated claims (for example damage to a vehicle) in later posts.

I hope that for you just starting out as Candidate Attorneys, that this will be helpful and give you a bit more confidence appearing in court. It is a pity that most District Courts don’t do their Default Judgements in court, but in chambers. It is a great way for Candidate Attorneys to learn, find their feet and build self-confidence to appear in court, as it is a relatively simple procedure, and you get better every time!