Understand how to start your claim if you have decided to take someone to court. This is also sometimes called suing someone, or starting legal proceedings. Understand who can use the new online court services, and how you start a claim using the N1 form. Useful for cases about broken contracts, money owed, compensation, and personal injury - including road traffic accidents and accidents at work. You might use it to take someone to the small claims court, or use the fast-track process in a county court.

The information in this guide applies to England and Wales only. 

Taking legal action can be stressful, expensive and time consuming. And courts are not usually the right place to sort out problems caused by a communication difficulty or a misunderstanding. Finding a solution that you can both live with, without going to court, can make it easier to have some kind of relationship in the future. This can be important if your dispute is with a neighbour or your landlord, a friend or family member, or your child’s school.

‘Alternative Dispute Resolution' (ADR) is the name for a range of options for resolving legal problems, often without going through the court process. You may also hear it called 'Appropriate Dispute Resolution'.
 

It is not easy to find free legal advice about your civil case but here we explain how you may be able to find some and where to try. This includes cases about a breach of contract, housing, debt, bankruptcy, community care, personal injury, and debt. It is a good idea to start trying to get advice as soon as you can.

This information applies to England and Wales.