Civil courts

Civil cases are those that do not involve family matters or failure to pay council tax. Civil cases are mainly dealt with by county courts and typically relate to debt (these generally being issued for a specified amount of money), the repossession of property, personal injury (these generally being issued for an unspecified amount of money), the return of goods and insolvency. Particularly important, complex or substantial cases are instead dealt with in the High Court.

See statistics at MOJ.

Total claims

The process of taking a person(s) or company to court regarding a civil (non-family) matter begins with a person (the claimant) either completing a claim form and taking it to a court or completing a claim form online.

Year	Total claims
2018	2,073,957
2017	2,048,446
2016	1,802,286
2015	1,562,065
2014	1,594,596
2013	1,445,339
2012	1,394,230
2011	1,504,243
2010	1,550,626
2009	1,803,221
2008	1,993,828
2007	1,944,812
2006	2,115,491
2005	1,968,894
2004	1,723,371
2003	1,718,883
2002	1,743,339
2001	1,805,637
2000	1,943,513

Year	Total claims
2018	2,073,957
2017	2,048,446
2016	1,802,286
2015	1,562,065
2014	1,594,596
2013	1,445,339
2012	1,394,230
2011	1,504,243
2010	1,550,626
2009	1,803,221
2008	1,993,828
2007	1,944,812
2006	2,115,491
2005	1,968,894
2004	1,723,371
2003	1,718,883
2002	1,743,339
2001	1,805,637
2000	1,943,513

Jan 2018 to Dec 2018 2,073,957

Claims defended

Whether the claim is issued online or through the county courts, a copy of the claim form along with a response pack is sent to (served on) the defendant who has 14 days to respond to the claim. The defendant can: do nothing; pay up (either the full amount of the claim or in part); admit the claim and ask for more time to pay (in full or part); and/or dispute (defend) the claim (in full or part).

Year	Total claims
2018	2,073,957
2017	2,048,446
2016	1,802,286
2015	1,562,065
2014	1,594,596
2013	1,445,339
2012	1,394,230
2011	1,504,243
2010	1,550,626
2009	1,803,221
2008	1,993,828
2007	1,944,812
2006	2,115,491
2005	1,968,894
2004	1,723,371
2003	1,718,883
2002	1,743,339
2001	1,805,637
2000	1,943,513

Year	Claims defended
2018	298,055
2017	297,936
2016	284,328
2015	264,545
2014	264,701
2013	262,872
2012	259,585
2011	275,918
2010	290,889
2009	315,963
2008	298,796
2007	338,616
2006	292,115
2005	275,138
2004	258,096
2003	264,379
2002	263,384
2001	252,176
2000	248,167

Jan 2018 to Dec 2018 298,055

Claims allocated to track

If the claim is defended, the usual procedure is for further information to be provided by the parties, following which the case is allocated by a judge to one of three case-management tracks, Small claim track, Fast track or Multi track.

Year	Total claims
2018	2,073,957
2017	2,048,446
2016	1,802,286
2015	1,562,065
2014	1,594,596
2013	1,445,339
2012	1,394,230
2011	1,504,243
2010	1,550,626
2009	1,803,221
2008	1,993,828
2007	1,944,812
2006	2,115,491
2005	1,968,894
2004	1,723,371
2003	1,718,883
2002	1,743,339
2001	1,805,637
2000	1,943,513

Year	Claims allocated to track
2018	175,888
2017	165,221
2016	157,140
2015	151,260
2014	143,529
2013	149,637
2012	151,120
2011	170,615
2010	168,693
2009	179,983
2008	163,905
2007	173,751
2006	155,149
2005	153,328
2004	151,527
2003	154,705
2002	140,721
2001	143,486
2000	152,641

Jan 2018 to Dec 2018 175,888

Claims gone to trial

Defended cases which are not settled or withdrawn generally result in a small claim hearing or trial.

Year	Total claims
2018	2,073,957
2017	2,048,446
2016	1,802,286
2015	1,562,065
2014	1,594,596
2013	1,445,339
2012	1,394,230
2011	1,504,243
2010	1,550,626
2009	1,803,221
2008	1,993,828
2007	1,944,812
2006	2,115,491
2005	1,968,894
2004	1,723,371
2003	1,718,883
2002	1,743,339
2001	1,805,637
2000	1,943,513

Year	Claims gone to trial
2018	60,218
2017	58,502
2016	52,926
2015	48,192
2014	45,062
2013	43,093
2012	46,993
2011	52,660
2010	60,303
2009	64,078
2008	63,981
2007	69,248
2006	62,968
2005	63,367
2004	62,201
2003	65,026
2002	68,901
2001	71,763
2000	71,233

Jan 2018 to Dec 2018 60,218