What is County Court really like?

18 April 2008

What is County Court action really like? On television, courts tend to be shown as glamorous places where defendants make passionate, witty speeches to solemn judges and fascinated juries. So depending on the kind of person you are, the thought of going to County Court could be either exciting or terrifying.

But real life is very rarely like TV.

If you fall behind in your payments and your creditor takes County Court action against you, remember …

The County Court is not there to punish you
The County Court exists not to find you guilty or innocent, but to settle disputes about money – to decide how much (if anything) you owe, and determine the best way for you to repay it.

Most County Court action is carried out through the post
You’ll receive a ‘claim form’ telling you how much (according to the creditor) you owe. You can reply by post, whether you decide to:

• Pay at once
• Offer to pay over a period of time
• Agree to pay part of the claim
• Disagree with the claim (this is likely to result in a hearing)
• Ask for more time

‘Court’ isn’t necessarily what you think
If you can’t pay, or don’t think you should have to, there will be a court hearing. No dock, no jury, no speeches – just you, the judge and a representative of the creditor in a private room. The judge will simply go through the facts of the case and decide whether or not you owe the creditor anything, and how you should pay it.

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