File documents for use in a civil trial

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File documents for use in a civil trial
Arriving in court for a civil trial
At your civil trial

File documents for use in a civil trial

Note

File documents for use in a civil trial

Parties should file the following documents before the civil trial:

A bundle of affidavits of evidence-in-chief (AEIC).
A bundle of documents.
Opening statements.
(Optional) A bundle of authorities.

Refer to the following to find out how to prepare them, and when and where to file them.

A bundle of AEIC contains the originals of your witnesses' affidavits that you intend to rely on at trial. You must file the bundle of affidavits of evidence-in-chief within the timelines directed by the court.

How to file

Refer to the following to find out how to file your bundle of AEIC.

If your case is heard in...	You should do all of the following...
The Magistrate’s Court or District Court	Submit a hard copy to the State Courts Service Hub during operating hours. Submit a soft copy stored on a CD-ROM together with a hard copy of the bundle or file a soft copy via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau. The soft copy must be in PDF format.
The General Division of the High Court	Submit a hard copy to the Legal Registry of the Supreme Court during operating hours. File a soft copy of the bundle of AEIC via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau. The soft copy must be in PDF format.

You must follow the Rules of Court 2021 and the State Courts Practice Directions 2021 or the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021 to prepare your documents.

Estimated fees

Refer to the following to find out the possible fees for filing the bundle of AEIC. You may also refer to Fourth Schedule of the Rules of Court 2021 for the full list of court fees.

In addition to the fees listed in the table, there are also other fees payable to the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.

Item or service	Fees
File an affidavit or an affidavit of evidence-in-chief	(For State Courts cases) $1 per page, subject to a minimum fee of $10 per affidavit (For General Division of the High Court cases) $2 per page, subject to a minimum fee of $50 per affidavit

A bundle of documents contains the documents that you will be relying on or referring to in the course of the trial, including any documents that are exhibited to the AEICs of all witnesses.

If you are the party who filed the claim (the Claimant), you must file the bundle of documents within the timelines directed by the court.

The contents of the bundle of the documents should be agreed on between all parties as far as possible. If parties are unable to agree on the inclusion of certain documents, the documents on which agreement cannot be reached should be included in separate bundles.

Each of the separate bundles should be filed by the party that intends to rely on or refer to the documents in these bundles at the same time as the main bundle of documents. Only documents that are relevant or necessary for the trial should be included in the bundles.

How to file

Refer to the following to find out how to file your bundle of documents.

If your case is heard in...	You should do all of the following...
The Magistrate’s Court or District Court	Submit a hard copy to the State Courts Service Hub during operating hours. Submit a soft copy stored on a CD-ROM together with a hard copy of the bundle or file a soft copy via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau. The soft copy must be in PDF format.
The General Division of the High Court	Submit a hard copy to the Legal Registry of the Supreme Court during operating hours. File a soft copy of the bundle of AEIC via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau. The soft copy must be in PDF format.

You must follow the Rules of Court 2021 and the State Courts Practice Directions 2021 or the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021 to prepare your documents.

Estimated fees

Refer to the following to find out the possible fees for filing the bundle of documents. You may also refer to Fourth Schedule of the Rules of Court 2021 for the full list of court fees.

In addition to the fees listed in the table, there are also other fees payable to the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.

Item or service	Fees
File the bundle of documents	(For State Courts cases) $10 and electronic filing charge of $4 plus $0.60 per page. (For General Division of the High Court cases for claims up to $1 million) $50 and electronic filing charge of $4 plus $0.60 per page. (For General Division of the High Court cases for claims more than $1 million) $100 and electronic filing charge of $4 plus $0.60 per page.

An opening statement is a written summary of your case and the issues to be decided by the court, both of fact and law.

This enables the judge to appreciate what the case is about, and what the judge is to look out for when reading and listening to the evidence that will follow.

Opening statements also help to clarify issues between the parties, so that unnecessary time is not spent on trying to prove what is not disputed or irrelevant.

How to prepare

Each party will have to file and serve their opening statement on the other party before the trial.

Refer to the following to find out how to prepare an opening statement.

If your case is heard in...	You should...
The Magistrate’s Court or District Court	In the case of the claimant, the statement must include the following: (i) a summary of essential facts indicating which, if any, are agreed; (ii) an indication of how these facts are to be proved, identifying relevant witnesses and documents; (iii) a summary of the issues involved with cross-references as appropriate to the pleadings; (iv) a summary of the claimant’s case in relation to each of the issues with references to the key documents relied upon, and a summary of the propositions of law to be advanced with references to the main authorities to be relied on; and (v) an explanation of the reliefs claimed (if these are unusual or complicated). The character of the other party’s opening statement will depend on the circumstances of the case. However, it should, generally, state concisely the nature of their case on each of the issues to be tried and summarise the propositions of law to be advanced with references to the main authorities to be relied on. Within the page limit of 25 pages, unless the Court has allowed the page limit to be exceeded.
The General Division of the High Court	Ensure that your opening statement includes the following: The nature of the case and the background facts relevant to the case. You will have to indicate which facts are agreed upon with the other party, if applicable. The precise legal and factual issues involved with cross-references as appropriate to the pleadings. These issues should be numbered and listed. Each point should not be more than one or two sentences. This is to identify the issues in dispute and state each party’s position clearly, not to argue or elaborate on them. You should identify the key documents and witnesses supporting each factual proposition. You should include the principal authorities in support of each legal proposition. (If the reliefs claimed are unusual or complicated) An explanation of the reliefs claimed. (If there is a counterclaim or third party action) The issues raised in the counterclaim or third party action. Within the page limit of 25 pages, unless the Court has allowed the page limit to be exceeded.

If your case is heard in...

You should...

The Magistrate’s Court or District Court

In the case of the claimant, the statement must include the following: (i) a summary of essential facts indicating which, if any, are agreed; (ii) an indication of how these facts are to be proved, identifying relevant witnesses and documents; (iii) a summary of the issues involved with cross-references as appropriate to the pleadings; (iv) a summary of the claimant’s case in relation to each of the issues with references to the key documents relied upon, and a summary of the propositions of law to be advanced with references to the main authorities to be relied on; and (v) an explanation of the reliefs claimed (if these are unusual or complicated).
The character of the other party’s opening statement will depend on the circumstances of the case. However, it should, generally, state concisely the nature of their case on each of the issues to be tried and summarise the propositions of law to be advanced with references to the main authorities to be relied on.
Within the page limit of 25 pages, unless the Court has allowed the page limit to be exceeded.

The General Division of the High Court

Ensure that your opening statement includes the following:

The nature of the case and the background facts relevant to the case.
- You will have to indicate which facts are agreed upon with the other party, if applicable.
The precise legal and factual issues involved with cross-references as appropriate to the pleadings.
- These issues should be numbered and listed.
- Each point should not be more than one or two sentences. This is to identify the issues in dispute and state each party’s position clearly, not to argue or elaborate on them.
- You should identify the key documents and witnesses supporting each factual proposition.
- You should include the principal authorities in support of each legal proposition.
(If the reliefs claimed are unusual or complicated) An explanation of the reliefs claimed.
(If there is a counterclaim or third party action) The issues raised in the counterclaim or third party action.
Within the page limit of 25 pages, unless the Court has allowed the page limit to be exceeded.

You must follow the Rules of Court 2021 and the State Courts Practice Directions 2021 or the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021 to prepare your documents.

How to file

Refer to the following to find out when you should file and serve your opening statement.

If your case is heard in...	You should...
The Magistrate’s Court or District Court	(If you are the party who filed the claim) File and serve your opening statement on the other party (the defendant) no less than 3 working days before the trial. The opening statement must be filed via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau. (If you are the party against whom the claim is filed) File and serve your opening statement on the other party (the plaintiff) no less than 2 working days before the trial. The opening statement must be filed via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.
The General Division of the High Court	File your opening statement within the timelines directed by the court. Opening statements must be filed via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.

If your case is heard in...

You should...

The Magistrate’s Court or District Court

(If you are the party who filed the claim) File and serve your opening statement on the other party (the defendant) no less than 3 working days before the trial.
- The opening statement must be filed via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.
(If you are the party against whom the claim is filed) File and serve your opening statement on the other party (the plaintiff) no less than 2 working days before the trial.
- The opening statement must be filed via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.

The General Division of the High Court

File your opening statement within the timelines directed by the court.

Opening statements must be filed via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.

A bundle of authorities contains the authorities or cases, statutes, subsidiary legislation and any other materials that you intend to rely on at trial.

Only authorities which are relevant or necessary for the trial should be included. If you are relying on any authority at the trial, you must file and serve the bundle of authorities on the other party by the following time periods, or any other timelines directed by the court:

(For District Court cases) No less than 3 working days before the trial.
(For General Division of the High Court cases) within the timelines directed by the court.

If you are not relying on any authority at the trial, it is not necessary to file a bundle of authorities.

How to file

Refer to the following to find out how to file your bundle of authorities.

If your case is heard in...	You should do all of the following...
The Magistrate’s Court or District Court	File the bundle of authorities via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.
The General Division of the High Court	Submit a hard copy to the Legal Registry of the Supreme Court during operating hours. File a soft copy of the bundle of authorities via eLitigation at the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau. The soft copy must be in PDF format.

You must follow the Rules of Court 2021 and the State Courts Practice Directions 2021 or the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021 to prepare your documents.

Estimated fees

Refer to the following to find out the possible fees for filing the bundle of authorities. You may also refer to Fourth Schedule of the Rules of Court 2021 for the full list of court fees.

In addition to the fees listed in the table, there are also other fees payable to the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau.

Item or service	Fees
File the bundle of authorities	$4 per document plus $0.60 per page

Bringing witnesses to court

You must notify all your witnesses of the trial date and the courtroom allocated for the trial. If your witness does not attend court, their affidavits you have submitted as evidence-in-chief may be rejected by the court.

If a witness is unwilling to attend court, you may apply for an order to attend Court or produce document via eLitigation requiring the witness to attend court on the specified date and time.

There are 3 types of Orders to attend Court or produce document you may apply for, depending on the nature of your case. This includes:

Requiring the witness to attend court to give oral evidence.
Requiring the witness to produce documents without the obligation to attend court personally.
Requiring the witness to give evidence and produce documents in court.

Refer to Arrange for interpretation services if your witness is not comfortable communicating in English.

Need help?

The information here is for general guidance as the courts do not provide legal advice. If you need further help, you may want to get independent legal advice.

Find out more