A simple summons: after the notice of intention to defend the plaintiff must deliver a declaration before the defendant pleads.
| Step | Period | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Notice of intention to defend due | +10 court days | Uniform Rule 19(1) |
| Declaration due (plaintiff) if the notice to defend arrives on its last day | +15 court days after the previous step | Uniform Rule 20(1) |
| Plea due, 20 court days after the declaration | +20 court days after the previous step | Uniform Rule 22(1) |
| Then | By |
|---|---|
| Notice of intention to defend due+10 court days · Uniform Rule 19(1) | Fri 30 Oct 2026 |
| Declaration due (plaintiff) if the notice to defend arrives on its last day+15 court days · Uniform Rule 20(1) | Mon 23 Nov 2026 |
| Plea due, 20 court days after the declaration+20 court days · Uniform Rule 22(1) | Tue 22 Dec 2026 |
Public holidays inside this window, skipped by the count: Local government elections (4 Nov), Day of Reconciliation (16 Dec).
A working aid computed from the published rule, not legal advice. Confirm against the rule and diarise with a margin. Firms on AttorneyOS get this table on the matter itself, with every date in the diary.
10 court days from the day it happened, counted in court days, which exclude Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (Uniform Rule 1). The rule is Uniform Rule 19(1). If the last day is not a court day, check whether the rule carries it to the next one.
15 court days from the previous step, counted in court days, which exclude Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (Uniform Rule 1). The rule is Uniform Rule 20(1). If the last day is not a court day, check whether the rule carries it to the next one.
20 court days from the previous step, counted in court days, which exclude Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (Uniform Rule 1). The rule is Uniform Rule 22(1). If the last day is not a court day, check whether the rule carries it to the next one.
Where a High Court division excludes 16 December to 15 January from the days counted for pleadings, those days do not run for this trigger. Check the practice directive of the division you are in.
They are computed from the published rule by the AttorneyOS deadline engine and are a working aid, not legal advice. Confirm the deadline against the rule itself and diarise it with a margin.
More: every trigger in the library · served today · court days calculator · this week in practice.