Meaning & use
statement of claim
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Meaning
nouncountablelegallaw
A formal written document in which a person or company starting a lawsuit states what the other side has done and what they want the court to order.
Grammar: Countable: you can file, serve, or amend a statement of claim.
Patterns
- file a statement of claim
- serve a statement of claim
- a statement of claim against someone
- amend a statement of claim
The plaintiff filed a statement of claim in the county court last week.
The statement of claim must set out the facts clearly and state what remedy is sought.
The defendant has twenty-one days to respond to the statement of claim.
Word forms
| plural | statements of claim |
|---|
Common combinations
- file a statement of claim
- They decided to file a statement of claim after the contract was broken.
- serve a statement of claim
- The court requires you to serve a statement of claim on the other party.
- statement of claim against someone
- She prepared a statement of claim against her former employer.
- amend a statement of claim
- The lawyer asked for permission to amend the statement of claim.
Synonyms and how they differ
- complaint
- Complaint is the usual American term for the document that starts a lawsuit; statement of claim is more common in British and Commonwealth courts.
- claim
- Claim is the general word for the demand you make in court; statement of claim is the formal written document that sets it out.
- pleading
- Pleading is a broader term for any formal written statement in a case, including the statement of claim.
Word family
Commonly confused: statement of claim or statement? statement of claim or defense?
statement of claim vs statement
A statement is any formal report; a statement of claim is a specific legal document that begins a lawsuit.
statement of claim vs defense
The defense is the document the other side files to answer the statement of claim; it is not the same document.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'statement of claim' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A statement of claim is a legal document filed in court by the person suing, so option 0 fits. Option 2 uses it for a casual remark, which is wrong. Option 3 confuses it with a witness statement given to police. Option 4 is wrong because a statement of claim is a formal legal document, not a friendly letter.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “statement of claim”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.