Civil Procedure
371 Notes
Compiled in 2021 by Mari Louw. Do Not Distribute.
MARIA MAGDALENA Louw
, 1
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................5
History of civil procedural law in SA..........................................................................................6
Traditional Courts Bill:............................................................................................................6
General historical overview of development of law in SA post-1652.....................................7
Third big development: our Constitution.................................................................................8
Principles underlying the law of civil procedure and access to justice:.....................................13
Sources of Civil Procedure.........................................................................................................13
Different mechanisms of civil procedure...................................................................................14
Electronic court online system...................................................................................................15
Hierarchy of SA courts and stare decisis:..................................................................................16
Officers of the court...................................................................................................................22
Consultation, legal representation, demand and prescription........................................................25
Consultation...............................................................................................................................25
Representation............................................................................................................................27
Representation of juristic persons:.........................................................................................28
Notice of: withdrawal and appointment.................................................................................29
Action and application proceedings...........................................................................................30
Demand or statutory notice........................................................................................................30
Prescription.................................................................................................................................32
Mediation:.................................................................................................................................36
Jurisdiction:....................................................................................................................................38
General formula:........................................................................................................................40
High Court jurisdiction:.............................................................................................................42
Three ratio jurisdictionis (common law grounds):.................................................................46
Types of claims:.....................................................................................................................47
, 2
Domicile and residence..........................................................................................................50
Concurrent jurisdiction...........................................................................................................69
Jurisdiction for the purposes of counterclaims.......................................................................70
the causae continentia doctrine:.............................................................................................70
Removal of a matter to another court:....................................................................................71
Magistrate’s Court Jurisdiction:.................................................................................................72
S29 claim value for actions:...................................................................................................73
Other claims ito S30, S31, S32:.............................................................................................76
S38 and S39: abandonment and deduction............................................................................77
S45: consent...........................................................................................................................78
S46: claims beyond MC jurisdiction:.....................................................................................79
S28: linking claim to an area:.................................................................................................82
Final issues: calculation of monetary claims..........................................................................84
The parties and citations.................................................................................................................86
Locus standi................................................................................................................................86
A) Direct and substantial interest: requirements....................................................................86
B) exceptions to capacity to litigate:......................................................................................86
S38 Constitutional standing to enforce rights:.......................................................................92
Citations...................................................................................................................................101
Service of process........................................................................................................................102
Service methods in terms of court rules...................................................................................104
Usual service methods: High Court.....................................................................................104
Substituted service................................................................................................................106
Applications.................................................................................................................................109
Application procedures............................................................................................................109
3 types of application procedures.............................................................................................111
Ex parte/ unilateral applications...........................................................................................111
, 3
Bilateral................................................................................................................................114
Interlocutory/ interim...........................................................................................................120
decision: application or action procedures?.............................................................................120
Resolving a dispute of fact:..................................................................................................121
Room Hire v Jeppe Street Mansions 1949 (T):....................................................................122
Practical notes on drafting:...........................................................................................................124
Affidavits..................................................................................................................................124
Founding affidavit................................................................................................................125
Answering affidavit..............................................................................................................125
Replying affidavit.................................................................................................................126
Confirmatory affidavits........................................................................................................127
Action procedure..........................................................................................................................128
1) Pleading stage......................................................................................................................129
Purpose of pleadings stage...................................................................................................130
Rules and formalities: HCR18.............................................................................................130
2) Pre-trial phase......................................................................................................................132
3) Trial stage.............................................................................................................................132
4) Judgment stage.....................................................................................................................132
Shortcut judgments...............................................................................................................132
Summons, particulars of claim and declaration.......................................................................148
Summons..............................................................................................................................148
Particulars of claim and declaration.....................................................................................154
Summary diagrams and relevant legislation for reference.......................................................155
MCR 6: rules relating to pleadings generally.......................................................................156
HCR 18: rules relating to pleadings generally.....................................................................159
Defective processes and non-compliance with court rules:.....................................................160
Amendment of pleadings.............................................................................................................176
371 Notes
Compiled in 2021 by Mari Louw. Do Not Distribute.
MARIA MAGDALENA Louw
, 1
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................5
History of civil procedural law in SA..........................................................................................6
Traditional Courts Bill:............................................................................................................6
General historical overview of development of law in SA post-1652.....................................7
Third big development: our Constitution.................................................................................8
Principles underlying the law of civil procedure and access to justice:.....................................13
Sources of Civil Procedure.........................................................................................................13
Different mechanisms of civil procedure...................................................................................14
Electronic court online system...................................................................................................15
Hierarchy of SA courts and stare decisis:..................................................................................16
Officers of the court...................................................................................................................22
Consultation, legal representation, demand and prescription........................................................25
Consultation...............................................................................................................................25
Representation............................................................................................................................27
Representation of juristic persons:.........................................................................................28
Notice of: withdrawal and appointment.................................................................................29
Action and application proceedings...........................................................................................30
Demand or statutory notice........................................................................................................30
Prescription.................................................................................................................................32
Mediation:.................................................................................................................................36
Jurisdiction:....................................................................................................................................38
General formula:........................................................................................................................40
High Court jurisdiction:.............................................................................................................42
Three ratio jurisdictionis (common law grounds):.................................................................46
Types of claims:.....................................................................................................................47
, 2
Domicile and residence..........................................................................................................50
Concurrent jurisdiction...........................................................................................................69
Jurisdiction for the purposes of counterclaims.......................................................................70
the causae continentia doctrine:.............................................................................................70
Removal of a matter to another court:....................................................................................71
Magistrate’s Court Jurisdiction:.................................................................................................72
S29 claim value for actions:...................................................................................................73
Other claims ito S30, S31, S32:.............................................................................................76
S38 and S39: abandonment and deduction............................................................................77
S45: consent...........................................................................................................................78
S46: claims beyond MC jurisdiction:.....................................................................................79
S28: linking claim to an area:.................................................................................................82
Final issues: calculation of monetary claims..........................................................................84
The parties and citations.................................................................................................................86
Locus standi................................................................................................................................86
A) Direct and substantial interest: requirements....................................................................86
B) exceptions to capacity to litigate:......................................................................................86
S38 Constitutional standing to enforce rights:.......................................................................92
Citations...................................................................................................................................101
Service of process........................................................................................................................102
Service methods in terms of court rules...................................................................................104
Usual service methods: High Court.....................................................................................104
Substituted service................................................................................................................106
Applications.................................................................................................................................109
Application procedures............................................................................................................109
3 types of application procedures.............................................................................................111
Ex parte/ unilateral applications...........................................................................................111
, 3
Bilateral................................................................................................................................114
Interlocutory/ interim...........................................................................................................120
decision: application or action procedures?.............................................................................120
Resolving a dispute of fact:..................................................................................................121
Room Hire v Jeppe Street Mansions 1949 (T):....................................................................122
Practical notes on drafting:...........................................................................................................124
Affidavits..................................................................................................................................124
Founding affidavit................................................................................................................125
Answering affidavit..............................................................................................................125
Replying affidavit.................................................................................................................126
Confirmatory affidavits........................................................................................................127
Action procedure..........................................................................................................................128
1) Pleading stage......................................................................................................................129
Purpose of pleadings stage...................................................................................................130
Rules and formalities: HCR18.............................................................................................130
2) Pre-trial phase......................................................................................................................132
3) Trial stage.............................................................................................................................132
4) Judgment stage.....................................................................................................................132
Shortcut judgments...............................................................................................................132
Summons, particulars of claim and declaration.......................................................................148
Summons..............................................................................................................................148
Particulars of claim and declaration.....................................................................................154
Summary diagrams and relevant legislation for reference.......................................................155
MCR 6: rules relating to pleadings generally.......................................................................156
HCR 18: rules relating to pleadings generally.....................................................................159
Defective processes and non-compliance with court rules:.....................................................160
Amendment of pleadings.............................................................................................................176
