Start My Claim

Every term you'll meet in small claims procedure — from acknowledgement of service to without prejudice. Each term defined in plain English with the relevant rule or statute.

Why the jargon matters

Small claims procedure is built around a small number of forms and a smaller number of legal concepts. Most of the difficulty for a litigant in person comes not from the substance of the law but from unfamiliar terminology. Once you know what a Directions Questionnaire is, what "without prejudice" means, and how the Pre-Action Protocols fit together, the system becomes navigable.

This glossary collects the terms you are most likely to encounter, defined in plain English, with the relevant statutory or procedural source identified so you can dig deeper if needed.

Skip the form-fitting

Start My Claim does the procedural plumbing for you — picks the right form, drafts the right wording, walks you through filing. £49 fixed.

Start your claim — £49 fixed →

Process step-by-step