The main aim of this course is to provide all participants with the basic skills, and so the confidence, to draft legal documents and other pleadings as and when they are required in terms of the Rules.

Course duration
1 day

Certification
On completion of the programme, the participant will receive an Attendance Certificate in Civil
Litigation in the High Court from the Law Society of SA/L.E.A.D

Who should attend?
• Legal Office Support Staff
• Candidate attorneys
• Individuals who want to educate themselves further with the intention of seeking employment in the legal field.

General learning outcomes
After completion of this training the participant should be able to:
• Understand the most popular legal jargon used by attorneys and the courts.
• Understand the differences between Motion Procedures (Applications) and Action Procedures (Actions).
• Understand the basic flow of the Motion process holistically.
• Understand the basic flow of the Action process holistically.
• Be able to anticipate the next step in the action or motion process, as the case may be, and to draft the required pleading, notice or document.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the required format of the court documents.
• Be able to plan and diarise a matter accordingly based on the anticipated next step.

Learning that is assumed to be in place
Participants need to have a basic knowledge of English as the course is presented in English.

Course outline

• Introduction to the Civil Litigation in the High Courts
  • Rules relating to pleadings
  • The basic claims in the High Court
  • Calculation of time limits
  • Terminology
  • Jurisdiction of the High Court
  • Description of the Parties
  • Lapsing of claims
• Application Procedure (Motions)
  • Differences between Actions and Motions
  • Requirements
  • Format of the Application
  • The Application Process
  • Different forms of Applications
• Action Procedure
  • Taking instructions, opening files and other initial steps
  • Pleading stage
  • Close of Pleadings/Preparation Stage
  • Trial
  • Execution of Judgment
  • Undefended actions
• Provisional Sentence Summons
  • Requirements
  • Format
  • Process
• Appeals and Reviews
  • Differences between appeals and reviews
  • Processes
• Methodology
  • This course is designed to revise the basic rules relating to Civil Litigation in the High Courts and to put these into practice. It requires a large degree of learner participation both orally and textually.

Course queries:  Merlin September – merlin@LSSALEAD.org.za | Tel: 012 441 4652/00