The Civil Procedure Rules 1998

Acknowledgment of service in a claim against firm

Rule 4—(1) Where persons are sued as partners in the name of their firm, service may not be acknowledged in the name of the firm but only by the partners thereof in their own names, but the claim shall nevertheless continue in the name of the firm.

(2) Where in a claim against a firm the claim form by which the claim is begun is served on a person as a partner, that person, if he denies that he was a partner or liable as such at any material time, may acknowledge service of the claim form and state in his acknowledgment that he does so as a person served as a partner in the defendant firm but who denies that he was a partner at any material time.

• An acknowledgment of service given in accordance with this paragraph shall, unless and until it is set aside, be treated as an acknowledgment by the defendant firm.

(3) Where an acknowledgment of service has been given by a defendant in accordance with paragraph (2) then—

(a) the claimant may either apply to the Court to set it aside on the ground that the defendant was a partner or liable as such at a material time or may leave that question to be determined at a later stage of the proceedings;

(b) the defendant may either apply to the Court to set aside the service of the claim form on him on the ground that he was not a partner or liable as such at a material time or may at the proper time serve a defence on the claimant denying in respect of the claimant’s claim either his liability as a partner or the liability of the defendant firm or both.

(4) The Court may at any stage of the proceedings in a claim in which a defendant has acknowledged service in accordance with paragraph (2) on the application of the claimant or of that defendant, order that any question as to the liability of that defendant or as to the liability of the defendant firm be tried in such manner and at such time as the Court directs.

(5) Where in a claim against a firm the claim form by which the claim is begun is served on a person as a person having the control or management of the partnership business, that person may not acknowledge service of the claim form unless he is a member of the firm sued.