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District Court Forms
All 79 forms prescribed by Schedule 2 of the District Courts Regulation (Chapter 40): complaints, informations, summonses, warrants, recognizances, convictions and orders, execution and garnishee forms, the notice of appeal, and the Clerk’s registers. Each is available in Microsoft Word and PDF.
Section 2 of the District Courts Regulation provides that the form in Schedule 2 specified for a provision of the Act is the form to be used for the purposes of that provision, and that the forms in Schedule 2, or similar forms, may be used. Section 44 of the Regulation adds that where the Regulation does not provide a form, the Court may supply the deficiency by reference to National Court practice. The forms below reproduce Schedule 2 as consolidated in the pngInLaw edition of the Act and Regulation (November 2020 update), with the year placeholder updated from “19..” to “20....” and dotted lines added where the original leaves a space. The wording is otherwise unchanged.
Download the Word version to type into it, or the PDF to print and complete by hand. The parties’ initials (A.B., C.D., E.F., L.M., M.P., S.T.) stand for the complainant or informant, the defendant, a witness or claimant, a surety, a garnishee and a third-party claimant respectively; replace them with names. Words in brackets are drafting instructions or alternatives, and an asterisk marks words to strike out where inapplicable. Most forms are signed by a magistrate or the Clerk and are issued by the Court, not by the parties; the ones a party prepares are the complaint (Form 15), the information (Form 16), the notices of intention to defend attached to a default summons (Form 42), the affidavit for oral examination (Form 13), the notice of appeal (Form 71), the entry of appeal (Form 73) and the notices of payment into Court (Forms 6 and 7). Court fees for issuing process are in Schedule 3; see fees and lawyer costs.
The District Courts Act and Regulation are not on PacLII and are amended from time to time. Registries also keep their own printed versions, and a Clerk may require the registry’s form. Confirm the current form and fee at the registry before filing. This page is general information, not legal advice; see the disclaimer.
Forms by subject
- Registers and books kept by the Clerk — 4 forms
- Money paid into Court — 3 forms
- Civil complaints — 5 forms
- Judgment debtors — 5 forms
- Securities and recognizances — 7 forms
- Garnishee (attachment of debts) — 7 forms
- Starting a criminal case — 1 form
- Summonses — 2 forms
- Witnesses — 8 forms
- Warrants — 4 forms
- Committal proceedings — 8 forms
- Convictions and orders — 8 forms
- Execution — 6 forms
- Surety of the peace — 5 forms
- Appeals to the National Court — 4 forms
- Vagrancy Act orders — 2 forms
Registers and books kept by the Clerk
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Register of Decisions | Reg., Sec. 10 | Word · PDF |
| 2 | Suitors' Cash Book | Reg., Sec. 12 | Word · PDF |
| 3 | Security Book | Reg., Sec. 13 | Word · PDF |
| 4 | Instalment Book | Reg., Sec. 14 | Word · PDF |
Money paid into Court
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Acknowledgement of Money Paid Into Court | Reg., Sec. 18 | Word · PDF |
| 6 | Notice of Payment of Money Into Court | Reg., Secs. 30(2), 33 | Word · PDF |
| 7 | Notice of Acceptance of Money Paid Into Court | Reg., Sec. 34(1) | Word · PDF |
Civil complaints
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Memorandum of Adjournment to Another Court | Act, Sec. 150. Reg., Sec. 36 | Word · PDF |
| 14 | Statement of Causes of Complaint in Civil Cases | Act, Sec. 21 | Word · PDF |
| 15 | Complaint | Act, Sec. 28 | Word · PDF |
| 41 | Order for Payment of Compensation and Costs where Complaint Made in the Wrong Court | Act, Sec. 151 | Word · PDF |
| 42 | Default Summons on a Complaint for a Civil Debt | Act, Sec. 157 | Word · PDF |
Judgment debtors
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Application for Summons for Commitment | Act, Sec. 192. Reg., Sec. 37 | Word · PDF |
| 10 | Certificate of Payment | Act, Sec. 196. Reg., Sec. 38 | Word · PDF |
| 63 | Summons to Debtor | Act, Sec. 192 | Word · PDF |
| 64 | Order for Commitment of Debtor in Default of Payment | Act, Sec. 192 | Word · PDF |
| 65 | Order to Apprehend Debtor | Act, Sec. 193 | Word · PDF |
Securities and recognizances
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Security for Sum Adjudged to be Paid | Reg., Sec. 39 | Word · PDF |
| 12 | Notice to Principal of Forfeited Security | Reg., Sec. 41(1) | Word · PDF |
| 26 | Recognizance for the Appearance of a Defendant, where the Case is Adjourned or not to be at Once Proceeded with | Act, Secs. 75, 89 | Word · PDF |
| 27 | Notice of Recognizance to be Given to the Defendant and his Surety | Act, Secs. 75, 89 | Word · PDF |
| 75 | Summons to Show Cause Why Recognizance Should not be Enforced | Act, Sec. 272 | Word · PDF |
| 76 | Order Adjudging a Recognizance to be Forfeited and for Payment of the Amount Due under the Recognizance | Act, Sec. 272 | Word · PDF |
| 77 | Warrant of Execution on an Order Adjudging a Recognizance to be Forfeited and for Payment of the Amount Due under the Recognizance | Act, Sec. 272 | Word · PDF |
Garnishee (attachment of debts)
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Affidavit in Support of Application for Oral Examination | Act, Sec. 182. Reg., Sec. 42 | Word · PDF |
| 57 | Attachment of Debt — Summons for Order for Oral Examination | Act, Sec. 181 | Word · PDF |
| 58 | Order for Oral Examination | Act, Sec. 181 | Word · PDF |
| 59 | Order Ex Parte for Attachment of Debt | Act, Sec. 182 | Word · PDF |
| 60 | Order for Payment by Garnishee to Person Obtaining Order where Garnishee Does not Dispute his Liability | Act, Sec. 184 | Word · PDF |
| 61 | Order where Garnishee Disputes his Liability and Issue is Ordered | Act, Sec. 185 | Word · PDF |
| 62 | Order where the Garnishee Suggests that a Third Person Claims a Lien or Charge on Debt Due from Garnishee to Debtor | Act, Sec. 187 | Word · PDF |
Starting a criminal case
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Information | Act, Secs. 28, 35 | Word · PDF |
Summonses
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Summons to a Person on Information | Act, Secs. 41, 42, 44, 47 | Word · PDF |
| 18 | Summons to a Person on Complaint | Act, Secs. 41, 42, 44, 47 | Word · PDF |
Witnesses
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Summons to a Person to Give Evidence | Act, Secs. 44, 45, 66 | Word · PDF |
| 20 | Summons to a Person to Produce Documents | Act, Secs. 44, 45, 71 | Word · PDF |
| 24 | Warrant for Apprehension of a Witness who has not Obeyed a Summons | Act, Sec. 68 | Word · PDF |
| 25 | Warrant for a Witness in the First Instance | Act, Sec. 69 | Word · PDF |
| 36 | Recognizance to Give Evidence | Act, Secs. 111, 112 | Word · PDF |
| 37 | Notice of Recognizance to be Given to Witnesses | Act, Sec. 112 | Word · PDF |
| 38 | Order to Discharge Witness | Act, Sec. 113 | Word · PDF |
| 39 | Order for Detention of Witness for Safe Custody | Act, Sec. 114 | Word · PDF |
Warrants
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Warrant in the First Instance to Apprehend a Person Charged with an Indictable Offence or a Simple Offence | Act, Secs. 49, 50 | Word · PDF |
| 22 | Endorsement on Warrant where Bail is Allowed | Act, Sec. 54 | Word · PDF |
| 29 | Warrant to Apprehend Defendant where the Summons is Disobeyed | Act, Secs. 93, 125 | Word · PDF |
| 40 | Warrant to Convey Accused Person Before a District Court at the Place in Which the Offence is Committed | Act, Sec. 116 | Word · PDF |
Committal proceedings
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Deposition of Witness | Act, Secs. 65, 94, 99 | Word · PDF |
| 28 | Receipt for the Prisoner | Act, Sec. 87 | Word · PDF |
| 30 | Statement of Defendant | Act, Sec. 96 | Word · PDF |
| 31 | Recognizance of Bail on Committal for Trial | Act, Secs. 100, 105, 106, 107 | Word · PDF |
| 32 | Recognizance of Bail on Committal for Sentence | Act, Sec. 103 | Word · PDF |
| 33 | Certificate of Consent to Bail Endorsed on the Commitment | Act, Sec. 105 | Word · PDF |
| 34 | Certificate of Consent to Bail where not Given at Time of Committal for Trial | Act, Secs. 106, 108 | Word · PDF |
| 35 | Warrant of Deliverance on Bail Being Given for a Prisoner Already Committed | Act, Sec. 109 | Word · PDF |
Convictions and orders
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | Conviction for a Penalty, and, in Default of Payment, Imprisonment | Act, Sec. 161 | Word · PDF |
| 44 | Conviction when the Punishment is Imprisonment | Act, Sec. 161 | Word · PDF |
| 45 | Summary Conviction for Indictable Offence | Act, Secs. 161, 208 | Word · PDF |
| 46 | Order for Payment of Money or Costs | Act, Sec. 161 | Word · PDF |
| 47 | Conviction for Contempt of Court | Act, Secs. 161, 277 | Word · PDF |
| 48 | Order of Dismissal of an Information or Complaint | Act, Sec. 162 | Word · PDF |
| 49 | Certificate of Dismissal | Act, Sec. 162 | Word · PDF |
| 50 | Certificate of Dismissal on Summary Hearing of Indictable Offence | Act, Secs. 162, 208 | Word · PDF |
Execution
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Warrant of Execution on a Conviction for a Penalty of a Corporation | Act, Secs. 167, 173 | Word · PDF |
| 52 | Warrant of Execution on an Order for the Payment of Money | Act, Sec. 173 | Word · PDF |
| 53 | Warrant of Execution for Costs on an Order for Dismissal of an Information or a Complaint | Act, Secs. 173, 260 | Word · PDF |
| 54 | Return to a Warrant of Execution | Act, Sec. 173 | Word · PDF |
| 55 | Summons in Case of Adverse Claims to Goods Distrained | Act, Sec. 178 | Word · PDF |
| 56 | Order in Case of Adverse Claims to Goods Distrained | Act, Sec. 178 | Word · PDF |
Surety of the peace
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | Information to Require Surety of the Peace or for Good Behaviour | Act, Secs. 209, 210 | Word · PDF |
| 67 | Warrant to Apprehend a Person Required to Give Surety of the Peace or for Good Behaviour | Act, Sec. 212 | Word · PDF |
| 68 | Recognizance of the Peace or for Good Behaviour | Act, Sec. 214 | Word · PDF |
| 69 | Notice of Recognizance of the Peace or for Good Behaviour to be Given to the Defendant and his Sureties | Act, Sec. 215 | Word · PDF |
| 70 | Warrant to Discharge a Person Committed for Want of Sureties of the Peace or for Good Behaviour | Act, Sec. 216 | Word · PDF |
Appeals to the National Court
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | Notice of Appeal | Act, Secs. 220, 221 | Word · PDF |
| 72 | Recognizance on Appeal | Act, Secs. 220, 222 | Word · PDF |
| 73 | Entry of Appeal to National Court | Act, Sec. 226 | Word · PDF |
| 74 | Recognizance to Secure Appearance to Abide Judgement of National Court on an Appeal | Act, Sec. 237 | Word · PDF |
Vagrancy Act orders
| Form | Title | Provision | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | Exclusion Order under the Vagrancy Act | Act, Sec. 278. Reg., Sec. 45(1) | Word · PDF |
| 79 | Variation of Exclusion Order under the Vagrancy Act | Reg., Sec. 45(2) | Word · PDF |