Follow tribunal directions and deal with missed deadlines
Turn the tribunal’s instructions into a deadline plan. If the other side does not comply, record what happened and check what order to request.
Convert directions into a tracker
Directions are instructions from the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) for managing your case. When they arrive, put each task into a deadline tracker. Record who must act, who must receive the document, how to send it and how you will prove it was sent. Include disclosure, schedules, statements, bundle steps, hearing-fee dates and any requirement to copy the other side.
File early enough to correct a delivery failure. Keep the sent message, delivery receipt and exact attachment set.
- Direction paragraph
- Who must act
- Due date and time
- Required format
- Service recipients
- Status and proof
- Consequence stated in the order
Choose a proportionate response to a missed direction
First identify the exact direction, what was missed, the practical effect and any previous warning. Ask for a short compliance order where that would cure the problem. If stronger case management is necessary, use the current Order 1 form (opens in a new tab) and explain the order you want.
Debarment means barring a party from further participation. A missed deadline alone does not entitle you to debarment. Check whether an existing direction already says that non-compliance will lead to a bar: rule 9(1), applied to respondents by rule 9(7), provides for that consequence. Otherwise the tribunal decides whether a further order is justified, following the safeguards in rule 9.
Draft the request
Use a neutral chronology. Quote only the exact words of the order that matter and identify the attachments. Explain why the requested order is needed to keep the case fair and on track. Offer an alternative direction in case the tribunal does not grant your main request.