parked on white line, bought ticket correctly, left within time. court letter issued.

babbal_samrat

Umkomaas said:

 Are you sure it's a physical hearing or one conducted by video/telephone link.  

Yes, it is a physical hearing.

babbal_samrat

Jenni_D said:

You've posted 3 times the same thing ... but I think it was a forum issue. (I had a similar issue just now). However you won't be able to delete the duplicates yet.

Thank you Jenni_D, yes, I have also just noticed the repeated posts. Don't know how that happened. Will try to delete the duplicate ones if I could.
I visited the discussions started by @nosy , @jrhys. I will try and get my statement ready accordingly.
 But was wondering that earlier I submitted defence, so does the defence format has to be completely reflected in the witness statement?
or can I amend and tweak that ?
or write the witness statement starting from scratch.?
Can someone please shed some light on it.
Thanks everyone, you all have helped people like me so much.

babbal_samrat

babbal_samrat said:

thankyou @Le_kirk and @Umkomaas for replying.

so i understand that i must attend the court. 
i still will ask my friend to come with me to court and speak on my behalf (I understand after reading on google a bit about Lay rep, that my friend can be my lay rep.) but just wanted to confirm that that he is neither a solicitor/trainee solicitor nor with any such legal qualifcation. can he still be my lay rep and speak on my behalf while i will be with him in court. please let me know.

May I please request that if someone can provide some confirmation or more information on this.

KeithP

babbal_samrat said:

babbal_samrat said:

thankyou @Le_kirk and @Umkomaas for replying.

so i understand that i must attend the court. 
i still will ask my friend to come with me to court and speak on my behalf (I understand after reading on google a bit about Lay rep, that my friend can be my lay rep.) but just wanted to confirm that that he is neither a solicitor/trainee solicitor nor with any such legal qualifcation. can he still be my lay rep and speak on my behalf while i will be with him in court. please let me know.

May I please request that if someone can provide some confirmation or more information on this.

Yes, your understanding is spot on.
Just remember that the Defendant must also attend any hearing as well as the Lay Rep.

babbal_samrat

KeithP said:

Yes, your understanding is spot on.
Just remember that the Defendant must also attend any hearing as well as the Lay Rep.

@KeithP .
Do I need to fill out any form to inform court of me bringing and using a lay rep 
Or do we just go to the court on the day and inform the judge there and then.

KeithP

babbal_samrat said:

KeithP said:

Yes, your understanding is spot on.
Just remember that the Defendant must also attend any hearing as well as the Lay Rep.

@KeithP .
Do I need to fill out any form to inform court of me bringing and using a lay rep 
Or do we just go to the court on the day and inform the judge there and then.

Just turn up on the day and inform court staff.
It might be useful to have a copy of The Lay Representatives (Rights of Audience) Order 1999 with you. It's only one page long.

Jenni_D

Just turn up - have with you/to hand a copy of the Lay Reps regulation in case the judge/someone else disputes this right.

Le_Kirk

babbal_samrat said:

Jenni_D said:

You've posted 3 times the same thing ... but I think it was a forum issue. (I had a similar issue just now). However you won't be able to delete the duplicates yet.

Thank you Jenni_D, yes, I have also just noticed the repeated posts. Don't know how that happened. Will try to delete the duplicate ones if I could.
I visited the discussions started by @nosy , @jrhys. I will try and get my statement ready accordingly.
 But was wondering that earlier I submitted defence, so does the defence format has to be completely reflected in the witness statement?
or can I amend and tweak that ?
or write the witness statement starting from scratch.?
Can someone please shed some light on it.
Thanks everyone, you all have helped people like me so much.

Yes, the witness statement is different to a defence in that it is written in the first person, a narrative (story) of what happened on the day and subsequently and is there to back up, support and provide evidence for what you said in your defence,  The examples given should lead to the style and format to use.

Coupon-mad

babbal_samrat said:

Jenni_D said:

You've posted 3 times the same thing ... but I think it was a forum issue. (I had a similar issue just now). However you won't be able to delete the duplicates yet.

Thank you Jenni_D, yes, I have also just noticed the repeated posts. Don't know how that happened. Will try to delete the duplicate ones if I could.
I visited the discussions started by @nosy , @jrhys. I will try and get my statement ready accordingly.
 But was wondering that earlier I submitted defence, so does the defence format has to be completely reflected in the witness statement?
or can I amend and tweak that ?
or write the witness statement starting from scratch.?

i am concerned you missed the great news in February about the new statutory Code of Practice.  The Defendant needs to know about it.

I've created a new paragraph 4 onwards to replace the template defence:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79031299/#Comment_79031299

Showing you and others, even though your defence is in and you are at a later stage, because it should be fairly easy to adapt and use in witness statements.

Debt recovery 'cost/fees' are now banned from being added to parking charges, and that new wording explains to a Judge why that is relevant for existing cases, too.

Also read the whole new DLUHC Code of Practice because it covers all the ususl points and issues, and states the best practice position.

Not retrospective but you can use it in a WS to effectively say 'Here's what a professional parking firm should have done'.