A missed defence deadline can lead to a default judgment. The count is simple — once you know where it starts and what is not counted.
The basic rule
Under regulation 9(b) of the Civil Procedure Regulations, 2018, a defendant files a statement of defence within 60 days of being served with the statement of claim — 120 days in a medical-negligence claim.
Four counting rules
- Start from the day of serviceCounting starts from the actual service of the claim (reg. 179(a)), not from the day the plaintiff filed it.
- Recess days are not countedCourt-recess days are left out of the count (reg. 179(b)). The count pauses during the recess and resumes after it.
- A last day on a rest day movesA last day that falls on Shabbat or a holiday moves to the next working day (Interpretation Law, 1981, section 10).
- A court order prevailsIf the court set another date — or extended it — the deadline is the one in the decision.
A worked example
A claim was served on 15.10.2026. With no recess in the period, 60 days end on 14.12.2026 — the date Joy’s deadline engine returned in our run, with the regulation that sets it.
How to do it in Joy
In the deadline engine choose the event (service of a statement of claim) and the date, and Joy returns the deadline with its source. You can also ask the assistant — "when is the defence due?" — and the answer comes from the same engine, and goes into the calendar in one click.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Every rule is given with its official source; anything marked "to verify" must be checked against the current wording. Last updated: 15 October 2026.