PART 2
COMMENCEMENT OF PROCEEDINGS
Commencement of action
5.—(1)  An action in respect of a tort under section 4 of the Act must be commenced by filing —
(a)a claim in the relevant Form; and
(b)any supporting evidence to prove the matters stated in the claim.
(2)  The plaintiff must, within 14 days after the date on which the claim and the supporting evidence are filed, serve a copy each of the claim and the supporting evidence on the respondent.
(3)  The plaintiff must file a declaration of service in the relevant Form before or at the time of the first pre‑trial conference.
(4)  A respondent who intends to contest a plaintiff’s claim must, within 14 days after being served with the claim and the supporting evidence, file and serve on the plaintiff —
(a)a reply in the relevant Form; and
(b)any supporting evidence to prove the matters stated in the reply.
(5)  Except with the leave of the Registrar or a tribunal, no other document or evidence may be filed or served for the purposes of the claim.
(6)  Despite Order 29, Rule 1(2) of the Rules of Court (Cap. 322, R 5), an application for a grant of an injunction need not be made by summons, and instead may be included in the claim.
Pre‑trial conference, etc.
6.—(1)  A tribunal or the Registrar (called in this rule the Court) may, at any time after the commencement of any proceedings, of the Court’s own motion or on an application by any party to the proceedings, direct any party to those proceedings to appear before the Court, for the Court to make such order or give such directions as the Court thinks fit, for the just, expeditious and economical disposal of the cause or matter.
(2)  The orders and directions which the Court may make or give under paragraph (1) include one or more of the following:
(a)an order that the plaintiff and the respondent attend such mediation or counselling as the Court may direct;
(b)any direction necessary for and incidental to the proper carrying into effect of an order under sub‑paragraph (a);
(c)an order that all further proceedings in the action be stayed until the plaintiff and the respondent have attended the mediation or counselling (as the case may be).
(3)  To avoid doubt —
(a)Order 34A of the Rules of Court (Cap. 322, R 5) (other than Rule 4 of that Order) applies to all proceedings before the Court; and
(b)Order 34A, Rule 4 of the Rules of Court applies to proceedings before the Court in any case where any party to those proceedings is represented by a solicitor in accordance with section 29(3) of the Act.
Excluded interlocutory applications
7.  No application under any of the following provisions of the Rules of Court (Cap. 322, R 5) is to be made in any case to which these Rules apply:
(a)Order 14 (summary judgment and disposal of case on point of law);
(b)Order 24 (discovery and inspection of documents);
(c)Order 26 (interrogatories).