Form N252 and other N forms meaning

In civil litigation practice, “Form N252 and other N forms” refers to the HMCTS “N‑series” court forms used for steps governed by the Civil Procedure Rules (cpr) and their Practice Directions. Form N252 is the notice of commencement of detailed assessment of costs under CPR Part 47. It is served with the bill of costs on the paying party and starts the timetable for points of dispute and, if none are served, enables a request for a default costs certificate. The N‑series also includes frequently used templates such as N244 (application notice) and N260 (statement of costs for summary assessment), among others. The expression is descriptive rather than statutory, but the forms’ content and use are prescribed by the CPR, relevant Practice Directions and the Senior Courts Costs Office (scco) Guide. Form N252 and related costs forms are used in the SCCO and county courts in England and Wales. Equivalent processes in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland use different court forms and numbering. Current versions are available from the SCCO and on the HMCTS forms pages on GOV.UK, alongside guidance in the latest SCCO Guide.