Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Respondent definition

What does Respondent mean? In practice, the respondent is the party who answers or resists an application, petition, appeal, arbitration or tribunal claim, rather than initiating it. The label is used across many forums and its precise use is set by the applicable procedural rules (for example, civil and family appeals, employment tribunals, regulatory proceedings, arbitration rules, and judicial review). Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland: - First‑instance civil actions generally use defendant (England & Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland) or defender (Scotland). - In appeals, petitions and tribunal proceedings, the non‑moving party is usually called the respondent. - In statutory construction...

Personal service at separate hearing: respondent’s address unknown

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Published by a LexisNexis Family expert

Q&As

Personal service of a Divorce petition

It is inferred that this Q&A concerns personal service of a divorce petition, given the mention of the ‘petitioner’. As a starting point, a divorce petition is commonly served on the Respondent by first class post. That said, Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, 6.4 permits service of a divorce petition by other means, namely:

personal service pursuant to FPR 2010, SI 2010/2955, 6.7
alternative service providing delivery on the next business day under FPR 2010, PD 6A
where FPR 2010, SI 2010/2955, 6.11 applies (the respondent has a solicitor acting and the applicant has written notice that the solicitor is instructed to accept service of the application), service via document exchange (DX)

See Practice Note: Service of applications for matrimonial and civil partnership orders within the jurisdiction...

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Katherine Illsley

Harcourt Chambers

Katherine’s family practice covers matrimonial finance, TOLATA, Schedule 1, and private law children proceedings. She has experience acting for local authorities, guardians and parents in public law children cases, including in cases involving allegations of non-accidental injuries.Katherine also is regularly instructed in housing and property work, and due to the frequent crossover with family law has a particular interest in cases involving trusts....

Web page updated on 27/05/2026

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