Three digital systems now sit between a claimant and the County Court, each with its own rulebook. Online Civil Money Claims is live and mainstream; the damages claims service is a pilot closed to litigants in person; Money Claim Online endures as the legacy layer. This inventory, built from the practice directions and official sources, maps which portal your claim belongs in.
Civil courts in England & Wales can now order parties into non-court dispute resolution, and the Civil Procedure Rules were amended in October 2024 to match. This guide explains the difference between the automatic small claims mediation scheme and the general Churchill power, the costs risk of refusing to engage, and how to prepare for a mediation appointment without legal representation.
