Form 3A Simple Procedure Scotland: How to Fill in the Claim Form

Form 3A is the claim form for Simple Procedure in Scotland. Every qualifying money claim up to £5,000 in the Sheriff Court starts with this document, filed through the Civil Online portal. Getting it right the first time matters — errors in party names or jurisdiction can get the claim rejected or, worse, leave you with a decree you can't enforce.

Section A: Getting the Parties Right

This is where most mistakes happen. You need the full legal name and address of both yourself (the claimant) and the person or business you're suing (the respondent).

For a sole trader, the correct format is their personal name plus trading style: "John Smith trading as Smith Plumbing Services." Service goes to their residential or principal trading address.

For a limited company, use the exact name from Companies House with the company number: "Apex Trading Limited, Company No. SC123456." Service must go to the registered office address — not a branch or trading address.

For a partnership, name both the firm and the individual partners: "Smith & Jones Builders, and John Smith and David Jones as partners of said firm and as individuals."

Check Companies House before filing. A wrong name means the decree runs against a non-existent entity. If you can't find the respondent's current address, you may need to apply to the court for service by advertisement (Form 6B).

Section B: Jurisdiction

You need to say which Sheriff Court district has jurisdiction. The default is where the respondent lives or has a place of business. In contract disputes, you can also pick the place where the work was done or the goods were delivered. Consumers suing a business can file in their own local court.

Use the SCTS court-finder to verify which Sheriff Court covers your chosen address.

Section C: The Remedy

State the exact principal sum you're claiming — up to £5,000. If you want interest, you must ask for it here. The standard judicial rate is 8% per annum. For unpaid business-to-business invoices, the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 gives you 8% above the Bank of England base rate plus a fixed statutory compensation charge (£40–£100 per invoice).

If you're claiming delivery of property or performance of an act, include an alternative money prayer: "For delivery of the equipment, or failing delivery, for payment of £3,500."

Section D: Your Statement of Facts

This is your case in chronological order. Be specific and factual:

• What the agreement or obligation was
• The key dates — when the contract was made, when work should have been completed, when payment was due
• What the respondent did or failed to do
• How you calculated the amount owed

Avoid emotional language and legal argument. The Sheriff reads this to understand what happened, not to hear why the respondent is unreasonable. Numbers, dates, and documents do the work.

Section E: Pre-Action Efforts

Summarise what you did to resolve the dispute before filing. Include the dates you sent demand letters, any responses you received, and whether you attempted mediation or negotiation. The court expects you to have tried.

Section F: Attachments

Upload copies of contracts, invoices, demand letters, text message screenshots, and any other supporting documents as PDF or JPEG files. Organise them logically — the Sheriff Clerk reviews these during registration.

Our Scotland Simple Procedure guide includes a Form 3A Draft Preparation Worksheet that walks through each section with prompts, so you can draft the whole thing offline before touching Civil Online.

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