Respond to Small Claim Checklist WA — Every Step Before the Deadline

Your Response Checklist

You have been served with a minor case claim in the Magistrates Court of Western Australia and the clock is running. Here is everything you need to do before the applicable 14-day WA or 21-day interstate response deadline, in order.

Step 1: Verify the Documents (Day 1)

Confirm what you received is a genuine court claim, not a demand letter or a scam:

• The document is titled "Minor Case Claim" (Form 4) or "Consumer/Trader Claim Minor Case" (Form 6)
• It carries an official court seal and a case reference number (format: CIV/PER/12345/26)
• It names a specific Magistrates Court registry (Perth, Joondalup, Bunbury, etc.)
• You also received a blank Form 15A — "Response to Minor Case Claim"

Search the case reference number on the eCourts Portal at ecourts.justice.wa.gov.au to confirm the matter exists.

Step 2: Calculate Your Deadline (Day 1)

Your response deadline is:

• 14 calendar days after service if you were served within Western Australia
• 21 calendar days if served interstate (anywhere else in Australia)

Day 1 is the day after you were served — the day of service does not count. If the final day falls on a weekend or WA public holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day at 5:00 PM WST. Write the exact date and time on paper or in your phone.

Step 3: Read the Claim Carefully (Days 1–2)

Go through the claimant's summary of claim line by line:

• What are they claiming you owe?
• What reason do they give?
• Does the amount match reality? Compare their figures to your own records.
• Is the principal amount $10,000 or less? (It must be, for the minor case track.)

Note anything that is factually wrong, inflated, or missing context. These points form the basis of your defence.

Step 4: Decide Your Response Path (Days 2–3)

Form 15A gives you three main options:

• Full admission (Part F): You accept the full amount. You can propose an instalment payment plan.
• Full defence (Part F + Part H): You dispute the entire claim and set out your reasons.
• Partial admission (Part F + Part H): You accept part of the amount and defend the rest.

If you want to file a counterclaim against the claimant, Part I of Form 15A covers that — but a counterclaim carries a filing fee.

Step 5: Gather Your Evidence (Days 3–8)

Whatever response path you choose, supporting evidence strengthens your position. Collect:

• Contracts, invoices, or agreements relevant to the dispute
• Correspondence — emails, text messages, letters between you and the claimant
• Photographs (timestamped if possible)
• Receipts for payments you have already made
• Independent quotes or valuations (if the amount is disputed)
• Witness contact details (for the hearing, not the response)

You do not need to submit evidence with Form 15A, but having it organised now saves time at the status conference and hearing.

Step 6: Complete Form 15A (Days 8–10)

Fill in your personal details, tick the appropriate response boxes, and write your statement in Part H if you are defending. Keep Part H factual — what happened, what you dispute, and why. Avoid emotional language or legal jargon. The magistrate wants to understand the facts.

Step 7: Create an eCourts Portal Account (Day 10)

If you do not already have one, register at ecourts.justice.wa.gov.au. You need a valid email address. Search for your case using the reference number from your served documents. Follow the "Assisted Lodgement" or "eLodgment" process to upload your completed Form 15A.

If you cannot use the portal, apply for a Form 69 exemption; if it is granted, follow the registrar's directions for lodging on paper.

Step 8: Lodge Form 15A (Days 10–12)

Upload your completed form through the eCourts Portal. Lodging the response is free — there is no filing fee for Form 15A. Save the confirmation receipt. The court registry sends a copy to the claimant.

Leave yourself at least two days of buffer before the deadline in case the portal is down, you need to fix an error, or you have trouble with the upload.

Step 9: Prepare for What Comes Next

After you lodge Form 15A:

• If you admitted the full claim with an instalment plan, the registry sends your proposal to the claimant. No hearing unless they reject it.
• If you defended or partially admitted, the court lists a status conference — a short meeting where the magistrate tries to help both parties settle.

Start organising your evidence into a numbered PDF bundle for the status conference.

The WA Minor Case Response Guide expands every step on this checklist with deadline calculators, Form 15A completion instructions, evidence indexing sheets, and hearing preparation tools.

See more Western Australia guides →