{"id":193707,"date":"2025-05-20T03:57:07","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T02:57:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/?p=193707"},"modified":"2025-05-20T03:57:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T02:57:09","slug":"witness-statements-requirements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/disputes-litigation\/witness-statements-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"Witness Statements: Legal Requirements and Significance\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If your business is a part of court proceedings for a civil claim, you may need to prepare a formal document known as a <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/disputes-litigation\/witness-statements-commercial-dispute\/\">witness statement<\/a>. This written statement contains witness evidence and is essential to help support your case. This article will explain the legal requirements and the significance of witness statements.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a Witness Statement?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A witness statement is a written document used in court proceedings, such as in the <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/disputes-litigation\/disputes-commercial-court\/\">commercial court<\/a>. It describes a witness\u2019 account relating to the dispute and the facts as they believe them to be true. A witness may have to attend the trial to give their evidence, and if so, the other party&#8217;s legal representative may cross-examine them.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are the Legal Requirements for Witness Statements?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You must follow the legal requirements associated with witness statements. Not only are these significant as they are a legal requirement, but also because there are consequences for failing to follow these. Below, we list some of the legal requirements related to witness statements. If asked to write a witness statement, it is wise to get legal assistance from a litigation solicitor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"my-7 lg:my-10 border-y-2 border-gray-100 py-7 lg:py-10 flex flex-col sm:flex-row items-start gap-10\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-52 mx-auto my-0! rounded\" src=\"https:\/\/img.legalvision.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/06011109\/manage-business-dispute.jpg\" alt=\"Front page of publication\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" width=\"208\" height=\"298\">\n                <section>\n            <div class=\"text-2xl font-bold\">How to Manage a Business Dispute<\/div>\n            <div class=\"body-text\">\n                <p>This fact sheet outlines how your business can manage a dispute.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            \n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/img.legalvision.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/09\/06010043\/LegalVision-Dispute-Resolution-Factsheet.pdf\" class=\" block px-5 py-3.5 max-w-fit bg-orange button__hover transition rounded text-white font-bold text-lg no-underline uppercase leading-tight text-center\" target=\"\" rel=\"\">Download Now<\/a>        <\/section>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Writing a Witness Statement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When writing a witness statement, you can use a template provided by the court. The witness statement must comply with Part 32 of the Civil Procedure Rules and Practice Direction 32. This includes the format of the witness statements and what is required within it. If you do not follow this, the court may not allow you to include the witness statement or claim costs for preparing it. When writing a witness statement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>try to write the facts chronologically;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ensure it is written in your own words;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ensure you understand it;\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>it must factually contain what you believe are the facts;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>where referring to documents, put these in an exhibit in chronological order and ensure each page is numbered; and\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>it can be signed electronically.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Statement of Truth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A legal requirement for witness statements is to verify them with a statement of truth. Otherwise, you may be unable to use the witness statement at the court trial. Rules relating to statements of truth can be found in Part 22 of the Civil Procedure Rules. A statement of truth shows that you honestly believe your witness statement is true and accurate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Exchanging Witness Statements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you are a party to court proceedings, you must file your evidence with the court. This, therefore, includes any witness statements. The court often asks you and the other party to also exchange your witness statements. This is useful for you as you can see your opponents&#8217; evidence, and it could reveal mistakes that you can deal with before the court trial. This can be done through a supplemental witness statement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consequences Relating to Witness Statements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are consequences relating to the legal requirements of witness statements. Therefore, it is essential to get your statements right. For example, if you make a statement of truth or false evidence or allow our legal representative to do so on your behalf, this is <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/disputes-litigation\/contempt-of-court-uk\/\">contempt of court<\/a>, which is a serious offence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"box box--icon box--info\">\n    <p>Also, if you do not serve the witness statement to the court on time, witnesses may be unable to provide oral evidence. It is important to note that you must apply to the court for permission to relieve you of sanctions where you do not abide by court rules regarding witness statements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"#content-next\"\n   class=\"block p-4 mt-10 text-xl font-bold text-center text-white no-underline bg-gray-800 rounded-t-xl\">\n    Continue reading this article below the form\n    <i class=\"text-xl fa-regular fa-arrow-down\"><\/i>\n<\/a>\n<div class=\"px-6 pt-10 pb-12 mb-10 text-center bg-gray-100 rounded-b-xl sm:px-12 test\">\n    <div class=\"mb-8 text-2xl font-bold text-orange\">\n        Need legal advice?\n        <br>\n        <span class=\"text-lg not-prose\">\n                            Call <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"not-prose\">0808 196 8584<\/a> for urgent assistance.\n                <br>\n                Otherwise, complete this form, and we will contact you within one business day.\n                    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n<div class=\"not-prose 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These are significant to a court case as they can support and dispute a party\u2019s argument. Also, witnesses can be cross-examined on these. You must comply with the legal rules relating to witness statements. Not doing so can have consequences, such as the witness statement not being used as evidence and even contempt for court proceedings. Rules relating to witness statements include, for example, that a statement of truth must accompany them and that you may need to exchange witness statements with the other party. There are also rules related to writing your witness statements, such as that they must be written in your own words. Rules related to witness statements can be found in Part 33 Civil Procedure Rules and Practice Direction 33.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need to prepare a witness statement, our experienced <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/services\/disputes-litigation\/\">disputes and litigation lawyers<\/a> can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. So call us today on <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"AVANSERnumber dynamic-number\">0808 196 8584<\/a> or visit our<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/membership\"> membership page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1747709204230\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>What happens if a witness statement is not filed on time?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If you fail to file a witness statement within the court&#8217;s deadline, the witness may not be allowed to give oral evidence at trial. You may need to apply for permission to submit it late, but there\u2019s no guarantee the court will grant it, and penalties could follow.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1747709211289\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Can I write a witness statement without legal assistance?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">While it is possible to draft a witness statement yourself, it is advisable to seek legal assistance. A lawyer can help ensure the statement meets all legal requirements, including the proper format and a statement of truth. Incorrect or incomplete statements may be disregarded by the court.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n<div class=\"not-prose m-feedback-prompt\">\n    <!-- Thumbs up\/down bar -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__main\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__title\">Was this article helpful?<\/div>\n        <div>\n            <!--span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button--text\">Thanks!<\/span-->\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--yes\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\" aria-label=\"Agree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-up fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--no\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\" aria-label=\"Disagree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-down fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- Feedback form -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--thanks \">\n            <div>Thanks!<\/div>\n            <p>\n                We appreciate your feedback \u2013 your submission has been successfully received.            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--form\" action=\"\" method=\"post\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"9eb4f72322\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193707\" \/>            <input value=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/disputes-litigation\/witness-statements-requirements\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\"\n                   id=\"currenturl\">\n            <input value=\"Witness Statements: Legal Requirements and Significance\u00a0\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\"\n                   id=\"currenttitle\">\n            <label>\n                <!-- display on thumbs-up -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--yes\">\n                    Can you tell us <span class=\"font-semibold\">why<\/span> you found it helpful?\n                <\/span>\n\n                <!-- display on thumbs-down -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--no text-lg\">\n                    How can we better improve this article?\n                <\/span>\n                <textarea name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\" required><\/textarea>\n            <\/label>\n\n            <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--error\" id=\"form-submit-error\"><\/div>\n            <button id=\"submit-contact-form-button\" type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--submit\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n                Submit            <\/button>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your business is a part of court proceedings for a civil claim, you may need to prepare a formal document known as a witness statement. This written statement contains witness evidence and is essential to help support your case. This article will explain the legal requirements and the significance of witness statements.\u00a0 What is<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/disputes-litigation\/witness-statements-requirements\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;Witness Statements: Legal Requirements and Significance\u00a0&#8220;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13326,"featured_media":3204,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[20,669,980,2468,2469],"class_list":["post-193707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-disputes-litigation","tag-small-business","tag-court","tag-dispute","tag-witness-statements","tag-witness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast 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Prior to her freelance writing work, Clare worked for UK central government in policy and communication roles. She has also run her own businesses where she founded a magazine and was editor-in-chief. She is currently studying part-time towards a PhD predominantly in international public law. Qualifications: PhD, Human Rights Law (underway), University of Bedfordshire, Post graduate diploma, Law, Middlesex University.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ms-clare-susannah-f-4a243545\/"],"url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/author\/clarefarmer\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/disputes-litigation\/witness-statements-requirements\/#faq-question-1747709204230","name":"What happens if a witness statement is not filed on time?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"If you fail to file a witness statement within the court's deadline, the witness may not be allowed to give oral evidence at trial. You may need to apply for permission to submit it late, but there\u2019s no guarantee the court will grant it, and penalties could follow.","inLanguage":"en-GB"},"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/disputes-litigation\/witness-statements-requirements\/#faq-question-1747709211289","name":"Can I write a witness statement without legal assistance?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"While it is possible to draft a witness statement yourself, it is advisable to seek legal assistance. A lawyer can help ensure the statement meets all legal requirements, including the proper format and a statement of truth. Incorrect or incomplete statements may be disregarded by the court.","inLanguage":"en-GB"},"inLanguage":"en-GB"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/13326"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193707"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":193708,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193707\/revisions\/193708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/3204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=193707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=193707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}