The forms of service are far wider than before (r 6.2).

In addition to postal and personal service, all documents may now be served by document exchange (DX), fax and e-mail.

The court may for good reason also authorise service by an alternative method (for example, substituted service) provided the requirements of r 6.8 are complied with.

The court will usually serve any document it has issued or prepared unless the party on whose behalf service is to be effected wishes to undertake it himself.

In case of doubt, ask the court what it is expecting.

When the court does serve, it will normally do so by first class post (practice direction (PD) 6, para 8.1).

The court has power to dispense with service in an appropriate case.

An application to dispense may be made without notice (r 6.9).

Although there is no express requirement for evidence to be provided, the court will need to be satisfied that proper grounds exist.

These may be set out in the application notice verified by a statement of truth.

Period for service A claim form must be served within four months after issue (r 7.5(2)) -- six months for service abroad -- but an extension of time may be applied for (r 7.6).

An extension application should be made promptly using the part 23 procedure, without notice but with supporting evidence.

PD 7 para 8.2 sets out detail of the evidence the court will require.

There is no limit on the length of the extension or on the number of extensions which may be granted.

However, solicitors should bear in mind the court's duty as part of the over-riding objective to ensure that cases are dealt with expeditiously and it is unlikely that the court will be prepared to grant lengthy or multiple extensions without good reason.

The Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (CPR) do not specify the test to be applied in deciding whether to allow an extension.

It remains to be seen whether or not courts will follow old authorities about the exercise of discretion cautiously (for example, Kleinwort Benson Ltd v Barbrak Ltd [1987] AC 597) and on good reason.

The likelihood is that in so far as they are consistent with the over-riding objective, those authorities will still have an important part to play.

Where a claim form has been issued but not served and the defendant is aware of the case, he may apply on not less than 14 days notice for the claimant to serve him (r 7.7).

In default of service, the court may dismiss -- not strike out -- the claim but it is submitted that the court retains the power to grant relief under r 3.9 and to restore a claim which has been dismissed under r 7.7.

Prescribed methods of service Personal service is effected by leaving the document with the party (if an individual), a person holding a senior position (if a company or other corporation) or a partner or person in control of the partnership business at its principal place of business (if partners are being sued in the name of a firm) (r 6.4(3)-(5)).

Unless some other provision or order requires it, personal service is not to be used where a solicitor is authorised to accept service and has informed the party seeking to effect service, in writing, of this fact (r 6.4(2)).

Service by leaving a document at a permitted address is deemed effective on the day after it was left (r 6.7).

Postal service by first class post is deemed effective on the second day after posting (r 6.7).

DX service is deemed effective on the second day after the document was left at the relevant document exchange.

But this method can only be employed if the party to be served has a DX number included in his address for service or his writing paper or that of his solicitor sets out the DX number.

However, DX service is out if the party or his solicitor have indicated in writing that they are unwilling to accept this method.

Service by fax is deemed effective on the same day as transmission if that has taken place before 4pm on a business day.

The method of service is subject to the detailed provisions of PD 6 para 3.1.

The party to be served must have given a prior indication that he was willing to accept service by fax.

Willingness is presumed if the fax number has been given in writing by a litigant in person for service purposes: also where it has been set out on the party's solicitor's writing paper or on a statement of case or response to a claim form filed with the court.

E-mail service is permitted only where the parties concerned are represented by solicitors and the solicitor for the party to be served has given written agreement to service by e-mail.

Detailed provisions are to be found in PD 6 para 3.3.

In the case of fax and e-mail service, it is not mandatory to send a hard copy but advisable lest it should be contended that the transmission was not received.

There is a curiously worded provision dealing with this topic at PD 6 para 3.4.

It would appear that there is an adverse costs implication should the party intended to be served be able to prove that the document was not received.

Guidance notes for service on members of HM Forces and the United States Air Force are contained in an annex to PD 6.

Address for service A party must supply an address for service within the jurisdiction (r 6.5).

If a party is represented by a solicitor, this address for service will be that of his solicitor.

A defendant's solicitor's address for service may only be specified in a claim form if the solicitor is authorised to accept service on the defendant's behalf (r 6.13(2)).

An anomalous situation may arise.

A Newcastle claimant has a car accident with a Manchester defendant.

The claimant seeks his uninsured excess through Leeds solicitors.

The defendant's insurers' solicitors are based in Bristol and give their address for service there.

Thanks to the automatic transfer provisions (r 26.2) and the definition of the home court of the defendant (r 2.30), the claim is transferred to Bristol unless and until it is retransferred to a more convenient venue.

Children and patients There are special considerations for proceedings involving a child or patient.

Generally, the provisions are in part 21.

Service on a child is through a parent, guardian or the person with whom the child lives (r 6.6(1)).

And if the defendant is a patient, service is on the person which whom the defendant resides or in whose care he is.

However, once a litigation friend has been appointed, service is on him as if he were the party.

In the unusual circumstances where the court has made an order under r 21.2(3) allowing a (Gillick competent) child to conduct proceedings without a litigation friend, service will be on the child.

Service certificate A service certificate may be required -- for example, where a claimant effects service of the claim form himself -- and r 6.10 sets out the requirements for the certificate.

Foreign element A claim form may be served on the agent of a principal who is abroad under r 6.16 subject to the requirements of r 6.16(2).

The service abroad regime applying in the High Court and county courts is set out in the CPR sched 1 (RSC Ord 11).

Where the claim is being served out of the jurisdiction without permission under the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982, the claim form -- and the particulars of claim, if separate -- must include a certificate that the court has power under the Act to deal with the claim and that no proceedings based on the same claim are pending between the parties in any other part of the UK or another convention territory.

There is a practice direction supplementing ord 11 which details the matters to be included in the claim form and contains other helpful guidance and a table setting out the period to be allowed for responding to a claim by reference to countries.

The Crown still occupies a privileged position in relation to service.

RSC ord 77, r 4 and CCR ord 42, r 7 have been re-enacted in the CPR schedules 1 and 2.