On the small claims track, which statement describes disclosure?

• A. CPR Part 31 applies
• B. The court will usually order that each party shall, at least 14 days before the date fixed for the final hearing, file and serve copies of all documents on which they intend to rely at the hearing.
• C. The court will usually require filing and service of all documents intended to rely on at least 14 days before the final hearing
• D. Disclosure is optional in small claims

Answer: (C)

On the small claims track, disclosure is a streamlined step to prevent surprises and keep things moving quickly. The court usually expects parties to reveal the documents they will rely on, well in advance of the hearing, so the other side can read them and prepare.

The best answer reflects that approach: the court will usually require filing and service of all documents intended to rely on at least 14 days before the final hearing. This gives both sides a fair window to review the evidence and avoids last-minute surprises, while keeping the process simple and quicker than more formal disclosure regimes.

CPR Part 31 governs standard disclosure in many cases, but small claims use a simplified regime, so saying Part 31 “applies” is not accurate in the small claims context. Disclosure is not optional in small claims; there is an expectation to share documents relied upon. The wording in the correct option emphasizes the timing and the scope (documents relied on), which aligns with how disclosure is handled on the small claims track.