DMBM665430 - Enforcement action: county court proceedings: preparation and service of the claim: service on seafarer or defendant moving abroad

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Where the defendant is a seafarer or is moving abroad, there will often be little time available for serving a claim. In these cases you should arrange to serve the claim yourself.

Defendant at sea

If, on attempting service, you learn that the defendant has returned to sea,

• find out the expected date of return
• B/F the case to that date
• take care to extend the time limit for service as necessary
• make a further attempt to serve the claim after the anticipated return.