Once it is satisfied that it is proper to accept the case, a notice of acceptance will be issued and sent to the plaintiff by the court. The court will also issue and serve on the defendant a notice of response, enclosing a copy of the statement of complaint, within five days of the acceptance of the litigation. A defendant not domiciled in the geographic area of the court will have thirty days upon receipt of the notice to prepare and file its defence. The court then serves the defence on the plaintiff within five days upon receipt. A notice of hearing will be issued and served on the parties three days in advance of the hearing date.
All hearings are in open court unless the matter involves state secrets or personal privacy.
After standard administrative matters are dealt with at the beginning of the hearing, the plaintiff, followed by the defendant, will give respective short statements of claim or defence. The next stage is called the investigation stage, which focuses on exploring the relevant facts. The next step is the debate stage, at which issues of fact and law will be argued by the parties. Lastly, the parties will give their final statements. In cases where foreign parties or issues are involved, there is no time limit before which a court must render its judgment.