Report No. 77

5.4. Filing of written statement.-

In fact, the summonses which are issued in such cases are required, as a result of amendment made by Act 104 of 1976 to the Code of Civil Procedure, to expressly contain a direction that the defendant should file the written statement on the above date of hearing.1

It would, of course, be open to the court to extend the time for filing the written statement in appropriate cases, but the normal rule should be to file the written statement on the first date of hearing.

1. See Appendix E to the Code.