CPR 32.14: false statements and contempt (Ipswich County Court and Family Hearing Centre)

CPR 32.14 is the rule that gives a witness statement its teeth: a person who makes a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth, without an honest belief in its truth, can face contempt of court proceedings. For litigants in person at Ipswich County Court and Family Hearing Centre, the risk is usually carelessness, not dishonesty - which is why evidence discipline matters.

What counts as a false statement

Not being mistaken - being dishonest. The rule requires the statement to be false AND made without an honest belief in its truth. Exaggerating figures you know are wrong, claiming a document says what it does not, or inventing a conversation are the danger zone. Honest mistakes, genuinely held recollections, and matters of opinion are not contempt - they are just evidence the other side argues with.

How to protect yourself

Write only what you can support: every fact traced to a document in your bundle or to your own direct experience; every number reconciled; hearsay labelled as such. If you realise after signing that a statement was wrong, tell the court at the earliest opportunity through a corrected statement - self-correction is the opposite of dishonesty.

Checklist

• Every factual claim traceable to an exhibit or personal knowledge
• Estimates labelled as estimates
• Hearsay identified with its source
• Errors corrected promptly if discovered

Official sources and related pages

• Statement of truth exact wording
• Witness statement formatting

Court details (verified register data)

• Court: Ipswich County Court and Family Hearing Centre
• Court code: 233
• Address: 8 Arcade Street, Ipswich, Ipswich, IP1 1EJ
• Phone: 0300 123 5577; 0300 303 0642; 0330 808 4424
• Civil filing email: enquiries.norwich.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
• DX: DX 97385 Norwich 5 -Civil
• Public counter hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4pm
• Document drop-box: Not published in the register - confirm with the court directly
• Hearing format: Not published in the register - confirm with the court directly
• Facilities: disabled access, hearing loop, interview rooms, baby changing, GovWiFi

Source: https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/ipswich-county-court-and-family-hearing-centre. Verified 2026-09-04. Always confirm against the official court finder before travelling.

Free national support

• Support Through Court: 0300 081 0000 - free, independent support for litigants without a lawyer
• Citizens Advice consumer service: 0808 223 1133 - consumer disputes, pre-claim guidance
• HMCTS general enquiries: 0300 123 7050 - finding the right court or money claim centre

This page is general information about County Court procedure, not legal advice, and it is not provided by HMCTS or any court. Procedures and fees change - always confirm against the official sources linked here before you act.

>Small Claims Court Help is an independent information directory. It is not affiliated with HMCTS, the Ministry of Justice, or any court.

Reviewed by Sean McNamara, 2026-09-04.