SJPN · MISSED DEADLINE
I missed the SJPN response deadline. What should I do now?
Once the 21 day period passes, a magistrate may decide the case without your response. The urgent question is whether the case is still awaiting decision or whether a conviction and sentence already exist.
Checked against primary legal sources for England and Wales · Updated 8 August 2026 · How we review content
Do not submit a guessed late response and hope it is accepted. Check the case status immediately using the contact details on the notice, preserve the reason for delay and obtain legal advice about the correct procedural step.
Protect the deadline before deciding anything else
- Keep the SJPN and record when and how you first received it
- Check the online case status if the notice provides access
- Contact the Courts and Tribunals Service Centre or the court shown on the papers
- Ask whether a decision has been made and obtain the result if it has
- Seek urgent advice before making a plea, statutory declaration, reopening request or appeal
What can happen after 21 days?
GOV.UK states that a magistrate may decide the case without your say if you do not respond within 21 days. This can affect the treatment of plea, fine, points and enforcement. The court status therefore matters before any next step is chosen.
What if no decision has been made yet?
Ask the court or service centre what procedure is available for a late response. Do not assume that an online submission has been accepted merely because the system allowed data entry. Keep confirmation of anything submitted.
What if I have already been convicted?
Different procedures may be relevant depending on whether you knew of the proceedings, whether the case began by SJPN, when you learned of the result and what you seek to challenge. Time limits can run from discovery. Obtain advice promptly.
What evidence explains the delay?
- Envelope and actual delivery date
- Address and V5C history
- Hospital, travel or custody records
- Screenshots of technical problems
- Calls or messages to the court or prosecutor
- The date you first discovered any conviction
Should I send mitigation now?
Mitigation is not a substitute for choosing the correct procedural route or plea. If the case has already been decided, sending an unsolicited letter may not reopen it. Establish the status and obtain advice first.
Turn your paperwork into a clear next-step checklist.
Prepare the court papers you actually have
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