Matters we handle
- Suits for recovery of money
- Summary suits on written contracts and negotiable instruments
- Temporary and permanent injunctions
- Suits for declaration and specific performance of agreements
- Suits for damages
- Execution of decrees
- First and second appeals, revisions and writs arising from civil matters
Where these matters are heard
- City Civil Court, Hyderabad
- District and Junior Civil Judge courts in Ranga Reddy and Medchal–Malkajgiri districts
- Commercial Courts, where the dispute is commercial
- Telangana High Court
The law that applies
Civil procedure is governed by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. Temporary injunctions are granted under Order XXXIX, and summary suits for debts on written contracts or negotiable instruments under Order XXXVII, where the defendant must obtain leave to defend.
Relief such as specific performance, declaration and injunction comes from the Specific Relief Act, 1963. The Limitation Act, 1963 sets the time within which a suit must be filed; for many money claims it is three years, but the starting point differs by type of claim.
How the process generally works
Review the claim
Documents, correspondence and the limitation period.
Legal notice
A formal notice often leads to settlement and is sometimes required.
File the suit
Plaint with court fee, and an application for interim relief if needed.
Pleadings and evidence
Written statement, framing of issues, evidence and cross-examination.
Judgment and execution
Decree, and execution proceedings if the other side does not pay or comply.
Documents to keep ready
- Agreements, invoices or promissory notes
- Correspondence, emails and messages
- Proof of payment or bank statements
- Any legal notice sent or received
Terms you may hear
- Vakalatnama
- The document by which a client authorises an advocate to appear for them in court.
- Stay order / injunction
- A court order stopping a party from doing something, or keeping things as they are, while the case is pending.
- Ex parte
- A hearing or order made in the absence of a party who did not appear.
- Vaida (adjournment)
- The next date to which a hearing is postponed.
- Decree and execution petition (EP)
- The decree is the court's final decision; an execution petition is filed to enforce it.
- Case status and CNR number
- Every case has a 16-digit CNR number, used to check its status on the eCourts website or app.
Questions people ask
Someone owes me money and will not pay. What can I do?
Start with a legal notice setting out the amount and a deadline. If that fails, you can file a summary suit where the debt is based on a written contract or promissory note, or an ordinary money suit otherwise. If the payment was by a cheque that bounced, a criminal complaint under section 138 of the NI Act may also be available. Check the limitation period first.
What is a legal notice, and do I need to send one?
A legal notice is a formal written demand setting out your claim. It is mandatory before suing the government (section 80 of the Code of Civil Procedure, two months' notice) and, in commercial matters, pre-suit mediation is usually required. In other cases it is optional but often leads to settlement and shows the court you acted reasonably.
I received a court summons. What should I do?
Do not ignore it. If you do not appear, the court can proceed without you and pass an ex parte decree. In an ordinary civil suit the written statement is due within 30 days, extendable up to 90 days; in commercial suits the outer limit of 120 days is strict.
A decree was passed against me without my knowledge. Can it be set aside?
Yes, if you were not properly served or had sufficient cause for not appearing. An application under Order IX Rule 13 of the Code of Civil Procedure must generally be filed within 30 days of learning about the decree.
How long will a civil case take?
It varies widely with the court, the type of suit and how the other side responds. Summary suits and matters where interim relief settles the dispute can move faster. A realistic estimate is given after the documents are reviewed.
Is there a time limit to file a civil case?
Yes. The Limitation Act, 1963 sets fixed periods; many money claims must be filed within three years, calculated from a date that depends on the type of claim. A case filed late can be dismissed on that ground alone.
What is a summary suit?
A faster procedure under Order XXXVII of the Code of Civil Procedure for recovering debts based on written contracts, cheques or promissory notes. The defendant cannot defend the suit without the court's leave.
Can the court stop the other side while the case is pending?
Yes. Under Order XXXIX the court can grant a temporary injunction if you show a prima facie case, that the balance of convenience is in your favour, and that you would suffer irreparable harm without it.
What if I win but the other side still does not pay?
You then file execution proceedings. The court can attach bank accounts or property, and in some cases order arrest, to enforce the decree.
This page gives general information about the law as it stands and is not legal advice. The right course in any matter depends on its facts.
Last updated: September 2026.