What does Originating Process mean? Legal Definitions Series

Welcome to the Legal Definitions Series, a set of short videos designed to explain the meanings of legal words, principles and laws simply, and give law students or lay people a feel for the mechanisms and thinking behind them!

Originating processes are the bread and butter of every litigation firm, and the fear of every property owner with angry neighbours.

Statements of Claim, Writs and Summons are examples of originating processes and depending on the jurisdiction, context and even background of the user of the word, they can refer to anything which adduces requests a remedy in litigation, or just the document which placed the first issue between two parties before a court.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this video constitutes legal advice, they are intended to give watchers enough information to carry on a casual conversation about law without needing to stop and ask what different terms mean, NOT as a springboard for legal arguments. If are reading this to help understand legal advice you have been given, always ask the lawyer themselves for clarification if you didn't know the meaning of a word of concept they have mentioned because they may be using a different meaning or plan to apply the concept in a way that I have not covered. All of the concepts described are broad and I intentionally do not give enough information to determine whether any of the ideas discussed will be explicable in any scenario, hypothetical or literal.