I. Introduction
Preparing a statement of claim in Georgia correctly is one of the most important steps in starting civil proceedings. The document is not merely a formal application to the court. It defines the subject matter of the dispute, the relevant facts, the evidence supporting those facts, the relief requested, and the procedural issues the court may need to address as the case progresses.
Under the Civil Procedure Code of Georgia, proceedings before a first-instance court are generally commenced by a claim. The claim must be in writing, normally in printed form, comply with the requirements of the Code, and follow the form approved by the High Council of Justice of Georgia. The claimant’s position on each material factual circumstance and the supporting evidence should be presented fully and consistently.
For this reason, preparing a statement of claim in Georgia should be approached as part of the overall litigation strategy rather than as a simple exercise in completing a standard template.
For a broader overview of civil and commercial disputes, court representation and procedural strategy, see our Litigation in Georgia practice page. The general procedure for commencing a civil case is explained separately in Filing a Lawsuit in Georgia – Procedure, Deadlines and Court Fees.
II. What Is a Statement of Claim in Georgia?
A civil claim in Georgia is not submitted as an entirely free-form document. Georgian procedural law requires the claimant to use the official form approved by the High Council of Justice and to comply with the requirements established both by the Civil Procedure Code and by the form itself.
The High Council of Justice publishes the civil claim form, different versions for completion, and explanatory guidance. The purpose of these court forms is to create a standardized structure for core procedural documents and to support efficient case management.
Compliance has direct procedural significance. Article 183 of the Civil Procedure Code provides for a formal, rather than merits-based, review by the court registry. If a statement of claim in Georgia is not submitted in the approved form or lacks a mandatory item or document required for registration, the registry may refuse to register it.
The form should therefore not be treated as a purely administrative document. A properly prepared statement of claim allows the court to understand from the outset what the dispute is about, what facts the claimant relies on, what evidence supports those facts, and what legal result the claimant seeks.
III. Information About the Claimant, Defendant and Representative
The first part of a statement of claim in Georgia should identify the court in which the claim is filed and provide the required information about the claimant, defendant, and, where applicable, the representative.
A statement of claim in Georgia must also satisfy Article 178 of the Civil Procedure Code, which requires the parties’ names or legal names, primary addresses and, where available, alternative addresses, work addresses, and contact information. Where the claim is filed by a legal entity, an individual entrepreneur, or a representative other than a legal representative, a telephone number and email address must also be provided.
The High Council of Justice guidance explains that the “primary address” should reflect the person’s actual location. If the address changes, the party should notify the court promptly. An alternative address may be another location regularly used by the person and suitable for communication.
Where a claimant acts through a representative, the claim form also requires information about that representative. If the representative files the claim, the filing should be accompanied by a document confirming authority to act, such as a power of attorney or, for a company, another document establishing the relevant representative authority.
Errors in this section can create more than a technical inconvenience. Misidentifying the defendant, providing an incorrect address, or failing to prove representative authority may delay the proceedings and can affect whether the claim progresses properly.
In certain circumstances, procedural defects or failures to comply with subsequent court requirements may ultimately result in the claim being left without consideration. Those consequences are discussed in Dismissal of a Claim in Georgia – Grounds, Consequences and Refiling.
IV. What Is the Subject Matter of the Dispute?
The official form contains a separate field for the subject matter of the dispute. This part is brief but important because it allows the court to identify the legal nature of the case at the outset.
According to the High Council of Justice guidance, the subject matter is the legal essence of the claim. Examples include recovery of damages, cessation of unlawful interference, or termination of a contract. This field should not reproduce the entire factual history or a lengthy version of the relief requested. It should state, in concise legal terms, what the dispute concerns.
For example, if the parties entered into a contract and the defendant failed to pay the agreed amount, the subject matter may be described as recovery of contractual debt. If the claimant seeks compensation for loss, it may be described as damages. If the dispute concerns interference with the use of property, the subject matter may be framed as cessation of unlawful interference.
A statement of claim in Georgia should distinguish the subject matter from the precise relief sought. “Damages” may describe the general legal category of the dispute, while the specific relief may request an order requiring the defendant to pay GEL 25,000.
The subject matter must also be distinguished from the factual circumstances. The facts explain what happened between the parties: when an agreement was concluded, what obligation arose, when performance was due, and how the alleged breach occurred. The subject matter summarizes the legal nature of those facts.
For declaratory proceedings, the form may require the claimant to identify a legal interest in obtaining a declaration. This means explaining what legal consequence is expected from the court establishing the existence or non-existence of a particular right or legal relationship.
Correct identification of the subject matter may also be relevant to the value of the claim, jurisdiction, the legal rules potentially applicable to the dispute, and the way the requested relief should be formulated.
Where the dispute instead concerns an administrative act, refusal by an administrative authority or another public-law relationship, the applicable route may be an Administrative Claim in Georgia – Types, Form, Deadlines and Admissibility rather than an ordinary civil claim.
V. What Should Be Included in the Brief Overview of the Dispute?
A statement of claim in Georgia must include a short overview of the dispute in the relevant section of the official form.
This section is not intended to reproduce all factual allegations or provide a complete legal argument. Its purpose is to allow the judge to understand in a few paragraphs what relationship existed between the parties, what happened, how the dispute arose, and why court proceedings became necessary.
According to the guidance reflected in the Georgian source, the overview should be specific and concise. It should describe the history of the disputed relationship and identify the right that the claimant considers to have been violated. The form provides a maximum of 3,200 characters for this section.
A useful structure may be:
legal or contractual relationship → obligation → alleged breach → claimant’s response → reason for court proceedings.
A well-drafted statement of claim in Georgia avoids overloading this section with detail because the following part of the form is designed for a structured presentation of the individual factual circumstances.
VI. How Should the Facts Be Presented?
One of the most important parts of a statement of claim in Georgia is the section setting out the factual circumstances of the dispute.
When drafting a statement of claim in Georgia, each factual circumstance should be presented as a specific event on which the claimant relies to support the requested remedy. The High Council of Justice guidance emphasizes that material facts should be stated separately, clearly, concisely, and in a logical numbered sequence.
For example, the factual sequence might state that on 10 January 2026 the claimant and defendant entered into a sale agreement; under the agreement the defendant was required to pay GEL 20,000 by 10 February 2026; the defendant failed to make payment by the agreed deadline; and the claimant subsequently sent a written demand that remained unsatisfied.
This structure is usually more effective than presenting several pages of continuous narrative. It enables the court to see which specific facts must be established for the claim to succeed.
The official guidance also indicates that facts unrelated to the dispute should not be included. The focus should remain on circumstances capable of affecting the resolution of the claim.
VII. How Should Facts Be Linked to Evidence?
The practical structure of the civil claim form is based on a simple principle:
material fact → supporting evidence.
For example, the fact that the parties entered into a contract may be supported by the contract dated 10 January 2026 as Annex 1. The allegation that the defendant failed to make payment may be supported by a bank statement as Annex 2 and a written demand as Annex 3.
For every material factual allegation in a statement of claim in Georgia, the claimant should identify the evidence already available or otherwise known to the claimant. Where relevant information appears in a lengthy document, the guidance recommends identifying the specific page, clause, paragraph, or other relevant part.
This reflects the general rule of Georgian civil procedure that each party must prove the circumstances on which its claim or defence is based. As a rule, the parties themselves are responsible for submitting the evidence.
If relevant evidence cannot be obtained independently—for example, because it is held by a bank, public authority, company, or another person—the claimant may ask the court to obtain it. Such a request should explain what evidence is sought, which fact it is intended to prove, where it is believed to be held, and why the claimant could not obtain it independently.
A strong statement of claim in Georgia therefore does not merely list documents. It creates a visible connection between each important factual allegation and the evidence relied upon to prove it.
For a detailed discussion of the burden of proof, admissibility, written and electronic material, witnesses, expert opinions and production of evidence, see Evidence in Civil Proceedings in Georgia – Types, Admissibility, Submission and Production.
VIII. How Should the Relief Sought Be Formulated?
In a statement of claim in Georgia, the relief sought is the specific legal result the claimant asks the court to order or declare.
Depending on the case, the claimant may ask the court to order payment of GEL 20,000, recognize an ownership right, require the defendant to cease unlawful interference, terminate or modify a legal relationship, or grant another remedy permitted by law.
The High Council of Justice guidance distinguishes among different types of claims, including claims for performance, declaratory claims, and claims seeking a constitutive legal effect. Failure to state the requested relief may prevent registration of the claim.
Where several remedies are sought, they should be stated separately and in a clear sequence. For example, a claimant may ask the court to order payment of a principal debt of GEL 20,000, order payment of the applicable contractual penalty, and require reimbursement of recoverable court costs.
The requested relief should be precise enough for the court to understand exactly what outcome the claimant seeks. A statement of claim in Georgia should not leave the operative result to inference.
Where effective protection may require preserving property or another legal position while the case is pending, the claimant may also need to consider interim measures separately from the merits of the claim.
For the grounds, procedure, asset freezing, proportionality and appeal rules applicable to interim protection, see Securing a Claim in Georgia – Interim Measures, Application, Cancellation and Appeal.
IX. What Is the Difference Between the Relief Sought and the Legal Grounds?
A statement of claim in Georgia should distinguish the requested relief from the legal grounds.
The relief sought answers the question:
what do you want the court to decide?
The legal grounds answer a different question:
what legal rules support the requested result?
Article 178 of the Civil Procedure Code identifies the legal grounds relied upon by the claimant as part of the content of the claim.
At the same time, the explanatory notes to the official form indicate that, for purposes of completing the form, legal grounds are not treated in the same way as certain mandatory registration fields, and the claimant may provide legal argument, case law, international standards, and other legal reasoning.
These points should be read together. Article 178 treats legal grounds as part of the content of the claim, while the formal registration requirements under Article 183 do not list the relevant provision of Article 178 among the same mandatory registration defects as, for example, failure to identify the court, claim value, or relief sought.
In practice, however, a well-prepared statement of claim in Georgia should include a coherent legal basis. Legal argument helps the court understand why the facts alleged by the claimant are said to produce the particular legal consequence requested.
X. How Should Procedural Motions Be Included?
A statement of claim in Georgia may also include several types of procedural requests in the sections provided by the official form.
A claimant may ask the court to summon a witness, expert, or specialist; grant additional time to submit particular evidence; obtain evidence held by another person; join a third party; or take another procedural step necessary for the case.
According to the High Council of Justice guidance, a procedural motion should be specific and reasoned. Where the claimant asks the court to obtain evidence, the request should identify the evidence, explain which fact it proves, state who holds it, explain why the claimant could not obtain it independently, and indicate the basis for believing that the evidence is in that person’s possession.
Where evidence cannot be filed together with the claim for a valid reason, the form also allows a request for additional time. A general statement that the document will be produced later is not enough; the reason and the period requested should be explained.
Accordingly, a statement of claim in Georgia should identify foreseeable procedural needs at the filing stage whenever possible rather than postponing them until later hearings.
For the form, timing and common types of procedural applications, see Court Motions in Georgia – Types, Form and Filing Procedure.
XI. Claim Value and Court Fee
For a property claim, the statement of claim in Georgia must state the value of the claim where required.
When preparing a statement of claim in Georgia, claim value is an important procedural figure used, among other things, to calculate the applicable state court fee. The form therefore contains separate sections for the value of the claim and the court fee.
Proof of payment of the state fee should generally accompany the claim unless the claimant is exempt by law or files an appropriate request for exemption, reduction, or deferral.
Determining claim value correctly is important because it may affect not only the court fee but, depending on the case, other procedural issues as well. A claim form should therefore be completed only after the financial scope of the remedy has been properly identified.
For foreign parties, the amounts claimed may arise from contracts denominated in foreign currency, but the procedural treatment of claim value and court fees should still be assessed under Georgian law when preparing the filing.
XII. How Should the Attachments Be Organized?
Completing a statement of claim in Georgia also requires proper organization of the supporting documents.
A statement of claim in Georgia should, according to the High Council of Justice guidance, be accompanied by the evidence identified in the form, except where submission is impossible for a valid reason and an appropriate procedural request has been made.
Attachments should be numbered sequentially—for example, Annex 1, Annex 2, and so on. The guidance also requires the number of pages to be indicated and the annex number to correspond with the list contained in the claim form.
Where a written document is in a foreign language, the guidance provides for translation into Georgian. This is particularly important for foreign companies and individuals relying on overseas contracts, corporate records, correspondence, powers of attorney, or other foreign-language materials.
The required number of copies of the claim and its attachments should also be prepared for the defendants participating in the case. Failure to provide the necessary copies may create a registration problem.
For foreign litigants, document preparation is therefore often a significant part of preparing a statement of claim in Georgia, particularly where notarization, corporate authority, or translation issues must be addressed before filing.
XIII. What Does the Court Registry Check?
Before registration, a statement of claim in Georgia is assessed against the formal checklist reflected in the High Council of Justice’s official materials.
The registry checks, among other things, whether:
- the claim is submitted in the approved form;
- the correct court is identified;
- the required party information is provided;
- the subject matter of the dispute is stated;
- the claim value is identified where applicable;
- the requested relief is formulated;
- the necessary documents are attached;
- proof of payment of the state fee or an appropriate procedural request is included;
- representative authority is established where required;
- the claim is signed; and
- the necessary number of copies has been submitted.
This checklist should be read together with Article 183 of the Civil Procedure Code. The registry’s task at this stage is a formal review, not a determination of whether the claimant should ultimately win the case.
Registration of a statement of claim in Georgia therefore means only that the document has passed the formal filing stage. It does not mean that the court has accepted the claimant’s substantive legal position.
XIV. Where Can the Official Civil Claim Form Be Found?
The official form used for a statement of claim in Georgia is published by the High Council of Justice together with explanatory notes and versions that may be completed electronically or by hand.
When preparing a statement of claim in Georgia, it is advisable to use the official form together with the explanatory guidance rather than relying only on an unofficial template.
Official Civil Claim Form – High Council of Justice of Georgia
Court staff may explain procedural aspects of completing the form and provide general procedural information. They do not, however, provide legal advice on matters such as whether a claim is likely to succeed, which defendant should be sued, or which legal remedy is strategically preferable.
Administrative litigation uses a different form and is governed by special procedural rules. A civil claim form should therefore not be used interchangeably with the form required for an administrative case.
XV. Key Practical Issues When Preparing a Statement of Claim in Georgia
The main difficulty in completing the form is often not the technical fields but the correct legal construction of the dispute.
When preparing a statement of claim in Georgia, the claimant should identify the proper defendant, distinguish the subject matter of the dispute from the specific relief sought, arrange the facts in a logical sequence, connect each material fact to supporting evidence, and formulate the requested remedy precisely.
A common problem is a claim that contains a large amount of factual detail but leaves the requested outcome unclear. The opposite problem is also common: the relief is stated clearly, but the facts and evidence supporting it are incomplete or poorly organized.
A claim should also avoid irrelevant factual material, unnecessary citation of legal provisions, and documents that do not contribute to proving the material issues in dispute.
A well-drafted statement of claim in Georgia should allow the court to answer four basic questions immediately:
what happened, how can it be proved, which right was allegedly violated, and what exactly does the claimant want the court to order or declare?
Careful preparation at first instance also matters if the case is later appealed. The relief, factual position, evidence, and procedural requests developed at the first-instance stage may significantly affect the scope of any subsequent appellate review.
For the detailed requirements governing the appellate document, see Appeal in Georgia – Form, Deadline and Filing Procedure.
For the broader system of challenging first-instance and appellate judgments, see Appealing a Court Decision in Georgia – Procedure and Deadlines.
XVI. Legal Assistance with a Statement of Claim in Georgia
TB Legal is a Georgian law firm assisting individuals and companies with civil and commercial disputes, including legal assessment of claims, preparation of court filings, and representation before Georgian courts.
Preparing a statement of claim in Georgia may require analysis of the factual and legal basis of the dispute, identification of the proper defendant, formulation of the relief sought, organization of the factual allegations and supporting evidence, preparation of procedural motions, and review of compliance with the applicable filing requirements.
Before proceedings are commenced, it is important to consider not only whether a substantive legal claim exists, but also whether the material facts can be properly established before the court. The structure of the claim, the link between facts and evidence, and the precision of the requested relief may all affect the later development of the case.
A statement of claim in Georgia may require additional preparation for foreign individuals and international businesses. Georgian court proceedings may require local procedural forms, Georgian-language documentation, properly documented representative authority, and careful organization of foreign corporate or contractual records.
These issues form part of the broader Litigation in Georgia strategy, particularly where the initial structure of the claim may affect evidence, interim protection and any later appeal.
If you need assistance preparing a statement of claim in Georgia, reviewing an already drafted civil claim, or developing a procedural strategy for litigation before the Georgian courts, you can contact TB Legal to discuss the appropriate filing and representation strategy.
