Notice of ceasing to act as a practitioner (Rule 130(1)(a)) (Form 12)
Form 12 is the Supreme Court of Tasmania notice a practitioner files and serves to come off the record for a client in a proceeding.
Word document from Supreme Court of Tasmania's website.
DraftOur fillable copy of this form has not been through editorial review yet. Check it against Supreme Court of Tasmania's current form before you rely on it.
- Format
- Word (DOCX)
- Category
- Court form
- Form number
- Form 12
- Version
- vc500b715
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
Supreme Court of Tasmania · Supreme Court Rules 2000; Supreme Court Forms Rules 2000
For law practices: this form maps to the published matter-field vocabulary, so your practice management system fills it from your matter data - on your own machine. Practice management systems can fetch and assemble it through the document assembly API.
What Form 12 is for
Rule 130 of the Supreme Court Rules 2000 (Tas) sets out how a practitioner has their name taken off the record. The practitioner files and serves on each other party a notice in the prescribed form, together with an affidavit stating that the client was given at least 7 days' notice of the practitioner's intention to file it (r 130(1)). That earlier notice to the client must be in the prescribed form (Form 11) and served personally on the client (r 130(2)). Form 12 is the notice of ceasing to act. Once the practitioner has ceased to act, the party is treated as acting in person until another practitioner starts acting (r 130(4)).
When you need it
- You are a practitioner who wants to stop acting for a client in a Supreme Court proceeding.
- You have personally served the client with a notice of intention to cease to act (Form 11) at least 7 days earlier.
- If the client is appointing a new practitioner instead, the client can file a notice of change of practitioner (Form 7) under rule 129.
How to fill it in
- 1
Copy the heading
Use the registry, proceeding number and parties.
- 2
Identify the client
State that you have ceased to act for the named party (plaintiff, defendant or as the case may be) and that you notified them of your intention to file the notice.
- 3
Give the client's last known address
Insert the client's last address known to you, so the other parties and the registry can contact them.
- 4
Date, sign and address
Sign as practitioner. Address it to the Registrar (or district registrar) at the registry, and to the practitioner for each other party and each party acting in person, with their addresses.
Filing, lodging and service
- File the notice with an affidavit proving the client was given at least 7 days' notice (r 130(1)(b)), at the registry where the proceeding is running (r 83).
- Serve the notice and affidavit on each other party (r 130(1)).
- If you cannot promptly serve the Form 11 notice personally on the client, apply for an order for substituted service (r 130(3)).
Common mistakes
- Count the 7 days from personal service of the Form 11 notice on the client.
- Until the notice is filed and served on each other party, you remain on the record as the practitioner.
- Check any listed hearing dates and tell the client about them when you give notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a lawyer get off the record in the Supreme Court of Tasmania?
By personally serving the client with notice of intention to cease to act (Form 11), waiting at least 7 days, then filing and serving on each other party Form 12 with an affidavit proving the client's notice (r 130).
What happens to the client afterwards?
The client is treated as acting in person until another practitioner begins to act (r 130(4)).
Checked against the official sources on 26 October 2026
- Supreme Court Rules 2000 (Tas) rr 83, 129-130
- Supreme Court of Tasmania - Form 12 Notice of ceasing to act
- Supreme Court of Tasmania - Form 11 Notice of intention to cease to act
General information about the form, not legal advice about your matter. Rules and forms change: if anything here differs from the court or agency's current instructions, theirs apply.
Field map
2 boxes on the Notice of ceasing to act as a practitioner (Rule 130(1)(a)) (Form 12) fill from your matter.
- Client
- Client postal address (full)
- Operator
- Operator signature (image)
Matter plans that use this form
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