Notice of Change of Representation, Service Details or Address (Form 5AA)
Form 5AA is the Supreme Court of Western Australia notice for changing lawyers, acting in person or updating a party's address or service details. It is filed and served.
Word document from Supreme Court of Western Australia's website.
DraftOur fillable copy of this form has not been through editorial review yet. Check it against Supreme Court of Western Australia's current form before you rely on it.
- Format
- Word (DOCX)
- Category
- Court form
- Form number
- Form 5AA
- Version
- vdefa36d8
- Last updated
- 14 October 2026
Supreme Court of Western Australia · Rules of the Supreme Court 1971
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 5AA is for
Order 8 of the Rules of the Supreme Court 1971 (WA) lets a party change lawyers (r 2), appoint a lawyer after acting in person (r 4), or start acting in person (r 5) without a court order, by filing a notice. Until the notice is filed and served, the former lawyer stays on the record (r 2(1)). Order 71A r 5 requires a person who has filed a document stating their geographical address or service details to give notice promptly of any change. Both kinds of notice must be in Form 5AA, which must state the party's geographical address and service details (O 8 r 5A; O 71A r 5(2)(aa)).
When you need it
- You are changing law firms in a Supreme Court proceeding.
- Your lawyer has stopped acting and you will act in person, or you have been acting in person and now appoint a lawyer.
- Your address, postal address for service, telephone number, email or fax has changed.
- You want to stop an optional email address or fax number being used for service (O 71A r 5(1)(b)).
How to fill it in
- 1
Complete the heading and party filing
Enter the proceeding number and party details, and indicate whether the notice is filed by the plaintiff, applicant, appellant, defendant, respondent or third party.
- 2
Give the current address and service details
State the party's geographical address (where an individual usually lives, or a company's registered office: O 71A r 2), the postal address for service (the lawyer's if represented) and a telephone number. Email and fax are optional and, if given, may be used for service (O 71A r 3(3)).
- 3
Tick the change of representation box if it applies
Tick 'I intend to act in person' or 'I have changed lawyers'. If you are only updating details, leave this part blank.
- 4
Give the new lawyer's details
If a new lawyer is appointed, give their name, the address where they conduct business and their postal address. Write 'as above' if it is the same as the postal address for service.
- 5
Sign and date
The party or the party's lawyer signs and dates the notice.
Filing, lodging and service
- File the notice through eLodgment on the eCourts Portal (O 67A r 3), as a .docx copy that states the signatory's name, keeping the signed original (O 67A r 4(7)). The Court's forms page lists one copy for filing.
- Serve a copy, indorsed with a memorandum that it has been filed, on every other party (other than a party in default of appearance) and on the former lawyer (O 8 r 2(2)).
- A change of contact details must be notified promptly by filing the notice and serving it on anyone who was given the information (O 71A r 5).
Common mistakes
- Until the notice is filed and served, documents can still be served on your former lawyer and that lawyer is treated as acting for you (O 8 r 2(1)).
- A lawyer who has stopped acting but whose client has not filed a notice can apply by summons, with an affidavit, for an order that they have ceased to act (O 8 r 7).
- A self-represented party registered on the ECMS must use the email address recorded on the ECMS (O 71A r 3(5)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a court order to change lawyers in the WA Supreme Court?
No. A party may change lawyers without an order by filing a notice of change in Form 5AA and serving it on the other parties and the former lawyer (O 8 rr 2 and 5A).
Can I use a PO box?
Yes as a postal address for service, but not as your geographical address. The geographical address must contain enough information for someone to go to the place, and a post box number is not enough (O 71A r 1).
What if my lawyer is removed from the record by order?
Your service details are taken to be the geographical address on your most recently filed document until you file a notice under O 8 r 4 or 5 or the Court orders otherwise (O 8 r 9).
Checked against the official sources on 26 October 2026
- Rules of the Supreme Court 1971 (WA) O 8 rr 2-9, O 67A, O 71A and Schedule 2 Form 5AA
- Supreme Court of WA - Form 5AA Notice of Change of Representation, Service Details or Address (Word)
- Supreme Court of WA - General Division Civil Forms
- Supreme Court of WA - Electronic Documents System
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.
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