Presidency Small Cause Courts Act, 1882 · Chapter IV: Jurisdiction in Respect of Suits
Section 18A: Plaintiff may abandon suit against defendant resident out of jurisdiction
The Small Cause Court may allow a plaintiff at or before the first hearing of a suit in which a joint and several liability is alleged on a cause of action arising either wholly or in part within the local limits of the jurisdiction of the Court to abandon the suit as against any defendant who does not reside or carry on business or personally work for gain within such local limits, and to sue for a decree against such defendants only as do so reside, carry on business or personally work for gain.]
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 18A
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.