22. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

1. DEFINITIONS
1. Errors are mistakes in play which are dealt with under Laws 25 to 28 (but see Law 39(a) for restoration of bisques in handicap play).
2. Strokes in error include the stroke in which an error is committed and any subsequent stroke played before the earlier of the discovery of the error or the limit of claims.
3. An error is said to be discovered when the striker announces it or the adversary forestalls play in respect of it. References to discovery before a stroke mean before the stroke is played.
2. DELIBERATE ERRORS A player must not deliberately commit an error.
3. STRIKER MUST DECLARE The striker must immediately declare any error he commits or suspects he may have committed and cease play until the matter is resolved.
4. RECTIFICATION
1. An error is rectified by cancelling all points scored for any ball in any stroke in error and replacing the balls in their lawful positions at the start of the first stroke in error. If a ball could have occupied more than one lawful position at that time, it may be replaced in any such position as the striker chooses. However, if a ball is replaced following rectification of a fault, it must be replaced in the position it occupied before the stroke was played.
2. If the striker's turn continues after rectification, each ball is then live if and only if it was live at the start of the first stroke in error.
5. LIMIT OF CLAIMS The limit of claims is the end of the period within which an error must be discovered if it is to be rectified. If the specified limit of claims is not reached because a turn or the game ends, it is deemed to be before the first stroke of the adversary's next turn or the end of the game respectively. Strokes in error are counted when determining whether the limit of claims of any other error has passed.
6. AFTER LIMIT OF CLAIMS
1. Subject to Laws 22(f)(2) and 40(d) (doubles play), if an error is discovered after its limit of claims it is not rectified, the balls are not replaced and all points in order scored for any ball in any stroke in error are counted. Additional consequences for certain errors are set out in the relevant sub-law (see Laws 27(e) to 27(h)).
2. No peg point may be scored by the striker for any ball when playing a wrong ball. Any peg point apparently so scored must be cancelled if discovered at any time before the end of the game and Law 30 applies.
7. ERRORS AND INTERFERENCES If an interference under Laws 30 or 31 is discovered within the limit of claims of an earlier error, the error is dealt with first.