Rule 32.13 Availability of witness statements for inspectionI1

England and Wales

(1)

A witness statement which stands as evidence in chief^(GL) is open to inspection F1during the course of the trial unless the court otherwise directs.

(2)

Any person may ask for a direction that a witness statement is not open to inspection.

(3)

The court will not make a direction under paragraph (2) unless it is satisfied that a witness statement should not be open to inspection because of—

(a)

the interests of justice;

(b)

the public interest;

(c)

the nature of any expert medical evidence in the statement;

(d)

the nature of any confidential information (including information relating to personal financial matters) in the statement; or

(e)

the need to protect the interests of any child or F2protected party.

(4)

The court may exclude from inspection words or passages in the statement.

Annotations

F1: Words in rule 32.13(1) substituted (26.3.2001) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2001 (S.I. 2001/256), rules 1(a), 12
F2: Words in rule 32.13(3)(e) substituted (1.10.2007) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2007 (S.I. 2007/2204), rules 1, 10

C1: Pt. 32 applied (1.11.2009) by The Water Industry (Special Administration) Rules 2009 (S.I. 2009/2477), rules 2, 75
C2: Pt. 32 applied (30.6.2011) by The Investment Bank Special Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1301), rules 2, 225(4) (with rule 5)
C3: Pt. 32 applied (31.1.2014) by The Postal Administration Rules 2013 (S.I. 2013/3208), rules 1, 130(3) (with rules 3, 210)
C4: Pt. 32 applied (6.4.2017) by The Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 (S.I. 2016/1024), rules 1, 12.1(3) (with rule 3(3), Sch. 2)
C5: Pt. 32 applied (5.7.2018) by The Housing Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2018 (S.I. 2018/719), rules 1.1, 4.1(3) (with rule 1.2)
C6: Pt. 32 applied (31.1.2019) by The Education Administration Rules 2018 (S.I. 2018/1135), rules 1, 4.1(3) (with rule 1.2)
C7: Pt. 32 applied (12.11.2021) by The Payment and Electronic Money Institution Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2021 (S.I. 2021/1178), rules 2, 187(4)
C8: Pt. 32 applied (18.7.2023) by The Relevant Licensee Nuclear Company Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2023 (S.I. 2023/712), rules 1(2)(a), 130(3) (with rule 2)
C9: Pt. 32 applied (19.11.2025) by The Carbon Dioxide Transport and Storage (Licensed Operators) Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2025 (S.I. 2025/1135), rules 1(2)(a), 130(3) (with rule 2(1))