{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998/rule-79.18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998/rule-79.18.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1998/3132",
  "legislation_title": "The Civil Procedure Rules 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998",
  "path": "rule/79.18",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "79.18",
  "heading": "Appointment of a special advocate",
  "text": "(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the appropriate Minister must immediately give notice of the proceedings to the Attorney General—\n(a) upon being served with any claim form, application notice or appeal notice; or\n(b) where the appropriate Minister intends to file an appeal notice,\nin proceedings to which Section 2 or 3 of this Part applies.\n(2) Paragraph (1) applies unless—\n(a) the appropriate Minister does not intend to—\n(i) oppose the claim, application or appeal; or\n(ii) apply for permission to withhold closed material from a party and that party’s legal representative; or\n(b) a special advocate has already been appointed to represent the interests of a party other than the appropriate Minister and that special advocate is not prevented from communicating with that party by virtue of rule 79.20.\n(3) Where any proceedings to which Section 2 or 3 of this Part applies are pending but no special advocate has been appointed, any party may request the Attorney General to appoint a special advocate.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 79 inserted (4.12.2008) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment No.2) Rules 2008 (S.I. 2008/3085), rule 1, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in rule 79.18 substituted (1.3.2019) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) (EU Exit) Rules 2019 (S.I. 2019/147), rules 1, 3(13)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Word in rule 79.18(1)(b) substituted (1.3.2019) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) (EU Exit) Rules 2019 (S.I. 2019/147), rules 1, 3(13)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in rule 79.18(1) inserted (1.10.2009) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2009 (S.I. 2009/2092), rules 1(2), 18(e)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in rule 79.18(2)(a) substituted (1.3.2019) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) (EU Exit) Rules 2019 (S.I. 2019/147), rules 1, 3(13)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in rule 79.18(3) inserted (1.10.2009) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2009 (S.I. 2009/2092), rules 1(2), 18(e)(ii)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/3132/rule/79.18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:12:59.276840+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}