# County Court Rules (Northern Ireland) 1981, Rule 2: Inspection of documents

Extent: N.I.

(1) Any party to any proceedings may at any time give to the other party notice to produce any document in his possession, [ custody] or power which is relevant to the issues, [ and which has not been discovered under Rule 1], for the inspection of the party giving the notice and to permit him to take copies thereof.
(2) Any party not complying with such a notice shall not afterwards be at liberty to put any such document in evidence unless he satisfies [ the judge or district judge as the case may be] that he had some cause or excuse which [ the judge or district judge as the case may be] deems sufficient for not complying with the notice, in which case [ the judge or district judge as the case may be] may allow the document to be put in evidence on such terms as to costs and otherwise as he thinks fit.
(3) The party to whom such notice is given shall [ . . .] within four days from the receipt of the notice, deliver to the party giving the same a notice stating a time within three days from the delivery thereof and the place at which the document or such of them as he does not objected produce may be inspected and stating which if any, of the documents he objects to produce and on what grounds.
(4) The inspection shall be given—
(a) where a party is not acting by his solicitor, at his residence or place of business; or
(b) where a party is acting by a solicitor, at the solicitor’s address for service;
but inspection of bankers’ books or other books of account or books in constant use for the purposes of any trade or business shall be given at their usual place of custody.
(5) If any party served with a notice under paragraph (1) omits to give notice of a time and place for inspection in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4), [ the judge or district judge as the case may be] may on application make an order for inspection at such time and place as he thinks fit.
(6) An application to inspect documents [ . . .] shall be supported by an affidavit showing—
(a) of what documents inspection is sought;
(b) the grounds on which inspection of them is sought; and
(c) that they are in the possession or power of the other party;
but [ the judge or district judge as the case may be] shall not make an order for inspection if and so far as he is of opinion that it is not necessary either for disposing fairly of the proceedings or for saving costs.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/1981/225/part/15/rule/2 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/county-court-rules-northern-ireland-1981/part-15/rule-2
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.