Article 12 Amendments to the Family Proceedings Rules 1991

For rule 8.2 substitute—

“Appeals from magistrates’ courts and appeals from district judges under the Act of 1989 and Parts 4 and 4A of the Family Law Act 1996

8.2.

(1)

Rules 8.2A to 8.2H apply where—

(a)

there is an appeal under—

(i)

section 4(7) of the Maintenance Orders Act 1958^f1;

(ii)

section 29 of the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates’ Courts Act 1978^f2;

(iii)

section 60(5) of the Act of 1986^f3;

(iv)

section 94(1) to (9) of the Act of 1989^f4;

(v)

section 61 of the Family Law Act 1996^f5; or

(vii)

any other enactment giving a person a right of appeal against a decision of a magistrates’ court; or

(b)

an appeal lies from any decision of a district judge to the judge of the court in which the decision was made in proceedings—

(i)

listed in rule 4.1(2); or

(ii)

to which Parts 4 and 4A of the Family Law Act 1996 apply.

(2)

In proceedings referred to in paragraph (1)(b)(i) and (ii), any party may appeal from an order or decision made or given by the district judge in a county court to a judge on notice and CCR Order 13, rule 1(10) and Order 37, rule 6 shall not apply.

(3)

Appeals under paragraph (1)(b) shall be heard in chambers unless the judge directs otherwise.

(4)

Rules 8.2A to 8.2H are subject to any enactment.

Notice of appeal

8.2A.

(1)

The appellant shall file and serve on—

(a)

the parties to the proceedings in the court below;

(b)

any children’s guardian; and

(c)

where applicable, the local authority that prepared a report under section 14A(8) or (9) of the Act of 1989,

the documents set out in paragraph (2).

(2)

The documents referred to in paragraph (1) are—

(a)

notice in writing of the appeal, setting out the grounds of the appeal;

(b)

a certified copy of the summons or application and of the order appealed against, and of any order staying its execution;

(c)

a copy of any notes of the evidence; and

(d)

a copy of any reasons given for the decision.

(3)

The appellant shall file and serve the notice of appeal in accordance with paragraph (1)—

(a)

within 14 days after the determination against which the appeal is brought;

(b)

in the case of an appeal against an order under section 38(1) of the Act of 1989, within 7 days after the making of the order;

(c)

in the case of an appeal against an order under section 29 of the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates’ Courts Act 1978, within 21 days after the making of the order; or

(d)

with the leave of the court to which, or judge to whom, the appeal is brought, within such other time as that court or judge may direct.

(4)

Subject to any direction of the court to which, or judge to whom, the appeal is brought, the appellant shall file and serve the documents mentioned in paragraph (2)(b) to (d) as soon as practicable after filing and service of the notice of appeal under paragraph (1).

(5)

Where the magistrates’ court is the court below, the appellant shall serve the documents mentioned in paragraph (2)(a) and (b) on the designated officer for that court.

Respondents

8.2B.

(1)

Subject to paragraph (2), a respondent who wishes to contend—

(a)

on the appeal that the decision of the court below should be varied, either in any event or in the event of the appeal being allowed in whole or in part;

(b)

that the decision of the court below should be affirmed on grounds other than those relied upon by that court; or

(c)

by way of cross-appeal that the decision of the court below was wrong in whole or in part,

shall, within 14 days of receipt of notice of the appeal, file and serve on all other parties to the appeal a notice in writing, setting out the grounds upon which the respondent relies.

(2)

No notice under paragraph (1) may be filed or served in an appeal against an order under section 38 of the Act of 1989.

Stay

8.2C.

Unless the court orders otherwise, an appeal under rule 8.2 (1) shall not operate as a stay of proceedings on the order or decision appealed against.

Amendment of appeal notice

8.2D.

(1)

The appellant may amend the appeal notice, without leave, by serving a supplementary notice not less than 7 days before the date of the hearing of the appeal, on each of the persons on whom the notice to be amended was served.

(2)

Within 2 days after service of a supplementary notice under paragraph (1) the appellant must file two copies of the notice in the court in which the appeal notice was filed.

(3)

Except with the leave of the court hearing the appeal, the appellant may not rely on grounds other than those stated in the notice of appeal or any supplementary notice under paragraph (1).

(4)

The court may amend the grounds of appeal or make any other order, on such terms as it thinks just, to ensure the determination on the merits of the real question in controversy between the parties.

Powers of a district judge

8.2E.

(1)

A district judge may—

(a)

dismiss an appeal to which this rule applies—

(i)

for want of prosecution; or

(ii)

with the consent of the parties; or

(b)

give leave for the appeal to be withdrawn,

and may deal with any question of costs arising out of the dismissal or withdrawal.

(2)

Unless the court directs otherwise, any interlocutory application in an appeal under rule 8.2 (1)(a) may be made to a district judge.

Appeal court’s powers

8.2F.

(1)

In relation to an appeal the appeal court has all the powers of the court below.

(2)

The appeal court has power to—

(a)

affirm, set aside or vary any order or judgment made or given by the court below;

(b)

refer any application or issue for determination by the court below;

(c)

order a new hearing;

(d)

make orders for the payment of interest;

(e)

make a costs order.

(3)

The appeal court may exercise its powers in relation to the whole or part of an order of the lower court.

Hearing of appeals

8.2G.

(1)

Every appeal will be limited to a review of the decision of the court below unless—

(a)

an enactment makes different provision for a particular category of appeal; or

(b)

the court considers that in the circumstances of an individual appeal it would be in the interests of justice to hold a re-hearing.

(2)

Unless it orders otherwise, the appeal court will not receive—

(a)

oral evidence; or

(b)

evidence which was not before the court below.

(3)

The appeal court will allow an appeal where the decision of the court below was—

(a)

wrong; or

(b)

unjust because of a serious procedural or other irregularity in the proceedings in the court below.

(4)

The appeal court may draw any inference of fact which it considers justified on the evidence.

Appeals from orders made under Parts 4 and 4A of the Family Law Act 1996

8.2H.

Where an appeal is brought against the making of a hospital order or a guardianship order under the Mental Health Act 1983^f6 a copy of any written evidence considered by the magistrates’ court under section 37(1)^f7 of the 1983 Act shall be sent by the designated officer to the county court in which the documents relating to the appeal are filed.”.