{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-blood-tests-rules-1971/article-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-blood-tests-rules-1971/article-2.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1971/1991",
  "legislation_title": "The Magistrates' Courts (Blood Tests) Rules 1971",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-blood-tests-rules-1971",
  "path": "article/2",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "(1) In these Rules save where the context otherwise requires—\n“the Act” means the Family Law Reform Act 1969;\n“the applicant” means an applicant for a direction;\n“blood samples” and “blood tests” have the same meaning as in Part III of the Act;\n“complaint” means a complaint in the hearing of which the paternity of any person falls to be determined;\n“court” means a magistrates' court;\n“direction” means a direction given in accordance with the provisions of section 20(1) of the Act;\n“direction form” means Form 1 in Schedule 1 to the Blood Tests (Evidence of Paternity) Regulations 1971 ;\n“photograph” means a recent photograph, taken full face without a hat, of the size required for insertion in a passport;\n“proceedings” means any proceedings in a magistrates' court for the hearing of a complaint;\n“sampler” means a registered medical practitioner or tester, nominated in a direction form to take blood samples for the purpose of the direction;\n“subject” means a person from whom a court directs that blood samples shall be taken;\n“tester” means a person appointed by the Secretary of State to carry out blood tests.\n(2) Any reference in these Rules to a form other than a direction form is a reference to a form contained in the Schedule to these Rules.\n(3) Any reference in these Rules to a person who is under a disability is a reference to a person who has not attained the age of 16 years or who is suffering from a mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959 and is incapable of understanding the nature and purpose of blood tests.\n(4) The Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply to the interpretation of these Rules as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "(1971 III, p. 5093)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "am",
      "affecting": "uksi/2001/776",
      "affecting_title": "The Magistrates' Courts (Blood Tests) (Amendment) Rules 2001"
    },
    {
      "type": "am",
      "affecting": "uksi/2001/776",
      "affecting_title": "The Magistrates' Courts (Blood Tests) (Amendment) Rules 2001"
    },
    {
      "type": "subst",
      "affecting": "uksi/2001/776",
      "affecting_title": "The Magistrates' Courts (Blood Tests) (Amendment) Rules 2001"
    },
    {
      "type": "revoked",
      "affecting": "uksi/2014/879",
      "affecting_title": "The Crime and Courts Act 2013 (Family Court: Consequential Provision) (No.2) Order 2014"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1971/1991/article/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T22:37:32.200596+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."
}