{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-reports-relating-to-adult-witnesses-rules-2004/article-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-reports-relating-to-adult-witnesses-rules-2004/article-4.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2004/2419",
  "legislation_title": "The Magistrates' Courts (Reports Relating to Adult Witnesses) Rules 2004",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-reports-relating-to-adult-witnesses-rules-2004",
  "path": "article/4",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Urgent action",
  "text": "(1) The court may give a reporting direction under section 46 of the Act in relation to a witness in those proceedings, notwithstanding that the five business days specified in rule 3(3) have not expired if:\n(a) an application is made to it for the purposes of this rule; and\n(b) it is satisfied that, due to exceptional circumstances, it is appropriate to do so.\n(2) Any party to the proceedings may make the application under paragraph (1) whether or not an application has already been made under rule 2.\n(3) An application under paragraph (1) may be made orally or in writing.\n(4) If an application is made orally, the court may hear and take into account representations made to it by any person who in the court’s view has a legitimate interest in the application before it.\n(5) The application must specify the exceptional circumstances on which the applicant relies.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "revoked",
      "affecting": "uksi/2005/384",
      "affecting_title": "The Criminal Procedure Rules 2005 (revoked)"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/2419/article/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T05:18:28.311623+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."
}