Rule 98 Filing and service of applicationI1
England and Wales
An application must be filed with the court, accompanied by one copy and a number of additional copies equal to the number of persons who are to be served with the application.
Where an application is filed with the court in accordance with paragraph (1) of this Rule, the court must fix a venue for the application to be heard unless—
it considers it is not appropriate to do so;
the Rule under which the application is brought provides otherwise; or
the case is one to which Rule 100 applies.
Unless the court otherwise directs, the applicant shall serve a sealed copy of the application, endorsed with the venue for the hearing, on the respondent named in the application (or on each respondent if more than one).
The court may give any of the following directions—
that the application be served upon persons other than those specified by the relevant provision of the 1986 Act or the Rules;
that the giving of notice to any person may be dispensed with;
that notice be given in some way other than that specified in paragraph (3) of this Rule.
An application must be served at least 14 days before the date fixed for its hearing unless—
the provision of the 1986 Act or the Rules under which the application is made makes different provision; or
the case is one of urgency, to which paragraph (6) of this Rule applies.
Where the case is one of urgency, the court may (without prejudice to its general power to extend or abridge time limits)—
hear the application immediately, either with or without notice to, or the attendance of, other parties, or
authorise a shorter period of service than that provided for by paragraph (5) of this Rule;
and any such application may be heard on terms providing for the filing or service of documents, or the carrying out of other formalities, as the court thinks just.