{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/registered-designs-act-1949/section-31",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/registered-designs-act-1949/section-31.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Geo6/12-13-14/88",
  "legislation_title": "Registered Designs Act 1949",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/registered-designs-act-1949",
  "path": "section/31",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "31",
  "heading": "Evidence before registrar.",
  "text": "(1) Rules made by the Secretary of State under this Act may make provision—\n(a) as to the giving of evidence in proceedings before the registrar under this Act by affidavit or statutory declaration;\n(b) conferring on the registrar the powers of an official referee of the Senior Courts or of the Court of Judicatureas regards the examination of witnesses on oath and the discovery and production of documents; and\n(c) applying in relation to the attendance of witnesses in proceedings before the registrar the rules applicable to the attendance of witnesses in proceedings before such a referee.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 31 substituted by Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48, SIF 67A), s. 272, Sch. 3 para. 20"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in Act substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 11 para. 4; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(b) inserted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 11 para. 18; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/12-13-14/88/section/31",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:19:58.992093+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."
}