Explanatory note

These Rules amend the Rules of the Supreme Court 1965 so as to—

• (a) require a landlord who is taking proceedings for forfeiture to notify any person entitled to relief against forfeiture of whom he is aware (Rules 2 and 3);

• (b) give effect to section 47 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985 (power of High Court to make judgments binding on persons who are not parties) (Rules 4 and 5);

• (c) enable the Court in certain cases to require parties to prepare and exchange statements relating to their evidence and to require experts to meet (Rules 6 to 8);

• (d) clarify the rules relating to procedure in the Court of Appeal (Rule 9);

• (e) implement the Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985 (applications relating to children wrongfully removed from their country and to foreign custody decisions (Rules 10 to 12);

• (f) make amendments consequential on the extension of trademark legislation to service marks (Rules 13 and 14);

• (g) amend the procedure in patent actions by requiring matters to be dealt with before instead of at the summons for directions (Rule 15).