{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/standing-civilian-courts-order-1997/article-39",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/standing-civilian-courts-order-1997/article-39.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1997/172",
  "legislation_title": "The Standing Civilian Courts Order 1997",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/standing-civilian-courts-order-1997",
  "path": "article/39",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "39",
  "heading": "Applications before pleading",
  "text": "(1) Before an accused is required to plead to a charge, the court may make an order or ruling on—\n(a) any question as to the admissibility of evidence;\n(b) any other question of law, practice or procedure relating to the case.\n(2) If the court allows any application such that there is no charge remaining to which the accused can be required to plead, the proceedings shall be concluded.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/172/article/39",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T12:27:04.339831+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."
}