Explanatory note

These Rules, which replace the Supreme Court Rules 2009, govern the practice and procedure to be followed in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (“the Court”).

Part 1—

• sets out the scope of the Rules, the overriding objective to secure that the Court is accessible, fair and efficient, and the duty of the Court to interpret and apply these Rules with a view to securing that the Court is accessible, fair and efficient and that unnecessary disputes over procedural matters are discouraged (rule 2);

• makes provision for interpretation (rule 3).

Part 2—

• makes provision for a new portal for filing and managing cases at the Court electronically, establishes the concept of a “portal party” (a party who (or whose representative) has been granted access to the relevant case file on the portal for the purpose of taking part in the appeal) and a “non-portal party” (a party who (and whose representative) has not been granted access), and requires any party who is legally represented to be a portal party (rule 4);

• provides for forms (rule 5); the court’s ability to vary time limits (rule 6); the methods of filing (rule 7) and service (rule 8) of documents by portal parties and non-portal parties; communication with the court via the portal (rule 9); the effect of non-compliance with the Rules (rule 10); and provision about procedural decisions, including enabling certain such decisions to be taken by a single Justice or the Registrar of the Court without an oral hearing (rule 11).

Part 3 contains the rules governing applications for permission to appeal including provision for filing and issue of applications and for service of the application for portal parties and non-portal parties respectively (rules 12 to 14), objections and interventions in applications (rule 15 and 16) and how applications are considered (rules 17 and 18).

Part 4 contains the rules about commencement of, and preparation for, an appeal, providing for relevant time limits, the documents that are to be filed and the manner of filing and service of them by portal parties and non-portal parties respectively (rules 19 to 22); cross-appeals and interventions (rules 23 to 25); listing of the appeal and the document bundles for the appeal hearing (rules 26 to 29).

Part 5 contains rules about the hearing and decision of appeals by the Court.

Part 6 contains miscellaneous general provisions such as for the making of a procedural application, request for expedition, grouping of appeals, the hearing or withdrawal of appeals, changes in the interest, or legal representation, of parties, appointment of an Advocate to the Court, the publication and disposal of documents and orders for security for costs.

Part 7 contains rules about particular types of appeals and references including those that raise human rights or devolution issues, or issues relating to assimilated case law.

Part 8 contains provisions in relation to fees, claims for, and the assessment of, costs and for the payment out of money paid in as security for costs.

Part 9 makes transitional provision for the Supreme Court Rules 2009 to continue to apply, notwithstanding their replacement by these Rules, in certain matters started before these Rules came into effect.