Chapter 1.General
Enforcement of order for payment of money, etc
7.1—(1) Before any process is issued for the enforcement of an order made in family proceedings for the payment of money to any person, an affidavit shall be filed verifying the amount due under the order and showing how that amount is arrived at.
In a case to which CCR Order 25 rule 11 (which deals with the enforcement of a High Court judgement in the county court) applies, the information required to be given in an affidavit under this paragraph may be given in the affidavit filed pursuant to that rule.
(2) Except with the leave of the district judge, no writ of fieri facias or warrant of execution shall be issued to enforce payment of any sum due under an order for ancillary relief or an order made under the provisions of section 27 of the Act of 1973(1) where an application for a variation order is pending.
(3) Where a warrant of execution has been issued to enforce an order made in family proceedings pending in the principal registry which are treated as pending in a divorce county court, the goods and chattels against which the warrant has been issued shall, wherever they are situate, be treated for the purposes of section 103 of the County Courts Act 1984(2) as being out of the jurisdiction of the principal registry.
(4) The Attachment of Earnings Act 1971(3) and CCR Order 27 (which deals with attachment of earnings) shall apply to the enforcement of an order made in family proceedings in the principal registry which are treated as pending in a divorce county court as if the order were an order made by such a court.
(5) Where an application under CCR Order 25, rule 3 (which deals with the oral examination of a judgement debtor) relates to an order made by a divorce county court—
(a)the application shall be made to such divorce county court as in the opinion of the applicant is nearest to the place where the debtor resides or carries on business, and
(b)there shall be filed with the application the affidavit required by paragraph (1) of this rule and, except where the application is made to the court in which the order sought to be enforced was made, a copy of the order shall be exhibited to the affidavit;
and accordingly paragraph (2) of the said rule 3 shall not apply.
Committal and injunction
7.2—(1) Subject to RSC Order 52, rule 6 (which, except in certain cases, requires an application for an order of committal to be heard in open court) an application for an order of committal in family proceedings pending in the High Court shall be made by summons.
(2) Where no judge is conveniently available to hear the application, then, without prejudice to CCR Order 29, rule 3(2) (which in certain circumstances gives jurisdiction to a district judge) an application for—
(a)the discharge of any person committed, or
(b)the discharge by consent of an injunction granted by a judge,
may be made to the district judge who may, if satisfied of the urgency of the matter and that it is expedient to do so, make any order on the application which a judge could have made.
(3) Where an order or warrant for the committal of any person to prison has been made or issued in family proceedings pending in the principal registry which are treated as pending in a divorce county court, that person shall, wherever he may be, be treated for the purposes of section 122 of the County Courts Act 1984(4) as being out of the jurisdiction of the principal registry; but if the commital is a failure to comply with the terms of an injunction, the order or warrant may, if a judge so directs, be executed by the tipstaff within any county court district.
(4) For the purposes of section 118 of the County Courts Act 1984(5) in its application to the hearing of family proceedings at the Royal Courts of Justice, the tipstaff shall be deemed to be an officer of the court.
Transfer of county court order to High Court
7.3—(1) Any person who desire the transfer to the High Court of any order made by a divorce county court in family proceedings except an order for periodical payments or for the recovery of arrears of periodical payments shall apply to the court ex parte by affidavit stating the amount which remains due under the order, and on the filing of the application the transfer shall have effect.
(2) Where an order is so transferred, it shall have the same force and effect and the same proceedings may be taken on it as if it were an order of the High Court.
Section 27 was amended by the Domicile and Matrimonial Proceedings Act 1973 (c. 45), section 6(1), the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Act 1978 (c. 22), sections 63 and 89(2) and Schedule 3, the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 (c. 42), sections 41 and 46(1) and Schedule 1, paragraph 12 and the Family Law Reform Act 1987 (c. 42), Schedule 2, paragraph 52.
Section 118(1)(i) was repealed in part by the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1986 (c. 12), Schedule 1, Part I.