The Civil Procedure Rules 1998

[F1 Determination of the application E+W

10.— (1) Subject to paragraph (3), the single judge shall determine whether or not to make an order under section 54(3) of the Act on the basis of the written material provided under rules 5, 7, 8 and 9 in the absence of the prosecutor, the acquitted person, or of any witness.

(2) The determination shall not be made, and any hearing under paragraph (3) shall not take place, before the expiry of–

(a) 10 days after the expiry of the period allowed under rule 8(1), or

(b) 10 days after the expiry of the period allowed by any order made under rule 9(3).

(3) The single judge may, of his own initiative or on the application of the prosecutor or acquitted person, order a hearing of the application if he thinks fit.

(4) An application under paragraph (3) shall state whether a hearing is desired in order for a deponent for the other party to attend and be cross-examined, and, if so, the reasons for wishing the witness to attend.

(5) An application under paragraph (3) shall be made no later than 7 days after the expiry of the period allowed–

(a) under rule 8(1), or

(b) by any order made under rule 9(3).

(6) Where a hearing is ordered, the single judge may, of his own initiative or on the application of the prosecutor or acquitted person, order a witness to attend in order to be cross-examined.

(7) The prosecutor or the acquitted person, as the case may be, shall within 4 days after filing the application under paragraph (3), serve a copy of it on the other party, and file in the Crown Office a witness statement or affidavit of service.

(8) A party served under paragraph (7) shall, within 5 days of service, file any representations he wishes to make as to whether or not a hearing should be ordered.

(9) Subject to paragraph (10) below–

(a) the single judge shall not determine an application for a hearing under paragraph (3) unless–

(i) a witness statement or affidavit of service has been filed as required by paragraph (7), and

(ii) the period for filing representations allowed under paragraph (8) has elapsed, or

(iii) representations have been filed under paragraph (8).

(b) The requirements imposed by sub-paragraph (a)(i) and (iii) are satisfied even though the witness statement or affidavit of service or, as the case may be, the representations are filed outside the time limits allowed.

(10) Where after an application for a hearing has been made–

(a) no witness statement or affidavit of service has been filed, and

(b) no representations under paragraph (8) have been received after the expiry of 7 days from the filing of the application,

the single judge may reject the application.

(11) Where after a hearing is ordered, either the prosecutor or the acquitted person desires a witness for the other party to attend the hearing in order to be cross-examined, he must apply for an order under paragraph (5) giving his reasons without notice being served on any other party.

(12) The Crown Office shall serve notice on the prosecutor and the acquitted person of any order made under the foregoing paragraphs of this rule and, where a hearing is ordered, the notice shall–

(a) set out the date, time and place of the hearing, and

(b) give details of any witness ordered to attend for cross-examination.

(13) A hearing ordered under paragraph (3) above shall be in public unless the single judge otherwise directs.

(14) the Crown Office shall serve notice of any order made under section 54(3) of the Act quashing the acquittal or of a decision not to make such an order on the prosecutor, the acquitted person and–

(a) where the court before which the acquittal or conviction occurred was a magistrates' court, on the [F2 designated officer];

(b) where the court before which the acquittal or conviction occurred was the Crown Court, on the appropriate officer of the Crown Court sitting at the place where the acquittal or conviction occurred.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 1 RSC Order 116 inserted (26.4.1999) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 1999 (S.I. 1999/1008), rules 1, 61, Appendix 1

F2 Words in Sch. 1 RSC Order 116 rule 10(14)(a) substituted (1.4.2005) by The Courts Act 2003 (Consequential Provisions) (No. 2) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/617), art. 1, Sch. para. 175