The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2020

Substitution of rule 27.9

28.  For rule 27.9 substitute—

“Recording, transcription and informal notes of proceedings

27.9.— (1) At any hearing, the proceedings will be tape recorded or digitally recorded unless the court directs otherwise.

(2) No party or member of the public may use unofficial recording equipment in any court without the permission of the court. (To do so without permission constitutes a contempt of court under section 9 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981(1).)

(3) Unless the court directs otherwise, a person to whom paragraph (4) applies may require a transcript of the recording of any hearing in proceedings to be supplied to them, upon payment of the charges authorised by any scheme in force for the making of the recording or the transcript.

(4) This paragraph applies to—

(a) a party to the proceedings;

(b) the Queen’s Proctor; and

(c) where a declaration of parentage has been made under section 55A of the 1986 Act(2), the Registrar General.

(5) A person to whom paragraph (4) does not apply may be provided with a transcript of the recording of any hearing—

(a) with the permission of the court; and

(b) upon payment of the charges authorised by any scheme in force for the making of the recording or the transcript.

(6) At any hearing, the court may give appropriate directions to assist a party, in particular one who is or has been or may become unrepresented, for the compilation and sharing of a note or other informal record of the proceedings made by another party.”.

(1)

1981 c. 49. Section 9 was amended by section 31 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013.

(2)

The Family Law Act 1986 (c. 55). Section 55A was inserted by section 83(1) and (2) of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (c. 19) and was amended by paragraphs 95 and 97 of Schedule 11 to the Crime and Courts Act 2013.