The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2020

Insertion of new Part 41

30.  After Part 40 (charging order, stop order, stop notice) insert—

“PART 41 PROCEEDING BY ELECTRONIC MEANS

Provision for proceeding by electronic means

41.1.— (1) A practice direction may make provision for proceedings to proceed by electronic means.

(2) Proceedings proceed by electronic means if they are—

(a) created;

(b) started;

(c) progressed; or

(d) disposed of,

by electronic means.

(3) The practice direction may, in particular—

(a) specify the types of proceedings which may proceed by electronic means;

(b) specify the conditions which must be met before proceedings may proceed by electronic means;

(c) provide for the filing of documents by electronic means;

(d) specify any requirements that must be fulfilled for any document to be filed by electronic means; and

(e) provide for how any fee payable in respect of a document filed by electronic means is to be paid.

(4) The practice direction may disapply or modify these Rules or any other practice direction supporting these Rules in relation to cases to which the practice direction applies.

(5) These Rules and any other practice direction supporting these Rules apply—

(a) subject to the provisions of a practice direction made pursuant to paragraph (1); and

(b) as modified in accordance with paragraph (3).

(6) In this Part—

“document” means anything in which information of any description is recorded and includes, but is not limited to, an application, a notice, a statement or a letter; and

“proceedings” includes one or more aspects of proceedings.”.