C3C4C5C6Part I Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders made in United Kingdom or Reciprocating Country
By S.I. 1982/159, art. 3 para. (1) it is provided that the functions of the Secretary of State under this Act insofar as relating to any matter concerning a court in Northern Ireland or a person residing or believed to reside there are transferred to the Lord Chancellor and by art. 3(2) it is provided that any reference to the Secretary of State, so far as necessary for giving effect to para. (1) of art. 3, to be construed as a reference to the Lord Chancellor
Pt. I (ss. 1-24) applied (with modifications) (5.4.1993) by The Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (Hague Convention Countries) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/593), art. 3(1)(2), Schs. 2, 3
Pt. I (ss. 1-24) applied (with modifications) (5.4.1993) by S.I. 1993/594, art. 2(1)(2), Schs. 1, 2
Pt. I (ss. 1-24) applied (with modifications) (1.12.1995) by S.I. 1995/2709, art. 3, Sch. 2
Evidence
13C1C2 Admissibility of evidence given in reciprocating country.
1
A statement contained in—
a
a document, duly authenticated, which purports to set out or summarise evidence given in proceedings in a court in a reciprocating country; or
b
a document, duly authenticated, which purports to set out or summarise evidence taken in such a country for the purpose of proceedings in a court in the United Kingdom under this Part of this Act, whether in response to a request made by such a court or otherwise; or
c
a document, duly authenticated, which purports to have been received in evidence in proceedings in a court in such a country or to be a copy of a document so received,
shall in any proceedings in a court in the United Kingdom relating to a maintenance order to which this Part of this Act applies be admissible as evidence of any fact stated therein to the same extent as oral evidence of that fact is admissible in those proceedings.
2
A document purporting to set out or summarise evidence given as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above, or taken as mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above, shall be deemed to be duly authenticated for the purposes of that subsection if the document purports to be certified by the judge, magistrate or other person before whom the evidence was given, or, as the case may be, by whom it was taken, to be the original document containing or recording, or, as the case may be, summarising, that evidence or a true copy of that document.
3
A document purporting to have been received in evidence as mentioned in subsection (1)(c) above, or to be a copy of a document so received, shall be deemed to be duly authenticated for the purposes of that subsection if the document purports to be certified by a judge, magistrate or officer of the court in question to have been, or to be a true copy of a document which has been, so received.
4
It shall not be necessary in any such proceedings to prove the signature or official position of the person appearing to have given such a certificate.
5
Nothing in this section shall prejudice the admission in evidence of any document which is admissible in evidence apart from this section.
Pt. I extended by S.I. 1979/1317, Art. 2, Sch. 2