Administration of Justice Act 1985

9 (1) The Council may give notice to the licensed conveyancer or his firm requiring the production or delivery to any person appointed by the Council at a time and place to be fixed by the Council—

(a) where the powers conferred by this Part of this Schedule are exercisable by virtue of paragraph 1, of all documents in the possession of the licensed conveyancer or his firm in connection with his practice; and

(b) where they are exercisable by virtue of paragraph 3, of all documents in the possession of the licensed conveyancer or his firm in connection with the matters to which the complaint relates (whether or not they relate also to other matters).

(2) The person appointed by the Council may take possession of any such documents on behalf of the Council.

(3) Except in a case where an application has been made to the High Court under sub-paragraph (4), if any person having possession of any such documents refuses, neglects or otherwise fails to comply with a requirement under sub-paragraph (1), he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding the third level on the standard scale.

(4) The High Court, on the application of the Council, may order a person required to produce or deliver documents under sub-paragraph (1) to produce or deliver them to any person appointed by the Council at such time and place as may be specified in the order, and authorise him to take possession of them on behalf of the Council.

(5) If on an application by the Council the High Court is satisfied that there is reason to suspect that documents in relation to which the powers conferred by sub-paragraph (1) are exercisable have come into the possession of some person other than the licensed conveyancer or his firm, the court may order that person to produce or deliver the documents to any person appointed by the Council at such time and place as may be specified in the order and authorise him to take possession of them on behalf of the Council.

(6) On making an order under this paragraph, or at any later time, the court, on the application of the Council, may authorise a person appointed by the Council to enter any premises (using such force as is reasonably necessary) to search for and take possession of any documents to which the order relates.

(7) The Council, on taking possession of any documents under this paragraph, shall serve upon the licensed conveyancer or personal representatives and upon any other person from whom they were received on the Council’s behalf or from whose premises they were taken a notice that possession has been taken on the date specified in the notice.

(8) Subject to sub-paragraph (9) a person upon whom a notice under sub-paragraph (7) is served, on giving not less than 48 hours’ notice to the Council and (if the notice gives the name of the solicitor instructed by the Council) to that solicitor, may apply to the High Court for an order directing the Council to deliver the documents to such person as the applicant may require.

(9) A notice under sub-paragraph (8) must be given within eight days of the service of the Council’s notice under sub-paragraph (7).

(10) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this Schedule, the Council may apply to the High Court for an order as to the disposal or destruction of any documents in its possession by virtue of this paragraph or paragraph 10.

(11) On an application under sub-paragraph (8) or (10), the court may make such order as it thinks fit.

(12) Except so far as its right to do so may be restricted by an order on an application under sub-paragraph (8) or (10), the Council may take copies of or extracts from any documents in its possession by virtue of this paragraph or paragraph 10 and require any person to whom it is proposed that such documents shall be delivered, as a condition precedent to delivery, to give a reasonable undertaking to supply copies or extracts to the Council.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 5 Pt. II paras. 9(2)–(12), 11, 12 applied (prosp.) by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 76:1), ss. 53, 124(3), Sch. 8 para. 21(2)