The Patents Rules 2007

General powers of the comptroller in relation to proceedings before him

82.—(1) Except where the Act or these Rules otherwise provide, the comptroller may give such directions as to the management of the proceedings as he thinks fit, and in particular he may—

(a) require a document, information or evidence to be filed;

(b) require a translation of a specification of a patent or application or any other document which is not in English;

(c) require a party or a party’s legal representative to attend a hearing;

(d) hold a hearing and receive evidence by telephone or by using any other method of direct oral communication;

(e) allow a statement of case to be amended;

(f) stay the whole, or any part, of the proceedings either generally or until a specified date or event;

(g) consolidate proceedings;

(h) direct that part of any proceedings be dealt with as separate proceedings; and

(i) direct that the parties attend a case management conference or pre-hearing review.

(2) The comptroller may control the evidence by giving directions as to—

(a) the issues on which he requires evidence;

(b) the nature of the evidence which he requires to decide those issues; and

(c) the way in which the evidence is to be placed before him,

and the comptroller may use his power under this paragraph to exclude evidence which would otherwise be admissible.

(3) When the comptroller gives directions under any provision of this Part, he may—

(a) make them subject to conditions; and

(b) specify the consequence of failure to comply with the directions or a condition.