The Family Procedure Rules 2010

SECTION 2 E+W Reciprocal enforcement in a Contracting State or [F1 a Member State of the European Union] of Orders of a court in England and Wales

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Pt. 34 Ch. 3 heading substituted (18.6.2011) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 33

Application in a magistrates' court for a maintenance order, or revocation of a maintenance order, to which the 1982 Act, the Judgments Regulations or the Lugano Convention applies E+W

F2 34.37.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F2 Rule 34.37 omitted (18.6.2011) by virtue of The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 34

Admissibility of Documents E+W

34.38.—(1) This rule applies to a document, referred to in paragraph (2) and authenticated in accordance with paragraph (3), which comprises, records or summarises evidence given in, or information relating to, proceedings in a court in another part of the UK , another Contracting State to the 1968 Convention or the 1988 Convention, [F3 Member State of the European Union] or State bound by the Lugano Convention, [F4 or by the 2007 Hague Convention,] and any reference in this rule to “the court”, without more, is a reference to that court.

(2) The documents referred to at paragraph (1) are documents which purport to—

(a) set out or summarise evidence given [F5 to] the court;

(b) have been received in evidence [F6 to] the court;

(c) set out or summarise evidence taken in the court for the purpose of proceedings in a court in England and Wales to which the 1982 Act [F7 , the Judgments Regulation [F8 ,] the Maintenance Regulation] [F9 or the 2007 Hague Convention] applies; or

(d) record information relating to payments made under an order of the court.

(3) A document to which paragraph (1) applies shall, in any proceedings in [F10 the family court] relating to a maintenance order to which the 1982 Act [F11 , the Judgments Regulation [F12 ,] the Maintenance Regulation] [F13 or the 2007 Hague Convention] applies, be admissible as evidence of any fact stated in it to the same extent as oral evidence of that fact is admissible in those proceedings.

(4) A document to which paragraph (1) applies shall be deemed to be authenticated—

(a) in relation to the documents listed at paragraph 2(a) or (c), if the document purports to be—

(i) certified by the judge or official before whom the evidence was given or taken; or

(ii) the original document recording or summarising the evidence, or a true copy of that document;

(b) in relation to a document listed at paragraph (2)(b), if the document purports to be certified by a judge or official of the court to be, or to be a true copy of, the document received in evidence; and

(c) in relation to the document listed at paragraph (2)(d), if the document purports to be certified by a judge or official of the court as a true record of the payments made under the order.

(5) It shall not be necessary in any proceedings in which evidence is to be received under this rule to prove the signature or official position of the person appearing to have given the certificate referred to in paragraph (4).

(6) Nothing in this rule shall prejudice the admission in evidence of any document which is admissible in evidence apart from this rule.

[F14 (7) Any request by [F15 the family court] for the taking or providing of evidence by a court in a State listed in paragraph (8) for the purposes of proceedings to which an instrument listed in that paragraph applies, or by a court in another part of the United Kingdom, shall be communicated in writing to the court in question.

(8) The States and instruments referred to in paragraph (7) are—

(a) a Contracting State to the 1968 Convention;

(b) a Contracting State to the 1988 Convention;

(c) a State bound by the Lugano Convention;

(d) Denmark, in relation to proceedings to which the Maintenance Regulation applies;

(e) a State bound by the 2007 Hague Convention,

but this paragraph and paragraph (7) do not apply where the State in question is a Member State of the European Union to which the Taking of Evidence Regulation (as defined in rule 24.15) applies.]

Textual Amendments

F3 Words in rule 34.38(1) substituted (18.6.2011) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 35(a)

F4 Words in rule 34.38(1) inserted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 31(a)

F5 Word in rule 34.38(2)(a) substituted (18.6.2011) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 35(b)(i)

F6 Word in rule 34.38(2)(b) inserted (18.6.2011) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 35(b)(ii)

F7 Words in rule 34.38(2)(c) inserted (18.6.2011) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 35(b)(iii)

F8 Rule 34.38(2)(c): comma substituted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 31(b)(i)

F9 Words in rule 34.38(2)(c) inserted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 31(b)(ii)

F10 Words in rule 34.38(3) substituted (22.4.2014) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No.3) Rules 2013 (S.I. 2013/3204), rules 1, 134 (with rule 137); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2

F11 Words in rule 34.38(3) inserted (18.6.2011) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 35(c)

F12 Rule 34.38(3): comma substituted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 31(c)(i)

F13 Words in rule 34.38(3) inserted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 31(c)(ii)

F14 Rule 34.38(7)(8) substituted for rule 34.38(7) (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 31(d)

F15 Words in rule 34.38(7) substituted (22.4.2014) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No.3) Rules 2013 (S.I. 2013/3204), rules 1, 134 (with rule 137); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2

Enforcement of orders of [F16 the family court] E+W

34.39.— [F17 (1) A person who wishes to enforce a maintenance order obtained in [F18 the family court] in a State to which paragraph (2) applies must apply for a certified copy of the order and, where required by Practice Direction 34A, a certificate giving particulars relating to the judgment and proceedings in which it was given.

(2) The States referred to in paragraph (1) are—

(a) a Contracting State to the 1968 Convention;

(b) a Contracting State to the 1988 Convention (other than a Member State of the European Union);

(c) a Member State of the European Union;

(d) a State bound by the Lugano Convention (other than a Member State of the European Union); or

(e) a State bound by the 2007 Hague Convention (other than a Member State of the European Union).]

(3) An application under this rule must be made in writing to the court officer and must specify—

(a) the names of the parties to the proceedings;

(b) the date, or approximate date, of the proceedings in which the maintenance order was made and the nature of those proceedings;

(c) the [F19 State] in which the application for recognition or enforcement has been made or is to be made; and

(d) the postal address of the applicant.

(4) The court officer must, on receipt of the application, send a copy of the order to the applicant certified in accordance with F20 ... practice direction [F21 34A] [F22 , [F23 together with a copy of any certificate required by that practice direction]] .

(5) Paragraph (6) applies where—

(a) a maintenance order is registered in [F24 the family court]; and

(b) a person wishes to obtain a certificate giving details of any payments made or arrears accrued under the order while it has been registered, for the purposes of an application made or to be made in connection with that order in—

(i) another Contracting State to the 1968 Convention;

(ii) another Contracting State to the 1988 Convention (other than a Member State of the European Union);

(iii) another [F25 Member State of the European Union];

(iv) another State bound by the Lugano Convention (other than a Member State of the European Union); F26 ...

(v) another part of the United Kingdom [F27 ; or

(vi) another State bound by the 2007 Hague Convention (other than a Member State of the European Union).]

(6) The person wishing to obtain the certificate referred to in paragraph (5) may make a written application to the court officer for the registering court.

(7) On receipt of an application under paragraph (6) the court officer must send to the applicant a certificate giving the information requested.

(Rule 74.12 (application for certified copy of a judgment) and 74.13 (evidence in support) of the CPR apply in relation to the application for a certified copy of a judgment obtained in the High Court or a county court.)

Textual Amendments

F16 Words in rule 34.39 heading substituted (22.4.2014) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No.3) Rules 2013 (S.I. 2013/3204), rules 1, 135(a) (with rule 137); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2

F17 Rule 34.39(1)(2) substituted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 32(a)

F18 Words in rule 34.39(1) substituted (22.4.2014) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No.3) Rules 2013 (S.I. 2013/3204), rules 1, 135(a) (with rule 137); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2

F19 Word in rule 34.39(3)(c) substituted (6.4.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/679), rules 1, 29 (with rule 30)

F20 Word in rule 34.39(4) omitted (20.12.2012) by virtue of The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 32(b)(i)

F21 Word in rule 34.39(4) inserted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 32(b)(ii)

F22 Words in rule 34.39(4) inserted (18.6.2011) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 36(d)

F23 Words in rule 34.39(4) substituted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 32(b)(iii)

F24 Words in rule 34.39(5) substituted (22.4.2014) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No.3) Rules 2013 (S.I. 2013/3204), rules 1, 135(b) (with rule 137); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2

F25 Words in rule 34.39(5)(b)(iii) substituted (18.6.2011) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1328), rules 1, 36(e)

F26 Word in rule 34.39(5)(b)(iv) omitted (20.12.2012) by virtue of The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 32(c)(i)

F27 Rule 34.39(5)(b)(vi) and word substituted for full stop (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 32(c)(ii)

[F28 Enforcement of orders of the High Court or [F29 the family court] E+W

34.40.— (1) This rule applies where a person wishes to enforce a maintenance order obtained in the High Court or [F30 the family court] in a Member State of the European Union or a State bound by the 2007 Hague Convention (other than a Member State of the European Union).

(2) Subject to the requirements of Practice Direction 34A, rules 74.12 (application for a certified copy of a judgment) and 74.13 (evidence in support) of the CPR apply in relation to—

(a) an application under Article 40(2) of the Maintenance Regulation for a certified copy of a judgment and an extract relating to that judgment in the form of Annex II to that Regulation;

(b) an application for a certified copy of a judgment and a certificate giving particulars relating to the judgment and the proceedings in which it was given.]

Textual Amendments

F28 Rule 34.40 substituted (20.12.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 4) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/2806), rules 1, 33

F29 Words in rule 34.40 heading substituted (22.4.2014) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No.3) Rules 2013 (S.I. 2013/3204), rules 1, 136(a) (with rule 137); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2

F30 Words in rule 34.40(1) substituted (22.4.2014) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No.3) Rules 2013 (S.I. 2013/3204), rules 1, 136(b) (with rule 137); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2); and rule 34.40(1) in so far as it still has effect in relation to proceedings which were commenced but not disposed of before 22.4.2014 by virtue of rule 137 is amended (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Family Procedure Rules 2010 and Court of Protection Rules 2017 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/517), regs. 1(1), 19(19)(a)(i) (with reg. 27) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1574, regs. 1, 4(2) and S.I. 2020/1493, regs. 1(1), 8(2)(f)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)