PART 22E+WEVIDENCE

CHAPTER 2E+WRULES APPLYING ONLY TO PARTICULAR PROCEEDINGS

Availability of witness statements for inspection during the final hearingE+W

22.19.—(1) This rule applies to proceedings under Part 7 (matrimonial and civil partnership proceedings).

(2) A witness statement which stands as evidence in chief(GL) is open to inspection during the course of the final hearing unless the court directs otherwise.

(3) Any person may ask for a direction that a witness statement is not open to inspection.

(4) The court will not make a direction under paragraph (2) unless it is satisfied that a witness statement should not be open to inspection because of—

(a)the interests of justice;

(b)the public interest;

(c)the nature of any expert medical evidence in the statement;

(d)the nature of any confidential information (including information relating to personal financial matters) in the statement; or

(e)the need to protect the interests of any child or protected party.

(5) The court may exclude from inspection words or passages in the witness statement.