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The Family Procedure Rules 2010
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[F1Access to and inspection of documents retained in courtE+W
This section has no associated Explanatory Memorandum
29.12.—(1) Except as provided by this rule or by any other rule or Practice Direction, no document [F2or copy of a document] filed or lodged in the court office shall be open to inspection by any person without the permission of the court, and no copy of any such document [F3or copy] shall be taken by, or issued to, any person without such permission.
(2) A copy of an order made in open court will be issued to any person who requests it.
(3) Subject to rules 14.24 and 29.1(2) and to any direction given by the court, a party to any family proceedings, or the legal representative, children’s guardian or litigation friend for a party in any family proceedings, may have a search made for, and may inspect, and obtain a copy of, any document [F4or copy of a document] filed or lodged in the court office in those proceedings.
(4) Any person who intends to make an application in relation to a child under the 1980 Hague Convention in a Contracting State (as defined in rule 12.44) other than the United Kingdom shall, if the court is satisfied that that person intends to make such an application, be entitled to obtain a copy bearing the seal(GL) of the court of any order made in relation to the child under the 1989 Act or under the inherent jurisdiction, whether or not that person was a party to the proceedings in which the order was made.
[F5(5) For the purposes of this rule, “document” and “copy” have the meanings given in rule 21.1(3).]]
Textual Amendments
F1Rule 29.12 substituted (6.4.2012) by The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/679), rules 1, 25 (with rule 30)
F2Words in rule 29.12(1) inserted (7.12.2015) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2015 (S.I. 2015/1868), rules 1(2), 8(a)(i)
F3Words in rule 29.12(1) inserted (7.12.2015) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2015 (S.I. 2015/1868), rules 1(2), 8(a)(ii)
F4Words in rule 29.12(3) inserted (7.12.2015) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2015 (S.I. 2015/1868), rules 1(2), 8(b)
F5Rule 29.12(5) inserted (7.12.2015) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2015 (S.I. 2015/1868), rules 1(2), 8(c)
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