Guidance
Family Procedure Rules 2010 Practice Directions - April 2020 update
New Pilot Practice Direction 36Q, new Practice Directions 5C, 25G, 41A and 41B, and amendments to Practice Directions 17A, 12G and 14E come into force in April 2020.
Applies to England and Wales
Documents
Details
The following amendments or insertions have been made.
| Practice Direction | Details |
|---|---|
| New Pilot Practice Direction 36Q | Pilot PD36Q modifies PD12B (Child arrangements programme) to provide temporary local flexibility over procedures for progressing applications for Child Arrangements Orders. This modification is made to ensure that Child Arrangements Orders may continue to be applied for, applications progressed and orders made, varied or discharged without endangering public health, and taking account of available resources during the coronavirus pandemic. Pilot PD36Q will expire on 30 October 2020. |
| Practice Direction 17A (Statements of truth) | This amendment inserts a new provision to ensure that all references within PD17A to a statement of truth being “signed” are read to include an electronic signature, where a standard form or an online application process makes provision for an electronic signature. |
These changes come into effect on 23 April 2020. You can find further details in the attached document PD Making April 2020-1.
| Practice Direction | Details |
|---|---|
| Practice Directions 12G (Communication of information) and 14E (Communication of information relating to proceedings) | This amendment will enable disclosure of information from family proceedings held in private to the Welsh Language Commissioner to support the Commissioner in deciding whether to consider exercising their powers, without this disclosure being a potential contempt of court. |
These changes come into effect on 30 April 2020. You can find further details in the attached document PD Making April 2020-1.
| Practice Direction | Details |
|---|---|
| New Practice Direction 5C (Communications with the court) | After Practice Direction 5B insert the new Practice Direction 5C which makes provision in relation to the requirement to disclose and, if in writing, to copy any communication with the court to the other parties or their representatives. |
| New Practice Direction 25G (Toxicology test evidence) | After Practice Direction 25F insert the new Practice Direction 25G which applies whenever a person seeks to put expert evidence before a court in the form of or based on toxicology testing carried out on a person with a view to establishing whether such testing provides evidence of the abuse of drugs or alcohol. |
| New Practice Direction 41A (Proceeding by electronic means: certain proceedings for a matrimonial order) and Practice Direction 41B (Proceeding by electronic means: procedure for an application for a consent order for financial remedy in connection with divorce proceedings) | After Practice Direction 40A insert the new Practice Direction 41A and the new Practice Direction 41B set out in Annex 3 to the attached document PD Making 2020-2 |
These changes come into effect on 6 April 2020.