Family Procedure Rules

Family Procedure Rules
Web Version 
Practice Direction - Practice Directions Relating to Family Proceedings in Force before 6th April 2011 which Support the Family Procedure Rules 2010
Part 1 - Overriding Objective
Part 2 - Application and Interpretation of the Rules (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Part 2 - Application and Interpretation of the Rules (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 2A - Functions of the Court in the Family Procedure Rules 2010 and Practice Directions which may be performed by a single lay justice (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Practice Direction 2A - Functions of the Court in the Family Procedure Rules 2010 and Practice Directions which may be performed by a single lay justice (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 2B – References in the Rules to Actions Done by the Court or by a Court Officer
Practice Direction 2C – Justices’ legal adviser (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 2C – Justices’ legal adviser (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Part 3 - Non-court Dispute Resolution
Practice Direction 3A - Family Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings (MIAMS)
Part 3A - Vulnerable persons participation in proceedings and giving evidence 
Practice Direction 3AA - Vulnerable persons: participation in proceedings and giving evidence 
Practice Direction 3AB – Prohibition of cross-examination in person in family proceedings under Part 4B of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 
Part 4 - General Case Management Powers
Practice Direction 4A - Striking Out a Statement of Case
Practice Direction 4B - Civil Restraint Orders
Part 5 - Forms, start of proceedings and communication with the court

Practice Direction 5A - Forms (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)

Practice Direction 5A - Forms (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)

 
Practice Direction 5B - Communication and filing of documents by e-mail 
Practice Direction 5C – Communications with the court 
Practice Direction 5D: Procedure for bulk scanning of certain documents  
Part 6 - Service (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Part 6 - Service  (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 6A - Service Within the Jurisdiction (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Practice Direction 6A - Service Within the Jurisdiction (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 6B - Service Out of the Jurisdiction
Practice Direction 6C - Disclosure of Addresses by Government Departments (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Practice Direction 6C - Disclosure of Addresses by Government Departments (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Part 7 - Procedure for Applications in Matrimonial and Civil Partnership Proceedings (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Part 7 - Procedure for Applications in Matrimonial and Civil Partnership Proceedings (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 7A - Procedure for Applications in Matrimonial and Civil Partnership Proceedings (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Practice Direction 7A - Procedure for Applications in Matrimonial and Civil Partnership Proceedings (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 7B - Medical Examinations on Applications for Annulment of a Marriage (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Practice Direction 7B - Medical Examinations on Applications for Annulment of a Marriage (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 7C - Polygamous Marriages (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Practice Direction 7C - Polygamous Marriages (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 7D - The Gender Recognition Act 2004
Part 8 - Procedure for Miscellaneous Applications
Practice Direction 8A - Where to start certain proceedings
Part 9 - Applications for a Financial Remedy (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Part 9 - Applications for a Financial Remedy (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 9A - Application for a Financial Remedy (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Practice Direction 9A - Application for a Financial Remedy (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 9B - Communication of information from financial remedy proceedings 
Part 10 - Applications under Part 4 of the Family Law Act 1996
Practice Direction 10A - Part 4 of the Family Law Act 1996
Part 11 - Applications under Part 4A of the Family Law Act 1996
Practice Direction 11A: Notification of certain protection orders to the police 
Part 12 - Proceedings Relating to Children Except Parental Order Proceedings and Proceedings for Applications in Adoption, Placement and Related Proceedings
Practice Direction 12A - Care, Supervision and Other Part 4 Proceedings: Guide to Case Management
Practice Direction 12B - Child Arrangements Programme
Practice Direction 12C - Service of Application in Certain Proceedings Relating to Children
Practice Direction 12D - Inherent Jurisdiction (Including Wardship) Proceedings
Practice Direction 12E - Urgent Business
Practice Direction 12F - International Child Abduction
Practice Direction 12G - Communication of Information
Practice Direction 12H - Contribution Orders
Practice Direction 12I - Applications for Reporting Restriction Orders
Practice Direction 12J - Child Arrangements and Contact Order: Domestic Violence and Harm
Practice Direction 12K - Children Act 1989: Exclusion Requirement
Practice Direction 12L - Children Act 1989:Risk Assessments under Section 16A
Practice Direction 12M - Family Assistance Orders: Consultation
Practice Direction 12N - Enforcement of Children Act 1989 Child Arrangements Orders: Disclosure and Information to Officers of the National Probation Service
Practice Direction 12O - Child: Arrival by air
Practice Direction 12P - Removal from Jurisdiction: Issue of Passports
Practice Direction 12Q - Orders under section 91(14) of the Children Act 1989 
Part 13 - Proceedings Under Section 54 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008
Part 14 - Procedure for Applications in Adoption, Placement and Related Proceedings
Practice Direction 14A - Who Receives a Copy of the Application Form for Orders in Proceedings
Practice Direction 14B - The First Directions Hearing - Adoptions with a Foreign Element
Practice Direction 14C - Reports by the Adoption Agency or Local Authority
Practice Direction 14D - Reports by a Registered Medical Practitioner ('Health Reports')
Practice Direction 14E - Communication of Information Relating to Proceedings
Practice Direction 14F - Disclosing Information to an Adopted Adult
Part 15 - Representation of Protected Parties
Practice Direction 15A - Protected Parties
Practice Direction 15B - Adults Who May be Protected Parties and Children Who May Become Protected Parties in Family Proceedings
Part 16 - Representation of Children and Reports in Proceedings Involving Children
Practice Direction 16A - Representation of Children
Part 17 - Statements of Truth
Practice Direction 17A - Statements of Truth
Part 18 - Procedure for other Applications in Proceedings
Practice Direction 18A - Other Applications in Proceedings
Part 19 - Alternative Procedure for Applications
Practice Direction 19A - Alternative Procedure for Applications
Part 20 - Interim Remedies and Security for Costs
Practice Direction 20A - Interim Remedies
Part 21 - Miscellaneous Rules about Disclosure and Inspection of Documents
Practice Direction 21A - Disclosure and Inspection
Part 22 - Evidence
Practice Direction 22A - Written Evidence
Part 23 - Miscellaneous Rules about Evidence
Part 24 - Witnesses and depositions generally (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Part 24 - Witnesses and depositions generally (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 24A - Witnesses and Depositions generally
Part 25 - Experts and Assessors (applicable to applications issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022)
Part 25 - Experts and Assessors (applicable to applications issued by the court before 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 25A - Experts and Assessors in Family Proceedings
Practice Direction 25B - The Duties of an Expert, the Expert's Report and Arrangements for an Expert to Attend Court
Practice Direction 25C - Children Proceedings - the Use of Single Joint Experts and the Process Leading to an Expert Being Instructed or Expert Evidence Being Put Before the Court
Practice Direction 25D - Financial Remedy Proceedings and Other Family Proceedings (Except Children Proceedings) - the Use of Single Joint Experts and the Process Leading to Expert Evidence Being Put Before the Court
Practice Direction 25E - Discussions Between Experts in Family Proceedings
Practice Direction 25F - Assessors in Family Proceedings
Practice Direction 25G – Toxicology test evidence 
Part 26 - Change of Solicitor
Practice Direction 26A - Change of Solicitor
Part 27 - Hearings and Directions Appointments
Practice Direction 27A - Family Proceedings: Court Bundles (Universal Practice to be Applied in the High Court and Family Court)
Practice Direction 27B - Attendance of Media Representatives or duly authorised lawyers at Hearings in Family Proceedings
Practice Direction 27C: Attendance of IDVAs and ISVAs (comes into force 6 April 2023) 
Part 28 - Costs
Practice Direction 28A - Costs
Part 29 - Miscellaneous
Practice Direction 29A - Human Rights, Joining the Crown
Practice Direction 29B - Human Rights Act 1998
Practice Direction 29C – Transfer of proceedings from the family court to the high court 
Practice Direction 29D – Court officers making corrections to orders 
Part 30 - Appeals
Practice Direction 30A - Appeals
Practice Direction 30B - Appeals - Transparency  
Part 31 - Registration of Orders under the Council Regulation, the Civil Partnership (Jurisdiction and Recognition of Judgments) Regulations 2005 and under the Hague Convention 1996
Practice Direction 31A - Registration of Orders under the 1996 Hague Convention
Part 32 - Registration and Enforcement of Orders
Practice Direction 32A – Forms Relating to Part 32
Part 33 - Enforcement
Practice Direction 33A - Enforcement of Undertakings
Part 34 - Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders
Practice Direction 34A - Reciprocal Enforcement of Mainenance Orders
Practice Direction 34B - Tracing Payers Overseas
Practice Direction 34C - REVOKED
Practice Direction 34D – Form Relating to Part 34
Practice Direction 34E – Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders – Designated Family Judge Areas
Part 35 - REVOKED
Practice Direction 35A - REVOKED
Part 36 - Transitional Arrangements and Pilot Schemes
Practice Direction 36A - Transitional Arrangements

Practice Direction 36C - Expired 31 March 2014

 

Practice Direction 36D - Pilot scheme: procedure for using an online system to generate applications in certain proceedings for a matrimonial order  

 
Practice Direction 36E - Pilot Scheme: Procedure for online filing of applications in certain proceedings for a matrimonial order
Practice Direction 36F - expired 23 July 2018 
Practice Direction 36G - Pilot Scheme: Procedure for using an online system to generate applications in certain private law proceedings relating to children 
Practice Direction 36H - REVOKED  
Practice Direction 36I – expired 31 March 2020 
Practice Direction 36J - expired 30 September 2021 
Practice Direction 36K – expired 3 April 2022
Practice Direction 36L - Pilot Scheme: Procedure for using an online system to complete certain stages of certain proceedings for a matrimonial order 
Practice Direction 36M expired 31 March 2022 

Practice Direction 36N - Pilot Scheme: Procedure for online filing and progression of certain applications for or in relation to a financial remedy

 
Practice Direction 36O - expired 3 April 2022 
Practice Direction 36P – Pilot Scheme: Placement proceedings: procedure for specified steps to be taken via the online system 
Practice Direction 36Q: expired 31 March 2022 
Practice Direction 36R – expired 31 March 2022 
Practice Direction 36S – expired 31 March 2021 
Practice Direction 36T – expired 31 May 2021  
Practice Direction 36U – expired 30 September 2021 
Practice Direction 36V – Pilot scheme: Family mediation voucher scheme 
Practice Direction 36W – expired 30 September 2022 
Practice Direction 36X – expired 5 April 2022 
Practice Direction 36Y – expired 1 April 2023 
Practice Direction 36Z - Pilot Scheme: private law reform: Investigative approach  
Practice Direction 36ZA – Pilot Scheme: procedure for notification to the police by email of certain orders made under part 4 of the family law act 1996 
Practice Direction 36ZB: Pilot scheme: procedure for using an online system to complete and file certain applications for an adoption order (comes into force 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 36ZC: Pilot scheme: procedure for using an online system to complete certain proceedings for a matrimonial order or civil partnership order (new law) (comes into force 6 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 36ZD – pilot scheme: online system for certain private law proceedings relating to children, certain protective orders and certain appeals (comes into force 20 April 2022)  
Practice Direction 36ZE – Pilot Provision: Temporary modification of practice directions 2C, 5B, 12A and 12B  
Practice Direction 36ZF – Pilot scheme: Public law outline: Checklists (comes into force January 2024) 
Part 37 - Applications and proceedings in relation to contempt of court
Practice Direction 37A - Applications and Proceedings in Relation to Contempt of Court
Part 38 - Recognition and enforcement of protection measures

Practice Direction 38A – Recognition and Enforcement of Protection Measures
Part 39 - Attachment of earnings 
Part 40 - Charging order, stop order, stop notice 
Practice Direction 40A - Charging order, stop orders, stop notices 
PART 41 - Proceeding by electronic means 
Practice Direction 41A - Proceeding by electronic means: certain proceedings for a matrimonial order 
Practice Direction 41B - Proceeding by electronic means: procedure for an application for a consent order for a financial remedy in connection with divorce proceedings 
Practice Direction 41C – Proceeding by electronic means: appeals in family proceedings heard in the High Court 
Practice Direction 41D – Proceeding by electronic means: public law proceedings and emergency proceedings relating to children  
Practice Direction 41E – Procedure for using an online system to complete and file certain applications for an adoption order 
Applications to reproduce the material in this value added publication should be addressed to Office of Public Sector Information, Information Policy Team, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU.
Ministry of Justice

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