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see also Part, Practice Direction 2

# Practice Direction – Court Documents This Practice Direction supplements Part 2, rule 9(4) of the Family Procedure (Adoption) Rules 2005

## Form of Documents

### 1.1

Documents drafted by a legal representative should bear his/her signature and if they are drafted by a legal representative as a member or employee of a firm they should be signed in the name of the firm.

### 1.2

Every document prepared by a party for filing or use at the court must –

(1) unless the nature of the document renders it impracticable, be on A4 paper of durable quality having a margin, not less than 3.5 centimetres wide;

(2) be fully legible and should normally be typed;

(3) where possible be bound securely in a manner which would not hamper filing or otherwise each page should be endorsed with the case number;

(4) have the pages numbered consecutively;

(5) be divided into numbered paragraphs;

(6) have all numbers, including dates, expressed as figures; and

(7) give in the margin the reference of every document mentioned that has already been filed.

### 1.3

A document which is a copy produced by a colour photostat machine or other similar device may be filed at the court office provided that the coloured date seal of the court is not reproduced on the copy.

## Documents for filing at court

### 2.1

The date on which a document was filed at court must be recorded on the document. This may be done by a seal or a receipt stamp.

### 2.2

Particulars of the date of delivery at a court office of any document for filing and the title of the proceedings in which the document is filed shall be entered in court records, on the court file or on a computer kept in the court office for the purpose. Except where a document has been delivered at the court office through the post, the time of delivery should also be recorded.

### 2.3

Where the court orders any document to be lodged in court, the document must, unless otherwise directed, be deposited in the office of that court.

### 2.4

A document filed, lodged or held in any court office shall not be taken out of that office without the permission of the court unless the proceedings are transferred to another court in accordance with the Children (Allocation of Proceedings) Order 19911.

## Footnotes

1. S.I. 1991/1677.

Published by TSO on behalf of the Ministry of Justice

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.

An application can be made via the OPSI website (opens in a new window) or by e-mailing: licensing@opsi.gov.uk

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