Consultation outcome

Vulnerable witnesses practice direction

This consultation has concluded

Detail of outcome

This consultation closed on 17 March 2015 and has been concluded. The new practice direction was implemented in November 2017. The rules can be accessed at the Justice website.


Original consultation

Summary

A consultation on the proposed practice direction to facilitate vulnerable witnesses in family proceedings.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

This is a consultation relating to new draft Practice Direction 3AA, Vulnerable persons: participation in proceedings and giving evidence. This is intended to support a new Part 3A of the Family Procedure Rules. Part 3A remains in draft and is included for convenience but does not form part of this consultation.

The Practice Direction has been developed following the publication in March 2015 of the final report of the judicial Working Group on Vulnerable Witnesses and Children jointly chaired by Russell J and Hayden J. The Working Group was set up by the President of the Family Division to review existing Family Justice Council guidance on children meeting judges and on children giving evidence and to address the wider issue of vulnerable people giving evidence in family proceedings. The Family Practice Rules Committee consulted last year on a set of draft new Part 3A rules.

Documents

Vulnerable witnesses practice direction consultation

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email web.comments@justice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Vulnerable witnesses practice direction consultation letter

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email web.comments@justice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Draft Practice Direction 3AA

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email web.comments@justice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Draft Part 3A: Family Procedure Rule

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email web.comments@justice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Updates to this page

Published 23 February 2017
Last updated 1 August 2018 + show all updates
  1. Consultation closed.

  2. First published.

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