The County Court Rules 1981

ORDER 2OFFICES

Courts to have offices

1.  Every court shall have an office or, if the Lord Chancellor so directs, two or more offices, situated at such place or places as he may direct, for the transaction of the business of the court.

Days of opening

2.—(1) Every court office or, if a court has two or more offices, at least one of those offices, shall be open on every day of the year except—

(a)Saturdays and Sundays,

(b)the day before Good Friday from noon onwards and Good Friday,

(c)the Tuesday after the spring holiday,

(d)Christmas Eve or—

(i)if that day is a Saturday, then 23rd December,

(ii)if that day is a Sunday or a Tuesday, then 27th December,

(e)Christmas Day and, if that day is a Friday or Saturday, then 28th December,

(f)bank holidays, and

(g)such other days as the Lord Chancellor may by general or special order direct.

(2) In the foregoing paragraph “bank holiday” means a bank holiday in England and Wales under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971and “spring holiday” means the bank holiday on the last Monday in May or any day appointed instead of that day under section 1(2) of that Act.

Hours of opening

3.  Subject to rule 2(1)(b), the hours during which any court office is open to the public shall be such as the Lord Chancellor may by general or special order direct.

Filing of documents

4.  In these rules any reference to filing a document is a reference to filing it in the court office by delivering it to the proper officer for entry by him in the records of the court.

Conduct of business by post

5.—(1) Any act that may be done by a party in the office of a county court by attendance at the office may be done by post, provided that the party sends to the court office by prepaid post in an envelope addressed to the proper officer—

(a)such documents as he would have been required to produce at the court office if he had attended, and

(b)any court fees which are payable and any money which is to be paid or tendered to a witness in accordance with Order 20, rule 12, or to a judgment debtor in accordance with Order 28, rule 2(4) or 4(2), and

(c)an envelope addressed to himself,

and they are duly received by the proper officer.

(2) Nothing in this rule shall affect any duty of a party to be present at any proceedings before the judge or the registrar in court or in chambers.