(This note is not part of the Rules)

These Rules amend the Rules of the Supreme Court 1965 so as—

a

to make provision for the issue of writs when the Admiralty and Commercial registry is closed and for this and any other purposes to define the term “FAX(rules 2 to 6);

b

to extend the circumstances in which service of a writ out of the jurisdiction is permissible to cover claims made under the Financial Services Act 1986 (rule 7);

c

to make provision for the disposal of cases on points of law or construction (rules 8 to 10);

d

to require a defendant to serve his defence on every other party to the action who may be affected by it (rule 11);

e

to clarify the procedure on appeal to the High Court where a case is stated by a tribunal or other body of its own motion (rule 12);

f

to enable the Court of Appeal to revise amounts of damages awarded by juries in all cases where the Court considers them excessive or inadequate (rule 13);

g

to provide for the service of documents by facsimile transmission and to amend the rules governing the service of documents through a document exchange (rule 14);

h

to abolish the requirement for specially endorsed affidavits in mortgage possession actions (rule 15);

i

to establish procedural requirements in relation to certain proceedings under the Companies Act 1989 (rule 16);

j

to provide that applications under section 245B(1) of the Companies Act 1985 be made by originating motion (rule 17);

k

to admit hearsay evidence in summary proceedings for the possession of land (rules 18 and 19);

l

to include those instruments referred to in the Contracts (Applicable Law) Act 1990 in the list of instruments whose interpretation may be referred to the European Court (rule 20);

m

to correct an error in the Rules of the Supreme Court (Amendment No. 2) 1990 (rule 21).