Service of Document
31.—(1) Service of any document may be effected—
(a)by leaving the document at the proper address of the person to be served, or
(b)by sending it by post to that address, or
(c)by leaving it at a document exchange as provided for in paragraph (3) of this rule; or
(d)by FAX as provided for in paragraph (4) of this rule; or
(e)in such other manner (including electronic means) as the chancellor or registrar may direct.
(2) For the purpose of this rule, and of the Interpretation Act 1978 in its application to this rule, the proper address of any person on whom a document is to be served under this rule shall be—
(a)his usual or last known address, or
(b)the business address of the solicitor (if any) who is acting for him in the proceedings.
(3) Where—
(a)the proper address for service includes a numbered box at a document exchange; or
(b)there is inscribed on the writing paper of the party on whom the document is served (where such party acts in person) or on the writing paper of his solicitor (where such party acts by solicitor) a document exchange box number, and such a party or his solicitor (as the case may be) has not indicated in writing to the party serving the document that he is unwilling to accept service through a document exchange,
service of the document may be effected by leaving the document addressed to that numbered box at that document exchange or at a document exchange which transmits documents every business day to that document exchange; and any document which is left at a document exchange in accordance with this paragraph shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to have been served on the second business day following the day on which it is left.
(4) Service by FAX may be effected where
(a)the party serving the document acts by a solicitor;
(b)the party on whom the document is served acts by a solicitor and service is effected by transmission to the business address of such a solicitor; and
(c)the solicitor acting for the party on whom the document is served has indicated in writing to the solicitor serving the document that he is willing to accept service by FAX at a specified FAX number and the document is transmitted to that number and for this purpose the inscription of a FAX number on the writing paper of a solicitor shall be deemed to indicate that such a solicitor is willing to accept service by FAX unless he has indicated in writing that he is not prepared to do so.
(5) Any document required by these Rules to be submitted to the diocesan registry may be delivered at the registry, or sent by post properly addressed to the registrar at the registry.