The Children (Admissibility of Hearsay Evidence) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

1996 No. 301

EVIDENCE

The Children (Admissibility of Hearsay Evidence) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996

Made

18th July 1996

To be laid before Parliament

Coming into operation

4th November 1996

The Lord Chancellor, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Article 169(5) of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995(1) hereby makes the following Order:—

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Children (Admissibility of Hearsay Evidence) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996 and shall come into operation on 4th November 1996.

Admissibility of hearsay evidence

2.  In—

(a) civil proceedings before the High Court or a county court; and

(b) civil proceedings under the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 or under the Child Support (Northern Ireland) Order 1991(2) in a magistrates' court

evidence given in connection with the upbringing, maintenance or welfare of a child shall be admissible notwithstanding any rule of law relating to hearsay.

Mackay of Clashfern, C.

Dated 18th July 1996.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order specifies the type of court proceedings in which evidence may be given in connection with the upbringing, maintenance or welfare of a child notwithstanding that the evidence in question would otherwise be inadmissible because of the “hearsay rule” in the law of evidence.

(1)

S.I. 1995/755 (N.I. 2)

(2)

S.I. 1991/2628 (N.I. 23)