The Standing Civilian Courts (Evidence) Rules 2006

Application for an excepting direction under section 46(9) of the Act

14.—(1) An application for an excepting direction under section 46(9) of the Act (a direction dispensing with restrictions imposed by a reporting direction) may be made by—

(a) a party to those proceedings; or

(b) any person who, although not a party to the proceedings, is directly affected by a reporting restriction given in relation to a witness in those proceedings.

(2) If an application for an excepting direction is made, the applicant must state why—

(a) the effect of a reporting direction imposed places a substantial and unreasonable restriction on the reporting of the proceedings; and

(b) it is in the public interest to remove or relax those restrictions.

(3) An application for an excepting direction may be made in writing, pursuant to paragraph (4), at any time after the commencement of the proceedings in the court or orally at a hearing of an application for a reporting direction.

(4) If the application for an excepting direction is made in writing it must be in Form B of Schedule 2 to these Rules (or a form to the like effect) and the applicant shall send that application to the court administration officer and copies shall be sent at the same time to every party to those proceedings.

(5) Any person served with a copy of an application for an excepting direction who wishes to oppose it, must notify the applicant and court administration officer in writing of his opposition and give reasons for it.

(6) The notification under paragraph (5) must be given within 5 working days of the date the application was served on him unless an extension of time is granted under rule 16.