The Criminal Procedure Rules 2014

Service by leaving or posting a document

4.4.—(1) A document may be served by addressing it to the person to be served and leaving it at the appropriate address for service under this rule, or by sending it to that address by first class post or by the equivalent of first class post.

(2) The address for service under this rule on—

(a) an individual is an address where it is reasonably believed that he or she will receive it;

(b) a corporation is its principal office, and if there is no readily identifiable principal office then any place where it carries on its activities or business;

(c) an individual or corporation who is legally represented in the case is that representative’s office;

(d) the prosecution is the prosecutor’s office;

(e) the court officer is the relevant court office; and

(f) the Registrar of Criminal Appeals is the Criminal Appeal Office, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL.

(3) In this rule, ‘the relevant court office’ means—

(a) in relation to a case in a magistrates’ court or in the Crown Court, the office at which that court’s business is administered by court staff;

(b) in relation to an extradition appeal case in the High Court, the Administrative Court Office, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London WC2A 2LL.

[Note. In addition to service in England and Wales for which these rules provide, service outside England and Wales may be allowed under other legislation. See—

(a) section 39 of the Criminal Law Act 1977(1) (service of summons, etc. in Scotland and Northern Ireland);

(b) section 1139(4) of the Companies Act 2006(2) (service of copy summons, etc. on company’s registered office in Scotland and Northern Ireland);

(c) sections 3, 4, 4A and 4B of the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003(3) (service of summons, etc. outside the United Kingdom) and rules 32.1 and 32.2; and

(d) section 1139(2) of the Companies Act 2006 (service on overseas company).]

(1)

1977 c. 45; sub-section (1) was substituted by section 331 of, and paragraph 6 of Schedule 36 to, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44). Sub-section (3) was amended by section 83 of, and paragraph 79 of Schedule 7 to, the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 62).

(2)

2006 c. 46.

(3)

2003 c. 32; sections 4A and 4B were inserted by section 331 of, and paragraph 16 of Schedule 36 to, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44).