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The powers of Masters and district judges in the High Court to grant injunctions by consent, in connection with charging orders and appointments of receivers, and in aid of execution of judgments. It also covers the requirements for applications for search orders and freezing injunctions, the contents of orders for injunctions, and provisions for orders affecting assets in England and Wales and outside the jurisdiction. Penal notices and exceptions to orders are also discussed.
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1.1 High Court Judges and any other Judge duly authorised may grant ‘search orders’^1 and ‘freezing injunctions’^2.
1.2 In a case in the High Court, Masters and district judges have the power to grant injunctions: (1) by consent, (2) in connection with charging orders and appointments of receivers, (3) in aid of execution of judgments.
1.3 In any other case any judge who has jurisdiction to conduct the trial of the action has the power to grant an injunction in that action.
1.4 A Master or district judge has the power to vary or discharge an injunction granted by any Judge with the consent of all the parties.
2.1 The application notice must state: (1) the order sought, and (2) the date, time and place of the hearing.
2.2 The application notice and evidence in support must be served as soon as practicable after issue and in any event not less than 3 days before the court is due to hear the application^3.
2.3 Where the court is to serve, sufficient copies of the application notice and evidence in support for the court and for each respondent should be filed for issue and service.
2.4 Whenever possible a draft of the order sought should be filed with the application notice and a disk containing the draft should also be available to the court in a format compatible with the word processing software used by the court. This will enable the court officer to arrange for any amendments to be incorporated and for the speedy preparation and sealing of the order.
3.1 Applications for search orders and freezing injunctions must be supported by affidavit evidence.
3.2 Applications for other interim injunctions must be supported by evidence set out in either: (1) a witness statement, or
1 Rule 25.1(1)(h). 2 Rule 25.1(1)(f). 3 Rule 23.7(1) and (2) and see rule 23.7(4) (short service).
PRAC TICE DIRECTION P ART 25A
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Part 25A page 1 PRACTICE DIRECTION
(2) a statement of case provided that it is verified by a statement of truth, 1 or (3) the application provided that it is verified by a statement of truth, unless the court, an Act, a rule or a practice direction requires evidence by affidavit.
3.3 The evidence must set out the facts on which the applicant relies for the claim being made against the respondent, including all material facts of which the court should be made aware.
3.4 Where an application is made without notice to the respondent, the evidence must also set out why notice was not given.
(See Part 32 and Practice Direction 32 for information about evidence.)
4.1 These fall into two categories: (1) applications where a claim form has already been issued, and (2) applications where a claim form has not yet been issued, and, in both cases, where notice of the application has not been given to the respondent.
4.2 These applications are normally dealt with at a court hearing but cases of extreme urgency may be dealt with by telephone.
4.3 Applications dealt with at a court hearing after issue of a claim form: (1) the application notice, evidence in support and a draft order (as in 2.4 above) should be filed with the court two hours before the hearing wherever possible, (2) if an application is made before the application notice has been issued, a draft order (as in 2. above) should be provided at the hearing, and the application notice and evidence in support must be filed with the court on the same or next working day or as ordered by the court, and (3) except in cases where secrecy is essential, the applicant should take steps to notify the respondent informally of the application.
4.4 Applications made before the issue of a claim form: (1) in addition to the provisions set out at 4.3 above, unless the court orders otherwise, either the applicant must undertake to the court to issue a claim form immediately or the court will give directions for the commencement of the claim 2 , (2) where possible the claim form should be served with the order for the injunction, (3) an order made before the issue of a claim form should state in the title after the names of the applicant and respondent ‘the Claimant and Defendant in an Intended Action’.
4.5 Applications made by telephone: (1) where it is not possible to arrange a hearing, application can be made between 10.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. weekdays by telephoning the Royal Courts of Justice on 020 7947 6000 and asking to be put in contact with a High Court Judge of the appropriate Division available to deal with an emergency application in a High Court matter. The appropriate district registry may also be contacted by telephone. In county court proceedings, the appropriate county court should be contacted, (2) where an application is made outside those hours the applicant should either – (a) telephone the Royal Courts of Justice on 020 7947 6000 where he will be put in contact with the clerk to the appropriate duty judge in the High Court (or the appropriate area Circuit Judge where known), or
1 See Part 22. 2 Rule 25.2(3).
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES Part 25A page 2 INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Practice direction
The Supervising Solicitor must be experienced in the operation of search orders. A Supervising Solicitor may be contacted either through the Law Society or, for the London area, through the London Solicitors Litigation Association.
(1) the affidavit must state the name, firm and its address, and experience of the Supervising Solicitor, also the address of the premises and whether it is a private or business address, and (2) the affidavit must disclose very fully the reason the order is sought, including the probability that relevant material would disappear if the order were not made.
(1) the order must be served personally by the Supervising Solicitor, unless the court otherwise orders, and must be accompanied by the evidence in support and any documents capable of being copied, (2) confidential exhibits need not be served but they must be made available for inspection by the respondent in the presence of the applicant’s solicitors while the order is carried out and afterwards be retained by the respondent’s solicitors on their undertaking not to permit the respondent – (a) to see them or copies of them except in their presence, and (b) to make or take away any note or record of them, (3) the Supervising Solicitor may be accompanied only by the persons mentioned in the order, (4) the Supervising Solicitor must explain the terms and effect of the order to the respondent in everyday language and advise him – (a) of his right to take legal advice and to apply to vary or discharge the order; and (b) that he may be entitled to avail himself of – (i) legal professional privilege; and (ii) the privilege against self-incrimination. (5) where the Supervising Solicitor is a man and the respondent is likely to be an unaccompanied woman, at least one other person named in the order must be a woman and must accompany the Supervising Solicitor, and (6) the order may only be served between 9.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday unless the court otherwise orders.
(1) no material shall be removed unless clearly covered by the terms of the order, (2) the premises must not be searched and no items shall be removed from them except in the presence of the respondent or a person who appears to be a responsible employee of the respondent, (3) where copies of documents are sought, the documents should be retained for no more than 2 days before return to the owner, (4) where material in dispute is removed pending trial, the applicant’s solicitors should place it in the custody of the respondent’s solicitors on their undertaking to retain it in safekeeping and to produce it to the court when required, (5) in appropriate cases the applicant should insure the material retained in the respondent’s solicitors’ custody,
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES Part 25A page 4 INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Practice direction
(6) the Supervising Solicitor must make a list of all material removed from the premises and supply a copy of the list to the respondent, (7) no material shall be removed from the premises until the respondent has had reasonable time to check the list, (8) if any of the listed items exists only in computer readable form, the respondent must immediately give the applicant’s solicitors effective access to the computers, with all necessary passwords, to enable them to be searched, and cause the listed items to be printed out, (9) the applicant must take all reasonable steps to ensure that no damage is done to any computer or data, (10) the applicant and his representatives may not themselves search the respondent’s computers unless they have sufficient expertise to do so without damaging the respondent’s system, (11) the Supervising Solicitor shall provide a report on the carrying out of the order to the applicant’s solicitors, (12) as soon as the report is received the applicant’s solicitors shall – (a) serve a copy of it on the respondent, and (b) file a copy of it with the court, and (13) where the Supervising Solicitor is satisfied that full compliance with paragraph 7.5(7) and (8) above is impracticable, he may permit the search to proceed and items to be removed without compliance with the impracticable requirements.
The Supervising Solicitor must not be an employee or member of the applicant’s firm of solicitors.
7.7 If the court orders that the order need not be served by the Supervising Solicitor, the reason for so ordering must be set out in the order.
7.8 The search order must not be carried out at the same time as a police search warrant.
7.9 There is no privilege against self incrimination in – (1) Intellectual Property cases in respect of a ‘related offence’ or for the recovery of a ‘related penalty’ as defined in section 72 Senior Courts Act 1981; (2) proceedings for the recovery or administration of any property, for the execution of a trust or for an account of any property or dealings with property, in relation to – (a) an offence under the Theft Act 1968 (see section 31 of the Theft Act 1968^1 ); or (b) an offence under the Fraud Act 2006 (see section 13 of the Fraud Act 2006^2 ) or a related offence within the meaning given by section 13(4) of that Act – that is, conspiracy to defraud or any other offence involving any form of fraudulent conduct or purpose; or (3) proceedings in which a court is hearing an application for an order under Part IV or Part V of the Children Act 1989 (see section 98 Children Act 1989). However, the privilege may still be claimed in relation to material or information required to be disclosed by an order, as regards potential criminal proceedings outside those statutory provisions.
7.10 Applications in intellectual property cases should be made in the Chancery Division.
7.11 An example of a Search Order is annexed to this Practice Direction. This example may be modified as appropriate in any particular case.
1 1968 c. 60. 2 2006 c. 35.
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Part 25A page 5 PRACTICE DIRECTION
Annex
FREEZING INJUNCTION
Before The Honour able Mr J ustice
Claim No.
Dated
Applicant
Respondent
Name , address and reference of Respondent
PENAL NOTICE
IF YOU [ ]^1 OU MA Y BE HELD TO BE IN CONTEMPT OF COURT AND MAY BE IMPRISONEAA D, FINED OR HAVE YAA OUR ASSETS SEIZED.
ANY O PERMITS THE RESPONDENT TO BREA AY ALSO BE HELD TO BE IN CONTEMPT OF COURT AND MAY BE IMPRISONEDAA , FINED OR HA D.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE [ ] DIVISION
[ ]
1 Insert name of Re spondent.
Seal
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Part 25A page 7 PRACTICE DIRECTION
THIS ORDER
FREEZING INJUNCTION
[For injunction limited to assets in England and Wales]
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES Part 25A page 8 INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Practice direction
COSTS
VARIATION OR DISCHARGE OF THIS ORDER
INTERPRETATION OF THIS ORDER
PARTIES OTHER THAN THE APPLICANT AND RESPONDENT
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES Part 25A page 10 INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Practice direction
(c) anyother person, only to the extent that this order is declared enforceable by or is enforced by a court in that country or state. [For worldwide injunction]
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COURT
All communications to the court about this order should be sent to – [Insert the address and telephone number of the appropriate Court Office] If the order is made at the Royal Courts of Justice, communications should be addressed as follows
Where the order is made in the Chancery Division Room TM 5.07, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London WC2A 2LL quoting the case number. The telephone number is 020 7947 6322. Where the order is made in the Queen’s Bench Division Room WG08, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London WC2A 2LL quoting the case number. The telephone number is 020 7947 6010. Where the order is made in the Commercial Court Room EB09, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London WC2A 2LL quoting the case number. The telephone number is 0207 947 6826. The offices are open between 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
SCHEDULE A
AFFIDAVITS
The Applicant relied on the following affidavits– [name] [number of affidavit] [date sworn] [filed on behalf of] (1) (2)
SCHEDULE B
UNDERTAKINGS GIVEN TO THE COURT BY THE APPLICANT
(1) If the court later finds that this order has caused loss to the Respondent, and decides that the Respondent should be compensated for that loss, the Applicant will comply with any order the court may make.
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Part 25A page 11 PRACTICE DIRECTION
SEARCH ORDER
Before The Honour able Mr J ustice
Claim No.
Dated
Applicant
Respondent
Name , address and reference of Respondent
PENAL NOTICE
IF YOU [ ]^1 YOU MAY BE HELD T O BE IN CONTEMPT OF COURT AND MAY BE IMPRISONEAA D, FINED OR HAVE YOUR ASSETS SEIZED.
ANY O PERMITS THE RESPONDENT TO BREA Y ALSO BE HELD TY O BE IN CONTEMPT OF COURT AND MAY BE IMPRISONEAA D, FINED OR HAVE THEIR ASSETS SEIZED.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE [ ] DIVISION
[ ]
1 Inser t name of Re spondent.
Seal
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Part 25A page 13 PRACTICE DIRECTION
THIS ORDER
THE SEARCH
RESTRICTIONS ON SEARCH
1 Where the premises are likely to be occupied by an unaccompanied woman and the Supervising Solicitor is a man, at least one of the persons accompanying him should be a woman. 2 None of these persons should be people who could gain personally or commercially from anything they might read or see on the pre- mises, unless their presence is essential.
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES Part 25A page 14 INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Practice direction
contain any listed items the Respondent must cause the listed items to be displayed so that they can be read and copied 1. The Respondent must provide the Applicant’s Solicitors with copies of all listed items contained in the computers. All reasonable steps shall be taken by the Applicant and the Applicant’s solicitors to ensure that no damage is done to any computer or data. The Applicant and his representatives may not themselves search the Respondent’s computers unless they have sufficient expertise to do so without damaging the Respondent’s system.
PROVISION OF INFORMATION
PROHIBITED ACTS
COSTS
1 If it is envisaged that the Respondent’s computers are to be imaged (i.e. the hard drives are to be copied wholesale, thereby reproducing listed items and other items indiscriminately), special provision needs to be made and independent computer specialists need to be appointed, who should be required to give undertakings to the court. 2 The period should ordinarily be longer than the period in paragraph (2) of Schedule D, if any of the information is likely to be included in listed items taken away of which the Respondent does not have copies.
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES Part 25A page 16 INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Practice direction
RESTRICTIONS ON SERVICE
VARIATION AND DISCHARGE OF THIS ORDER
INTERPRETATION OF THIS ORDER
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE COURT
All communications to the court about this order should be sent to – [Insert the address and telephone number of the appropriate Court Office] If the order is made at the Royal Courts of Justice, communications should be addressed as follows
Where the order is made in the Chancery Division Room TM 5.07, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London WC2A 2LL quoting the case number. The telephone number is 020 7947 6322. Where the order is made in the Queen’s Bench Division Room WG08, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London WC2A 2LL quoting the case number. The telephone number is 020 7947 6010. Where the order is made in the Commercial Court Room EB09, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London WC2A 2LL quoting the case number. The telephone number is 0207 947 6826. The offices are open between 10 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
1 Normally, the order should be served in the morning (not before 9.30 a.m.) and on a weekday to enable the Respondent more readily to obtain legal advice.
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Part 25A page 17 PRACTICE DIRECTION
(v) a note of any allegation of fact made orally to the court where such allegation is not contained in the affidavits or draft affidavits read by the judge; and (vi) a copy of the skeleton argument produced to the court by the Applicant’s [counsel/ solicitors].
(2) The Applicants’ solicitors will answer at once to the best of their ability any question whether a particular item is a listed item.
(3) Subject as provided below the Applicant’s solicitors will retain in their own safe keeping all items obtained as a result of this order until the court directs otherwise.
(4) The Applicant’s solicitors will return the originals of all documents obtained as a result of this order (except original documents which belong to the Applicant) as soon as possible and in any event within [two] working days of their removal.
SCHEDULE E
UNDERTAKINGS GIVEN BY THE SUPERVISING SOLICITOR
(1) The Supervising Solicitor will use his best endeavours to serve this order upon the Respondent and at the same time to serve upon the Respondent the other documents required to be served and referred to in paragraph (1) of Schedule D.
(2) The Supervising Solicitor will offer to explain to the person served with the order its meaning and effect fairly and in everyday language, and to inform him of his right to take legal advice (including an explanation that the Respondent may be entitled to avail himself of the privilege against self-incrimination and legal professional privilege) and to apply to vary or discharge this order as mentioned in paragraph 27 above.
(3) The Supervising Solicitor will retain in the safe keeping of his firm all items retained by him as a result of this order until the court directs otherwise.
(4) Unless and until the court otherwise orders, or unless otherwise necessary to comply with any duty to the court pursuant to this order, the Supervising Solicitor shall not disclose to any person any information relating to those items, and shall keep the existence of such items confidential.
(5) Within [48] hours of completion of the search the Supervising Solicitor will make and provide to the Applicant’s solicitors, the Respondent or his solicitors and to the judge who made this order (for the purposes of the court file) a written report on the carrying out of the order.
SCHEDULE F
AFFIDAVITS
The Applicant relied on the following affidavits– [name] [number of affidavit] [date sworn] [filed on behalf of] (1) (2)
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Part 25A page 19 PRACTICE DIRECTION
NAME AND ADDRESS OF APPLICANT’S SOLICITORS
The Applicant’s solicitors are– [Name, address, reference, fax and telephone numbers both in and out of office hours.]
CIVIL P ROCEDURE RULES Part 25A page 20 INTERIM INJUNCTIONS Practice direction