Family Law

The Lord Chief Justice has issued an updated Practice Direction on committal for contempt of court in open court.

Except in relation to proceedings for contempt of court to which part 81 of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 apply, this Practice Direction applies to all proceedings for committal for contempt of court, including contempt in the face of the court, whether arising under any statutory or inherent jurisdiction and, particularly, supplements the provisions relating to contempt of court, the Family Procedure Rules 2010, the Court of Protection Rules 2007, and the Criminal Procedure Rules 2014 and any related Practice Directions supplementing those various provisions.

Except to the extent that Part 81 of the Civil Procedure Rules applies, this Practice Direction  applies in all courts in England and Wales, including the Court of Protection, and supersedes the Practice Guidance: Committal for Contempt [2013] 1 WLR 1326, dated 3 May 2013; Practice Guidance (Committal Proceedings: Open Court) (No. 2) [2013] 1 WLR 1753, dated 4 June 2013; and President’s Circular: Committals Family Court Practice 2024 at 2976, dated 2 August 2013.

You can read the Practice Direction here.