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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
1991No. 530 (L.3)
MATRIMONIAL CAUSES
SUPREME COURT OF ENGLAND AND WALES
COUNTY COURTS
The Matrimonial Causes (Costs) (Amendment) Rules 1991
Made
7th March 1991
Laid before Parliament
11th March 1991
Coming into force
1st April 1991
We, the authority having power to make rules of court for the purposes mentioned in section 50 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973[1], in exercise of that power and the further power conferred on us by section 64 of the Family Law Act 1986[2], hereby make the following Rules:
1.—(1) These Rules may be cited as the Matrimonial Causes (Costs) (Amendment) Rules 1991 and shall come into force on 1st April 1991.
(2) In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires, a rule or Schedule referred to by number means the rule or Schedule so numbered in the Matrimonial Causes (Costs) Rules 1988[3].
(3) These Rules shall apply for the taxation of the costs of work done on or after 1st April 1991.
2. In rule 11(3), for the sum "£7.50", there shall be substituted the sum "£8.00".
3. For Schedule 2, there shall be substituted the following Schedule—
SCHEDULE 2
"PART I
PREPARATION
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
High Court
County Court
ITEM
1. Writing routine letters
£4.00 per item
£3.50 per item
2.
Receiving routine letters
£2.00 per item
£1.75 per item
3. Routine telephone calls
£4.00 per item
£3.50 per item
4. All other preparation work including any work which was reasonably done arising out of or incidental to the proceedings, interviews with client, witnesses, and other parties; obtaining evidence; preparation and consideration of, and dealing with, documents, negotiations and notices; dealing with letters written and received and telephone calls which are not routine
Where the proceedings were conducted in the divorce registry or in another court on the South-Eastern Circuit at the time when the relevant work was done:
£44.50 per hour
£39.00 per hour
All other circuits
£41.75 per hour
£37.00 per hour
5. In addition to items 1-4 above, to cover the general care and conduct of the proceedings
+50%
+50%
6. Travelling and waiting time in connection with the above matters
£30.50 per hour
£28.00 per hour
PART II
CONFERENCES WITH COUNSEL
7. Attending counsel in conference
£35.50 per hour
£31.00 per hour
8. Travelling and waiting
£30.50 per hour
£28.00 per hour
PART III
ATTENDANCES
9. Attending with counsel at the trial or hearing of any cause or the hearing of any summons or other application at court, or other appointment
£35.50 per hour
£31.00 per hour
10. Attending without counsel at the trial or hearing of any cause or the hearing of any summons or other application at court, or other appointment
£53.50 per hour
£50.50 per hour
11. Travelling and waiting
£30.50 per hour
£28.00 per hour
PART IV
FEES FOR JUNIOR COUNSEL
12. With a brief on an unopposed application for an injunction, or procedural issue
Standard £84.50
£73.00
Maximum £140.00
£121.00
13. With a brief on the trial of a cause or matter or on the hearing of an ancillary application or on a children appointment where the hearing lasts for
(a) one hour
Standard £127.50
£109.00
Maximum £256.00
£218.50
(b) a half day
Standard £176.50
£152.00
Maximum £291.00
£256.00
(c) a full day
Standard £352.00
£304.00
Maximum £559.00
£486.00
(d) more than a full day
Discretionary
Discretionary
14. For each day or part of a day on which the trial of a cause or matter, or the hearing of an ancillary application, or a children appointment, is continued after the first day
Discretionary
Discretionary
15. Conference (including time reasonably spent in preparation and conference, but not otherwise remunerated)
Standard £19.50 per ½ hour
Standard £17.00 per ½ hour
16.
(a) Complex items of written work (such as advices on evidence, opinions and affidavits of a substantial nature, requests for particulars or answers)
Standard £92.00 per item
Standard £79.00 per item
(b) All other written work
Standard £54.50 per item
£48.00 per item
17. Except where the court is within 25 miles of Charing Cross or where there is no local Bar in the court town, or within 25 miles thereof, for travelling time
Standard £17.70 per hour + expenses
Standard £15.20 per hour + expenses
PART V
TAXATION AND REVIEW OF TAXATION
18. Preparing the bill (where allowable) and completing the taxation (excluding preparing for and attending the taxation)
£30.50—£85.50
£30.50—£48.75
19. Preparing for and attending the taxation (including travelling and waiting)
Discretionary
Discretionary
20. Review by registrar or judge (including preparation)
These Rules amend the Matrimonial Causes (Costs) Rules 1988 so as to revise the prescribed rates of costs.
ISBN 0 11 013530 X
Notes:
[1] 1973 c. 18; section 50 was amended by the Domicile and Matrimonial Proceedings Act 1973 (c. 45), section 6(2), by the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (c. 63), Schedule, by the Children Act 1975 (c. 72), Schedule 3, paragraph 79, by the Administration of Justice Act 1977 (c. 38), Schedule 5, Part VI, by the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Act 1978 (c. 22), Schedule 2, paragraph 40, by the Matrimonial Homes Act 1983 (c. 19), Schedule 2, by the County Courts Act 1984 (c. 28), section 148, Schedule 2, Part V, paragraph 44, by the Family Law Act 1986 (c. 55), section 64, Schedule 1, paragraph 15 and by the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41), section 125(3), Schedule 18, paragraph 3. back