Single set of rules

The Family Procedure Rules will be a single set of rules for all family proceedings in the High Court, county courts and magistrates courts. They will replace the separate rules that currently exist for family proceedings in the different levels of court and will broadly mirror the approach taken for the Civil Procedure Rules. The first stage in this programme, the Family Procedure (Adoption) Rules 2005 (SI 2005 No 2795), giving effect to the Adoption and Children Act 2002 came into force on 30 December 2005. Other existing rules governing family proceedings are still in force.