Civil Procedure Act, 1833

CIVIL PROCEDURE ACT 1833

C A P. XLII.

An Act for the further Amendment of the Law, and the better Advancement of Justice. [14th August 1833.]

Judges to have Power to make Alterations in the Mode of pleading in the Superior Courts, &c.

Not to deprive any Person of the Power of pleading the General Issue.

Whereas it would greatly contribute to the diminishing of Expence in Suits in the Superior Courts of Common Law at Westminster if the Pleadings therein were in some respects altered, and the Questions to be tried by the Jury left less at large than they now are according to the Course and Practice of pleading in several Forms of Action; but this cannot be conveniently done otherwise than by Rules or Orders of the Judges of the said Courts from Time to Time to be made, and Doubts may arise as to the Power of the said Judges to make such Alterations without the Authority of Parliament:’ Be it therefore enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the Judges of the said Superior Courts, or any Eight or more of them, of whom the Chiefs of each of the said Courts shall be Three, shall and may, by any Rule or Order to be from Time to Time by them made, in Term or Vacation, at any Time within Five Years from the Time when this Act shall take effect, make such Alterations in the Mode of pleading in the said Courts, and in the Mode of entering and transcribing Pleadings, Judgments, and other Proceedings in Actions at Law, and such Regulations as to the Payment of Costs, and otherwise for carrying into effect the said Alterations, as to them may seem expedient; and all such Rules, Orders, or Regulations shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament, if Parliament be then sitting, immediately upon the making of the same, or if Parliament be not sitting, then within Five Days after the next Meeting thereof, and no such Rule, Order, or Regulation shall have Effect until Six Weeks after the same shall have been so laid before both Houses of Parliament; and any Rule or Order so made shall, from and after such Time aforesaid, be binding and obligatory on the said Courts, and all other Courts of Common Law, and on all Courts of Error into which the Judgments of the said Courts or any of them shall be carried by any Writ of Error, and be of the like Force and Effect as if the Provisions contained therein had been expressly enacted by Parliament: Provided always, that no such Rule or Order shall have the Effect of depriving any Person of the Power of pleading the General Issue, and giving the special Matter in Evidence, in any Case wherein he is now or hereafter shall be entitled to do so by virtue of any Act of Parliament now or hereafter to be in force.