By email only:
/ Central Management Team
Laganside House
23-27 Oxford Street
Belfast BT1 3LA
Telephone: 028 90 328594
Fax: 028 9041 8945
Email:
Our ref: FOI 166/14
Date: 4 November 2014
Dear Ms Girvan,
SUBJECT: Freedom of Information Request
We write in response to your email in which you seek the following details:
With regard Proceeding ID 14/035394 originally listed for hearing at Newtownards Crown Court on 9 June 2014 please provide information to confirm:
(i) how the matters listed for hearing were originally settled;
(ii) if the matters were settled between the parties, did they advised the Court with regards the basis of their agreed settlement;
(iii) if the parties advised the Court please supply confirmation of the date the confirmation of the settlement was received; and
(iv) under what terms the parties advised the Court that the matters listed for hearing under Proceedings ID 14/035394 were being settled?
Your request which was received on 30 October 2014has been handled under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI).
We regret to advise you that your request is refused as the information you have requested is exempt under Section 32(1) of FOI. Section 32 is an absolute exemption and is not subject to the balance of the public interest test. The duty to confirm or deny whether the information is held does not arise in relation to information that is exempt by virtue of this section.
Courts and tribunals are not subject to FOI legislation.The purpose of section 32 is to allow the correct court procedure to be used to access records where it is possible. Rules of Court already provide a comprehensive code governing the disclosure of court records and documents filed, served and used in the course of proceedings.
Court Rules i.e. the County Court Rules (NI), Crown Court Rules (NI) 1979, Family Proceedings Rules (NI), Magistrates Court Rules (NI) and the Rules of Judicature (NI), govern the various procedures undertaken by each type of court, including the disclosure of information/documents. However, the disclosure invariably relates to the disclosure of information/documents between parties for the purpose of a hearing or the inspection or access to public registers or orders by the public upon payment of a fee.
Should you wish to make arrangements to pay the requisite fee and have a search carried out on your behalf to obtain a certificate of order please contact the Civil Processing Centre, Laganside Courts 45 Oxford Street, Belfast
BT1 3LL,by telephone at 030 0200 7812or alternatively by email at
.
We hope this information has been of assistance to you and clarifies the situation in relation to provision of this information.
If you are dissatisfied with this response you may ask the Courts and Tribunals Service to conduct an internal review in relation to your request. A request for an internal review must be made within two months of the date of this response and should be addressed to: Records and Information Access, 4th Floor, Laganside House, 23-27 Oxford Street, Belfast, BT1 3LA. If following the internal review you remain dissatisfied with the Courts and Tribunals Service’s treatment of your request then you are entitled to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner’s address is Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
[If you have any queries about your request please do not hesitate to contact] us.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Yours sincerely
Information Access
Central Management Team
[If you have any queries about your request please do not hesitate to contact]