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Practice Directions |
1. Criminal cases in the High Court which satisfy the following conditions shall be set down by the Listing Master in a list called the Criminal Running List. The conditions are:
(b) that the defendant is represented by the Director of Legal Aid;
(c) that the estimated length of trial agreed by the prosecution and the defence does not exceed 10 working days; and
(d) that the indictment does not contain any offence involving a homicide.
2. There shall be a judge in charge of the Criminal Running List who shall hear and determine all applications prior to trial in cases set down in that List. The judge in charge of the List shall decide and determine all matters regulating the List.
3. A case that has been set down in a month which cannot be reached within that month shall automatically be set down for the month immediately following. Paragraph 4 herein shall not apply to such a case, but the parties shall at the earliest opportunity inform the trial judge and the other party of any change in circumstances since the pre-trial review, or seek another pre-trial review under para.6 herein if necessary.
4. There shall be an initial pre-trial review on the first working day of the week two weeks after the first day of the month for all cases set down in the following month. The procedure set down in paras.5 and 6 of “Pre-trial Procedure” at pages 10.3 to 10.4 [now replaced by new PD No 9.3] of the Practice Directions shall apply at the initial pre-trial review. In addition, the parties shall endeavour, at the initial pre-trial review, to agree upon the order of trial for the cases set down for the month in question. Failing agreement, the judge in charge of the List shall determine the order of trial.
5. It shall be the duty of the parties to give notice and warn their witnesses that their attendance at the trial may be required at any time during the month in which the case has been set down and that they should be able to attend the trial at 24 hours' notice.
6. The parties shall, without delay, seek an urgent appointment with the judge in charge of the list for another pre-trial review subsequent to the initial pre-trial review as and when the necessity arises, by giving 24 hours' written notice to the other party and the judge. The judge may give such directions as he thinks fit and proper at such pre-trial review.
7. This Practice Direction shall come into force on 1 December 1992.