Federal Court of Australia

Judge's copy documents

Although the Federal Court Rules impose no specific obligation, it has been a long standing practice in this Registry to require practitioners to furnish an additional copy of each document at the time of filing. In this fashion a "copy file" was complied for the benefit of the Judge before whom a matter was ultimately listed.

This procedure is to be abandoned in favour of a more practical and economic one whereby copy files will only be created as and when they are needed.

This notice applies to General and Industrial Division actions other than Appeals, Taxation, objections and Bankruptcy matters.

Not later than 21 days before the day set down for the final hearing, or where the hearing date is less than 21 days after the day on which it is set down, forthwith upon being set down, the solicitor for the applicant is to file a bound or stapled book, to be entitled "Judge's Copy Documents", consisting of legible photocopies of:

i. the originating process;
ii. all pleadings;
iii. any affidavit to be relied on at the trial (not those for any interlocutory purposes);
iv. all particulars which have been furnished, whether in the form of a court document or a letter, and of the requests for those particulars.

Where amendments have been made to pleadings, the copy to be included in the book should be in a consolidated form, not showing any matter which has been excised by amendment.

This notice does not apply to an interlocutory hearing. On allotting a date for an interlocutory hearing, the Judge may give appropriate directions for copy documents.

The costs of preparing Judge's Copy Documents will be allowed on taxation.

15 September 1998
District Registrar
New South Wales District Registry