Magistrates' Court (Civil Procedure) Rules

2. These Rules shall apply in all civil causes or matters to which they extend in any Magistrate's Court in Solomon Islands constituted under section 3 of the Act, and are divided into Orders as follows—

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1. Interpretation
2. Forms, Fees, Allowances and Costs
3. Computation of Time
4. Miscellaneous Provisions
5. Representation
6. Evidence
7. Commencement of Suit
8. Service of Process
9. Parties
10. Particulars of Claim
11. Appointment of Guardian ad litem
12. Alteration of Parties
13. Discontinuance of Suits.
14. Place of Trial and Institution of Suits.
15. Amendments
16. Admissions
17. Settlement of Issues
18. Inquiries and Accounts
19. Appearance of Parties
20. Arrest of Absconding Defendant
21. Interim Attachment of Property
22. Preservation of Disputed Property
23. Equitable Relief, Counterclaim, Set-off
24. Tender
25. Discovery and Production of Documents
26. Motions and Orders to Show Cause
27. Postponement of Hearing
28. Non-attendance of Parties at Hearing
29. Proceedings at Hearing
30. Judgment
31. Costs
32. Enforcement of Orders
33. Interpleader
34. Execution

"advocate" means any legal practitioner entitled to practise in the High Court in accordance with the provisions of any law for the time being in force;

"authorised representative" in relation to a party means a person, not being an advocate, who is, to the satisfaction of the court, authorised by a party to represent him in any cause or matter;

"cause" includes any action, suit or other original proceeding between a plaintiff and a defendant but does not include criminal proceedings by the Crown;

"defendant" includes any person served with any writ of summons or process or served with notice of or entitled to attend any proceedings;

"party" includes every person served with notice of or attending any proceedings, otherwise than as a witness only, although not named on the record;

"plaintiff" includes every person asking any relief (otherwise than by way of counterclaim as a defendant) against any other person by any form of proceeding, whether the proceeding is by action, suit, petition, motion, summons or otherwise.

1. No writ or process shall be rendered invalid by lack of sealing in addition to the signature of a Magistrate or Clerk of Court, as the case may be, unless sealing is specifically prescribed by some law or Rule of Court.

2. The forms in Appendix A, or forms to the like effect, may be used in all matters, causes and proceedings to which they are applicable, with such variations as circumstances may require:

Provided that in any proceedings for which forms are not prescribed in these Rules, the Magistrate, or Clerk of Court, as the case may be, may frame any form required in any particular case using as a guide the appropriate form contained in the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 1964, modified as circumstances may require.

3. Where by any Rule of Court any party to or witness in any cause or matter is required to file an affidavit, in any form such party or witness may appear before the court in which the cause or matter lies and give oral evidence of the particulars required and the record of such evidence shall be sufficient compliance with such rule.

4. The fees specified in Appendix B shall be paid by the party at whose instance they are incurred, and may afterwards be recovered as costs in the cause if the court shall so order:

Provided that the court may in its discretion, on account of the poverty of any party, although such party may not have been formally admitted to sue or defend in pauperis, or for other sufficient reason, dispense with the payment of any such fees.

5. Costs shall be allowed to advocates and taxed in accordance with the scale of costs specified in Appendix C:

(a) in defended causes or matters in which the subject matter or the amount recovered does not exceed one hundred dollars in value such costs shall be taxed in accordance with the scale specified in Part I of Appendix D; and

(b) in undefended causes or matters such costs shall be taxed in accordance with the scale specified in Part II of Appendix D.

Provided that the parties to any cause or matter may by consent enlarge or abridge any time fixed by the court for taking any step, or filing any document, or giving any notice; and where such consent cannot be obtained, either party may apply to the court for an order to effect the object sought to have been obtained with the consent of the other party, and such order may be made although the application for the order is not made until after the expiration of the time allowed or appointed.

1. The sittings of the court for the hearing of causes or matters shall ordinarily be in public; but the court may for reason to be specified in the trial record, hear any particular cause or matter or any part thereof in the presence only of the parties thereto with their advocates or other authorised representatives, if any, and the officers of the court.

2. Subject to any particular rules, the court may, in all causes or matters, make any interlocutory order or ruling which it considers necessary for doing justice, whether such order or ruling has been expressly requested by the person entitled to the benefit thereof or not.

3. Causes or matters pending in the court may be consolidated in the discretion of the court, and the court shall give any directions that may be necessary as to the conduct of such consolidated actions.

4.—(1) The language of every court shall be English, and if in any cause or matter the Magistrate considers that any party thereto or any witness giving evidence therein is incapable of sufficiently understanding the English language he shall, upon payment of the prescribed fee for interpretation, either himself, if he is competent in the language of such party or witness, interpret the proceedings so far as may be necessary, or appoint a fit and proper person to interpret the same.

(2) Where the Magistrate himself or any public officer acts as interpreter as aforesaid no remuneration shall be payable in respect of the interpretation, but where a person other than the Magistrate or a public officer is the interpreter that person shall be entitled to payment out of the fee to him as remuneration for his services.

(3) The prescribed fee for interpretation shall in all cases be payable in the first place by the plaintiff and shall be taxed as costs in the cause.

(4) Before interpreting at any sessions of the court, the interpreter, not being the trial Magistrate himself shall swear or make affirmation in the following form—

"I swear by Almighty God (or solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm) that I will do my best to interpret and explain truly to the court and witnesses all such matters as I shall be required to interpret and explain.

5.—(1) When any fee is or any costs are paid to the court, the Magistrate or the clerk of court shall issue a receipt therefor in the name of the person paying such fee or costs, as the case may be.

(2) When any fee is paid in respect of any document the Magistrate or the clerk of court shall endorse a note of the amount of the fee paid and the number of the receipt issued therefor upon the original and upon any filing copy of such document.

6. There shall be kept in every court a register in such form as the Registrar of the High Court may from time to time direct, in which all actions instituted in the court shall be entered and numbered consecutively in each year, according to the order in which the same shall be commenced; and the particulars of each action, and a note of the steps and proceedings therein shall be entered in such register in such manner as the Registrar of the High Court may direct.

7. In the event of there being no provision in these Rules to meet any particular circumstance arising in any cause or matter before the court, the court and the parties shall be guided by any relevant provision contained in the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 1964.

8. A court or a Judge shall have power to enlarge or abridge any time prescribed by these Rules or fixed by any order in any cause or matter for the doing of any act or taking any proceedings upon such terms, if any, as the justice of the case may require; and any such enlargement may be ordered although the application therefor has not been made until after the expiration of the time prescribed or allowed:

Provided that when the time for delivering any pleading or document or filing any affidavit, answer to document or the doing of any act has been fixed or limited by any of these Rules or by any direction or order of any court or any Judge the costs of the application to extend such time and of any order made therein shall be borne by the party making such application unless the court or the Judge shall otherwise order.

1. A party suing or defending by an advocate in any cause or matter shall be at liberty at any stage of the proceedings to change his advocate without an order of the court for that purpose, upon notice in writing being filed with the Magistrate or the clerk of court in which the cause or matter may be proceeding; but until such notice is filed, the former advocate shall be deemed to be the advocate of the party until final judgment, unless allowed by the court for any special reason to cease from acting:

Provided that no such advocate shall be bound, unless under express agreement, or re-engaged, to take any proceedings in relation to any appeal from such judgment.

2. With the leave of the Magistrate a party to any cause or matter may be represented or assisted at every or any stage of the proceedings by some other person, not being an advocate and any undertaking given by such person to the court or order or direction communicated by the court to such person shall be as binding upon such party for all purposes of the proceedings as though it were given by or communicated to his advocate.

1. On the application of any party to any cause or matter, or of its own motion, the court may order witnesses on both sides to be kept out of court both before and after they have given their evidence; but this rule shall not extend to the parties themselves or to their professional or other authorised representative, although intended to be called as witnesses.

2. The court may during the trial of any cause or matter take such steps as it considers necessary and proper for preventing communication with witnesses who are within the court or its precincts awaiting examination or having been examined.

3. Any person, whether a party or not, in any cause or matter may be summoned to produce a document without being summoned to give evidence, and, if he causes such document to be produced in court, the court may dispense with his personal attendance.

4. Before an affidavit is used in the court for any purpose, the original shall be filed in the court, and the original or an office copy thereof shall alone be recognised for any purpose in the court.

5. No affidavit shall be admitted if it is proved to have been sworn before a person on whose behalf the same is tendered, or before his advocate or other authorised representative or before a partner or clerk of his advocate or said representative.

6. The court may permit an affidavit to be used, notwithstanding that it is defective in form according to these Rules, if the court is satisfied that it has been sworn before a person duly authorised to administer oaths.

7. A defective or erroneous affidavit may be amended and resworn with the leave of the court on such terms as to time, costs or otherwise as the court may direct.

8. No affidavit shall contain extraneous matter by way of objection or prayer or legal argument or conclusion.

9. Every affidavit used in the court shall contain only a statement of facts and circumstances to which the witness deposes, either of his own personal knowledge or from information which he believes to be true.

10. When a witness deposes to his belief in any matter of fact, and his belief is derived from a source other than his own personal knowledge, he shall set forth explicitly the facts and circumstances upon which his belief is based.

11. When the belief of a deponent is derived from information received from another person, the name of his informant shall be stated, and reasonable particulars shall be given respecting the informant, and the time, place and circumstances of the information.

12. The costs of any affidavit contravening any of the provisions of rules 8, 9, 10 or 11 shall be paid by the party filing the same.

13. The following rules shall be observed by commissioners for oaths and other persons (in this rule referred to as "commissioner") before whom affidavits are sworn—

(a) every affidavit taken in any cause or matter shall be headed in the court and in the cause or matter;

(b) it shall state the full name, trade or profession or other description and place of residence of the deponent;

(c) it shall be written in the first person and divided into convenient paragraphs and numbered consecutively;

(d) any erasure, interlineation or alteration made before the affidavit is sworn shall be attested by the commissioner who shall affix his signature or initials in the margin immediately opposite the erasure, interlineation or alteration;

(e) where an affidavit proposed to be sworn is illegible or difficult to read, or is, in the opinion of the commissioner so written as to facilitate fraudulent alteration, he may refuse to swear the deponent and require the affidavit to be rewritten in an unobjectionable manner;

(f) the affidavit shall be signed by the deponent (or if he is illiterate marked with his thumbprint or his mark) in the presence of the commissioner;

(g) the jurat shall be written without erasure, interlineation or alteration (unless the same be signed or initialled as aforesaid) immediately at the foot of the affidavit and towards the left hand side of the paper and shall be signed by the commissioner:

Where the deponent is illiterate or blind it shall state the fact and also state that the affidavit was read over (or translated into his own language in the case of a deponent not having a sufficient knowledge of English) and that the deponent appeared to understand it.

Where the deponent makes his thumbprint or mark instead of signing, the jurat shall state that fact and that the thumbprint or mark was made in the presence of the commissioner.

Where two or more persons join in making an affidavit, their several names shall be written in the jurat, and it shall appear by the jurat that each of them has been sworn to the truth of the several matters stated by him in the affidavit;

(h) the commissioner shall not allow the affidavit when sworn to be altered in any manner without being resworn;

(i) if the jurat has been added and signed, the commissioner shall add a new jurat on the affidavit being resworn and in the new jurat he shall mention the alteration;

(j) the commissioner may refuse to allow the affidavit to be resworn and may require a fresh affidavit;

(k) the commissioner may take without oath the declaration of any person affirming that the taking of any oath whatsoever is, according to his religious belief or conscience, unlawful or who, by reason of immature age or want of religious belief, ought not, in the opinion of the commissioner, to be permitted to make a sworn affidavit; and in any such case the commissioner shall record in the attestation the reason why such declaration was taken without oath.

14. Any objection to the admissibility of evidence by a party to any cause or matter shall be taken at the time when the evidence is lead:

Provided that an appellate court may, in its discretion, entertain any objection to the admission of evidence received in the court below although no objection was raised in that court at the time when the evidence was admitted or at all.

15. Where a question proposed to be put to a witness is objected to by either party to any cause or matter, the court, unless the objection appears frivolous, shall, if so required by such party, record a note of the question and the objection and shall make and record its ruling whether or not the question may be put, and if the question is allowed the court shall record the answer thereto.

16. Where any document tendered in evidence in any cause or matter is rejected by the court the document shall be marked as having been so tendered and rejected.

17. In the absence of any agreement between the parties, and subject to these Rules, the witnesses at the trial of any cause or matter shall be examined orally and in open court; but the court may at any time for sufficient reason to be recorded in the record direct that any particular fact or facts may be proved by affidavit, or that the affidavit of any witness may be read at the hearing on such conditions as the court may consider just, or that any witness, whose attendance at the court ought for sufficient reason to be dispensed with, be examined before an officer of the court or other proper person:

Provided that where it appears to the court that the other party bona fide requires the production of a witness for cross-examination, and that such witness can be produced before the court, an order shall not be made authorising the evidence of such witness to be given by affidavit.

18. In any cause or matter the court may in its discretion if the interests of justice appear so to require, for reasons to be recorded in the record, admit an affidavit in evidence although it is shown that the party against whom the affidavit is tendered has had no opportunity to cross-examine the person making the affidavit.

19. The court may in any cause or matter in which it appears necessary in the interests of justice make an order for the examination of any witness before any officer of the court or other proper person and may order any deposition so taken to be filed in the court and may permit any party to the cause or matter to give such deposition in evidence on such terms, if any, as the court may direct:

Provided that where it is desired that evidence be taken on commission outside Solomon Islands, the court shall make application to the High Court or to a Judge thereof for such evidence to be obtained; and the High Court or such Judge may order that the proceedings be transferred to the High Court for that purpose.

20. Evidence on commission shall be taken, as nearly as may be, as evidence at the hearing of a suit, and then the record of the evidence taken shall be read over to the witness and be signed by him, and countersigned by the commissioner; and if the witness refuses to sign, the commissioner shall add a note of his refusal and the recorded statement may be used as if the witness had signed it.

21. Evidence may be taken in the manner prescribed by rule 20 on the application ex parte to a court of any person before a suit is instituted where it is shown on oath to the satisfaction of the court that the person applying has good reason to anticipate that a suit will be instituted against him in the court and that some person within the jurisdiction at the time of the application can give material evidence respecting the subject matter of the suit apprehended, but that he is about to leave the jurisdiction, or that, from some other cause, the person applying will lose the benefit of his evidence if it be not at once taken; and the evidence so taken may be used at the subsequent hearing:

Provided that the court may impose such terms or conditions with reference to the examination of such witness and as to the admission of such evidence as the court may consider appropriate to ensure that justice be done.

22. Any party wishing to give in evidence any deed or other instrument which shows upon the face of it that it has been duly executed may deliver to the opposite party, not less than four days before the date fixed for the hearing of the suit, a notice in writing specifying the date and nature of and the parties to such deed or other instrument, and requiring the opposite party to admit that the same was executed as it purports to have been, saving all just exceptions as to its admissibility, validity and contents; and if, at or before the hearing of the suit, the party so notified shall refuse or neglect to give such admission, the court may adjourn the hearing to enable the party tendering such deed or other instrument to obtain proof of its execution, and, upon production of such proof, the court may order that the party refusing or neglecting to give the admission required shall pay the costs of such adjournment and proof whether he be the successful party in the action or not.

1. Every suit shall be commenced by a writ of summons which shall be issued by the Magistrate or the clerk of court upon application being made therefore either orally or in writing to the court.

2. The writ shall contain the name, place of residence and occupation, if any, of the plaintiff and of the defendant, or if more than one of each of them, so far as they can be ascertained and the date (called the "return day") and place of hearing; and there shall be endorsed on the writ particulars of the claim, signed by the plaintiff or his advocate or other authorised representative, which shall state concisely and clearly the subject matter of the claim and the relief sought.

3. Every writ of summons shall bear the date of the day upon which it is issued.

4. Any alteration of a writ of summons without the leave of the court shall render such writ void.

5. Every writ of summons issued by a court in Honiara Township shall be served not less than seven days before the return day if the defendant resides within the boundaries of that Township and in all other cases whether the writ is issued by a court in that Township or elsewhere, within such period as the court may endorse upon the writ, not being less than seven days:

Provided that the court may from time to time either on application of either party or of its own motion extend the date of hearing of a writ of summons which has not been served in time or for other sufficient reason.

1.—(1) Every writ of summons, petition, notice, order or other document of which service is required shall be served through the court unless a Magistrate directs that service shall be arranged by the advocate of the party requiring service to be effected, or his authorised representative or some other person:

Provided that in no case may the plaintiff in any action serve or be directed to serve a writ of summons himself upon a defendant thereto.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to prevent an officer of any company, association, club or other organisation, whether corporate or unincorporate, from personally serving a writ of summons upon any defendant to an action brought against him by such company, association, club or other organisation.

(3) Any person serving any writ of summons, petition, notice, order or other document shall, on request of the party served, endeavour to the best of his ability to explain to such party the nature of the document served.

Provided that where the service is effected by a police officer, bailiff or other officer of the court, a declaration in writing stating the date and time of service may be accepted as sufficient evidence of service until the contrary be shown, and such declaration may be endorsed on the file copy of the summons.

3. Unless in any case the court considers it just and expedient otherwise to direct, service shall be personal, that is to say, the document to be served shall be delivered to the person to be served himself.

4. Service shall be completely effected by the delivery of a duplicate or attested copy of any document without the exhibition of the original.

5. Where it appears to the court, either after or without an attempt at personal service, that, for any reason, personal service cannot be conveniently effected, the court may direct that service be effected—

(a) by delivery of the document to some adult inmate at the usual or last known place of residence or business of the person to be served; or

(b) by delivery thereof to some person being an agent of the person to be served, or to some other person upon it being proved that there is a reasonable probability that the document will, through that agent or other person, come to the knowledge of the person to be served; or

(c) by advertisement in the Gazette or in any "newsheet" or newspaper circulating in the jurisdiction of the court; or

(d) by notice posted at the court house or some other place of public resort in the district wherein the proceeding in respect of which the service is made is instituted, or at the usual or last known place of residence or business of the person to be served; or

(e) by sending the document by registered prepaid post addressed to the person to be served at his last known place of residence or business; or

Provided that if service is to be effected by method (c) or (e) aforesaid, the party requiring the service to be effected shall, before service, pay to the court the cost of the advertisement, postage or other special expense involved.

6. An order for service may be varied from time to time with respect to the method of service directed by the order.

7. Service in civil proceedings shall not be made on a Sunday, Good Friday or Christmas day.

8.—(1) Where partners are sued in the name of their firm, the writ of summons or other document shall be served either upon any one or more of the partners or at the principal place of business of the partnership upon any person appearing to be over the age of eighteen years and to have, at the time of service, the control or management of the partnership business; and such service shall be deemed good service upon the firm.

(2) Where a writ of summons is issued against a firm, every person upon whom it is served shall be informed by notice in writing given at the time of the service, or endorsed on the writ of summons, whether he is served as a partner or as a person having the control or management of the partnership business or in both such capacities; and in default of such notice, the person served shall be deemed to be served as a partner.

(3) Service on a company shall be effected in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act relating to service of documents.

9. Where the person to be served with a writ of summons or other document is a prisoner in a prison, it shall be sufficient service to deliver the writ or other document at the prison to the officer for the time being in charge of the prison, who shall cause the same to be served on the prisoner.

10. Where the person to be served is employed or dwells in any mental hospital or other public asylum or in a prison, it shall be sufficient service to deliver the writ of summons or other document to be served to the person in charge of such hospital, asylum or prison, who shall cause the same to be served on such person.

Service where defendant resides out of but carries on business within jurisdiction

11. Where the suit is against a defendant residing outside Solomon Islands but carrying on business within Solomon Islands in his own name, or under the name of a firm, through an authorised agent and such suit is limited to a cause of action which arose within the jurisdiction of the court, the writ or other document may be served by giving it to such agent, and such service shall be deemed for all purposes to be a personal service upon the defendant.

12. Service out of Solomon Islands of any writ of summons or other document may be allowed by the court—

(a) whenever the whole or any part of the subject matter of the suit is land or stock or other property situated within its jurisdiction, or any act, deed, or thing affecting such land, stock or property; or

(b) whenever the contract which is sought to be enforced or rescinded, dissolved, annulled or otherwise affected in any such suit, or for the breach whereof damages or other relief are or is demanded in such suit, was made or entered into or is to be performed wholly or in part within its jurisdiction; or

(c) whenever it is alleged that there has been a breach within its jurisdiction of any contract wherever made; or

(d) whenever any act or thing sought to be restrained or removed, or for which damages are sought to be recovered, was or is to be done or is situated within its jurisdiction.

13. Every application for leave to serve a writ of summons or other document upon a defendant out of Solomon Islands shall be supported by evidence by affidavit or otherwise, showing in what place or country the defendant is or is probably to be found, and the grounds upon which the application is made.

14. Any order giving leave for service out of Solomon Islands shall prescribe the method of service to be employed and the date of the hearing, and the court may receive an affidavit of such service having been effected as prima facie evidence thereof.

15. Where a writ of summons or other document is required to be served in a Province of Solomon Islands other than that in which the court issuing the writ or other document exercises jurisdiction, the clerk of court from whose office the writ or other document is issued may, if the Magistrate so directs, transmit the same and a copy thereof, together with any other documents and copies thereof, to the clerk of court of that Province for service.

16. Where the officer or person charged with the service of any writ of summons or other document on any person is prevented by the refusal of such person to receive the writ or other document, or by the violence or threats of such person or of any other person acting in concert with him, from personally serving the writ or document, it shall be sufficient service to inform the person to be served of the nature of the writ or document, and to leave the same as near as practicable to such person.

17.—(1) Every writ of summons shall be served within twelve months from the date of issue thereof and if not served within such period shall thereafter be of no effect unless renewed as prescribed by paragraph (2).

(2) The court may, if it thinks fit, on application made by the plaintiff not less than seven days before the expiry of the period of twelve months prescribed by paragraph (1) on ex parte notice of motion, supported by oral or affidavit evidence showing the reason why service has not been effected, renew a writ of summons for one further period of twelve months; and any writ of summons so renewed and not served within such extended time shall thereafter be of no effect.

18.—(1) Where any party to any suit or matter requires a person to be summoned as a witness before the court in such suit or matter or to produce at the hearing in court any document or thing in his possession or power, the court shall, on application by the party, issue a witness summons:

Provided that unless it appears at the time of such application that there is a reasonable probability that the service of the summons can be effected not less than three days before the return day, the summons shall not be issued except on the express direction of a Magistrate.

(2) The summons shall be served on the witness personally, if possible, or by one of the other methods prescribed in this Order and in any event as soon after the issue of the summons as is reasonably practicable.

(3) The party applying for a witness summons may be required before the issue of the summons and within a period to be fixed by the court, to pay into court such sum of money as appears to a Magistrate to be sufficient to defray the travelling and other expenses of the witness to be summoned in passing to and from the court in which he is required to attend together with one days' attendance; and the sum so paid into court shall be tendered to the witness at the time of the service of the summons, or, if the court so directs, the witness to be summoned may be notified that the sum so paid into court will be paid out to him on his attendance.

1. If any plaintiff, or any defendant is sued, in any representative capacity it shall be expressed on the writ of summons; and the court may order any of the persons represented to be made parties to the action either in lieu of or in addition to the previously existing parties.

2. Where a person has jointly with other persons an alleged ground for instituting a suit, all those other persons shall ordinarily be made parties to the suit:

Provided that where more persons than one have the same interest in one suit, the court may direct that one or more of such persons shall be authorised to sue or to defend in such suit for the benefit of or on behalf of all parties so interested.

3. Where a person has a joint and several demand against two or more persons, either as principals, sureties, or partners, it is not necessary for him to bring before the court as parties to the suit concerning that demand all the persons liable thereto, and he may proceed against any one or more of them severally or jointly and severally; and where a defendant claims contribution, indemnity or other remedy or relief over against any third person, he may apply to have such third person made a party to the suit.

4.—(1) If it appears to the court at or before the hearing of a suit, that all the persons who may be entitled to, or who claim some share or interest in, the subject-matter of the suit, or who may be likely to be affected by the result thereof, have not been made parties the court may adjourn the proceedings to a future date to be fixed by the court and direct that such persons shall be made parties to the suit either as plaintiffs or defendants, as the case may be; and in every such case the court shall issue a notice to such persons which shall be served in the manner prescribed in these Rules for the service of a writ of summons or in such other manner as the court may think fit to direct, and on proof of the due service of such notice the person so served, whether he shall have appeared or not, shall be bound by all proceedings in the cause:

Provided that a person so served who fails to appear within the time limited by the notice for his appearance may, at any time before judgment, apply to the court for leave to appear, and such leave may be granted upon such terms if any, as the court may think fit.

(2) The court may, at any stage of the proceedings and on such terms as appear to the court to be just, order that the name of any party, whether as plaintiff or defendant, improperly joined be struck out.

(3) No suit shall be defeated by reason of non-joinder or misjoinder of parties.

5. Claims by the Government against any person may be brought by the Attorney-General or by any officer authorised by law to prosecute such claims on behalf of the Government or by any person authorised by the Attorney-General either generally or in any particular case to prosecute the claim on behalf of the Government.

6. Any persons claiming or being liable as co-partners may sue or be sued in the name of their respective firms, if any; and any party to an action may, in such case, apply to the court for a statement of the names of the persons who are co-partners in any such firm to be furnished in such manner and be verified on oath or otherwise as the court may direct.

7. In any case in which any writ of summons states two or more distinct causes of action by or against the same parties and in the same rights, the court may, either before or at the hearing, if it appears inexpedient to try the separate causes of action together, order that the trials be had separately, and may make such order as to adjournment or costs as justice requires.

8. In any case in which a writ of summons states two or more distinct causes of action but not by or against the same parties or by or against the same parties but not in the same rights, the writ of summons may, on application by any defendant, or by the court of its own motion, be amended or dismissed, as justice may require.

1.—(1) It shall be sufficient for the plaintiff to state his claim in the writ of summons briefly in a general form, but he may deliver to the clerk of court, at the time of making application for the writ of summons, particulars of his demand in any form which shall give the defendant reasonably sufficient information as to details of his claim.

(2) Whenever the plaintiff shall deliver such particulars, he shall also deliver to the clerk of court as many duplicates thereof as there are defendants and particulars shall be served with the writ of summons:

Provided that if the plaintiff is illiterate or in need of assistance the clerk of court may assist him in drawing such particulars for him.

2. The court may, on application of a defendant or of its own motion, order that further and better particulars of any claim be submitted to the court for service upon the defendant.

3. The plaintiff shall not, at the hearing, obtain judgment for any sum exceeding that stated in the particulars of his claim except for subsequent interest and the costs in the cause notwithstanding that the sum claimed in the writ of summons for debt or damages may exceed the sum stated in the particulars.

4. Particulars of claim shall not be amended except by leave of the court, but the court may on any application for leave to amend grant such leave if it appears to the court that the defendant will not be prejudiced by the amendment; and the court may refuse leave or grant the same on such terms as to notice, adjournment or costs as appears to the court to be just.

5. Any variance between the items contained in the particulars and the items proved at the hearing may be amended at the hearing, either at once or on such terms as to notice, adjournment or costs as the court may consider just.

1. Where, on default of a defendant in answering or otherwise defending a suit after service of the writ of summons, it appears to the court that the defendant is an infant, or a person of weak or unsound mind so that he is unable by himself to defend the suit, the court may, if it thinks fit, on the application of the plaintiff or of its own motion, appoint by order some fit person to be guardian ad litem of the defendant for the purposes of the suit and by whom the defendant may defend it.

2. Before an order under rule 1 is made the court shall cause such reasonable notice as it thinks fit to be served upon and, so far as may be, explained to the person in whose interests the guardian is to be appointed.

3. Infants and persons of weak or unsound mind may sue as plaintiffs by their committees or next friends on such terms as to the liability for costs and otherwise of such committees or next friends as the court shall consider just.

4. A guardian ad litem of an infant or a person of weak or unsound mind shall not be personally liable for any costs not occasioned by his own negligence or misconduct.

5. Where a judgment has been obtained or an order made against any defendant who was at the time an infant or a person of weak or unsound mind without a guardian ad litem having been appointed, the court or a Magistrate may set aside the judgment or order and direct a new trial or make such other order as the court or Magistrate may think fit.

1. Where, after the institution of a suit, any change or transmission of interest occurs in relation to any party thereto, or if any party to the suit dies or becomes incapable of carrying on the suit, or the suit in any other way becomes defective or incapable of being carried on, any person interested may apply to the court for such order as may be necessary for curing the defect or for enabling or compelling proper parties to carry on the proceedings:

Provided that any person served with such an order may, within such time as the court in the order shall direct, apply to the court to discharge or vary the order.

2. The death of a plaintiff or defendant shall not cause the suit to abate if the cause of action survives.

3. If there be two or more plaintiffs or defendants and one of them die and if the cause of action survives to the surviving plaintiff or plaintiffs alone, or against the surviving defendant or defendants alone, as the case may be, the suit shall proceed at the instance of such surviving plaintiff or plaintiffs or against such surviving defendant or defendants.

Cause of action surviving to surviving plaintiff and personal representative of deceased plaintiff

4. If there be two or more plaintiffs and one of them dies, and if the cause of action shall not survive to the surviving plaintiff or plaintiffs alone, but shall survive to them and to the personal representative of the deceased plaintiff jointly, the court may, on the application of the personal representative of the deceased plaintiff, enter the name of such representative in the suit in the place of such deceased plaintiff, and the suit shall proceed at the instance of the surviving plaintiff or plaintiffs and such personal representative of the deceased plaintiff. If no application shall be made to the court by any person claiming to be the personal representative of the deceased plaintiff, the suit shall proceed at the instance of the surviving plaintiff or plaintiffs; and the personal representative of the deceased plaintiff shall, after receipt of notice to appear, be interested in and bound by the judgment given in the suit in the same manner as if the suit had proceeded at his instance conjointly with the surviving plaintiff or plaintiffs, unless the court shall see cause otherwise to direct.

5. In the case of the death of a sole plaintiff, or sole surviving plaintiff, the court may, on the application of the personal representative of such plaintiff, enter the name of such representative in the place of such plaintiff in the suit and the suit shall thereupon proceed; but if no such application shall be made to the court within what the court may consider a reasonable time by any person claiming to be the personal representative of the deceased sole plaintiff or sole surviving plaintiff, it shall be competent for the court to make an order that the suit shall abate and to award to the defendant the reasonable costs which he may have incurred in defending the suit, such costs to be recoverable from the estate of the deceased sole plaintiff or sole surviving plaintiff, as the case may be; or the court may, if it thinks proper and upon the application of the defendant and upon such terms as to costs as may seem to the court fit, make such order for bringing in the personal representative of the deceased sole or sole surviving plaintiff and for proceeding with the suit in order to reach a final determination of the matters in dispute, as may appear to the court just in all the circumstances of the case.

6. If any dispute arises as to who is the personal representative of a deceased plaintiff, the court may either stay the proceedings until the fact has been duly determined in another action or decide, before the hearing of the suit, who shall be admitted to be such representative for the purpose of prosecuting the suit.

7. If there be two or more defendants and one of them dies, and the cause of action shall not survive against the surviving defendant or defendants alone, and also in the case of the death of a sole defendant or sole surviving defendant, where the action survives, the plaintiff may make an application to the court specifying the name, description and place of residence of any person whom the plaintiff alleges to be the personal representative of such deceased defendant and whom he desires to be made the defendant in his stead; and the court shall thereupon enter the name of such person in the suit in the place of such deceased defendant, and shall issue a summons for him to appear, on a day to be therein specified, to defend the suit; and the case shall thereupon proceed in the same manner as if such person had originally been made a defendant and had been a party to the former proceedings in the suit.

8. The bankruptcy of the plaintiff, in any suit which the assignee or trustee might maintain for the benefit of the creditors, shall not be a valid objection to the continuance of the suit unless the assignee or trustee shall decline to continue the suit and to give security for the costs thereof within such reasonable time as the court may order; and if the assignee or trustee neglect or refuse to continue the suit and to give security for the costs within the time limited by the order, the defendant may within twenty-one days after such neglect or refusal, plead the bankruptcy of the plaintiff as a reason for abating the suit and the court shall strike out the suit accordingly.

1.—(1) If, before the date fixed for the hearing, the plaintiff wishes to discontinue any suit against all or any of the defendants thereto, or to withdraw any part of his alleged claim, he shall give notice in writing of discontinuance or withdrawal to the Magistrate or the clerk of court and the same shall be served upon every defendant as to whom he desires to discontinue or withdraw. After receipt of such notice, such defendant shall not be entitled to any further costs, with respect to the matter so discontinued or withdrawn, than those incurred up to the receipt of such notice, unless the court shall otherwise order; and such defendant may apply ex parte for an order against the plaintiff for the costs incurred before the receipt of such notice and for attending the court to obtain the order. Such discontinuance or withdrawal shall not be a defence to any subsequent suit.

(2) If, after the date fixed for the hearing, the plaintiff desires to discontinue any suit or to withdraw any part of his alleged claim, or if a defendant desires to discontinue or withdraw a counterclaim or any part thereof, such discontinuance or withdrawal may, in the discretion of the court, be allowed on such terms as to costs and as to any subsequent suit or otherwise as the court may consider just.

2. If any subsequent suit is instituted before payment of the costs of a discontinued suit for the same or substantially the same cause of action, the court may order a stay of such subsequent suit until the costs of the discontinued suit have been paid.

1. Subject to any law respecting transfer of suits, the place for trial and the institution of any cause or matter shall be regulated as follows—

(a) all suits arising out of the breach of any contract shall be commenced and determined in the court having jurisdiction over the place in which such contract ought to have been performed, or in which the defendant, or one of the defendants, resides or carries on business;

(b) any suit other than a suit founded on contract may be commenced and determined in the court having jurisdiction over the place in which the defendant, or one of the defendants, resides or carries on business;

(c) where any suit shall have been commenced in the wrong court, and whether or not the defendant shall plead specially in objection to the jurisdiction, the court may—

(ii) report to the High Court, pursuant to the provisions of section 37 of the Act, the pendency of the proceedings.

1. Clerical mistakes in judgments or orders, or errors arising therein from any accidental slip or omission, may at any time be corrected by the court either of its own motion or upon application by any party to the proceedings.

2. The court may at any time, and on such terms as to costs or otherwise as the court may think just, amend any defect or error in any proceedings, and all necessary amendments shall be made for the purpose of determining the real question or issue raised by or depending on the proceedings.

1. Any party to a suit may give notice, by his own statement orally or in writing, that he admits the truth of the whole or any part of the claim or demand stated in the writ of summons, or particulars of claim, defence or statement of any other party.

2. Any party may apply to the court either orally or in writing to give notice to any other party to admit, saving just exceptions, any document or fact.

3. In case of refusal or neglect to admit after notice, the costs of proof of the document or fact shall be paid by the party refusing or neglecting to admit, whatever the results of the suit, unless the court is satisfied that such refusal or neglect to admit was reasonable in all the circumstances.

4. If any defendant shall sign a statement admitting the amount claimed in the writ of summons or any part of such amount, the court, if it is satisfied as to the genuineness of the signature of the person by whom the statement was signed and unless it sees good reason to the contrary, shall, in the case of the whole amount being admitted enter judgment for the plaintiff for that amount or if part of the amount is admitted, and the plaintiff consents to a judgment being entered for such part, enter judgment for such part, but if the plaintiff does not consent to the entry of judgment for the admitted party only, the court shall receive such statement in evidence as an admission without further proof.

1. The matters in issue in any suit shall not be determined by formal pleadings but by settlement of issues by the court.

2. At any time before or at the hearing the court may, if it thinks fit, on the application of any party to the suit or of its own motion, proceed to ascertain and determine what are the material questions in controversy between the parties, and reduce such questions to writing and settle them in the form of issues, which issues, when settled, may state questions of law on admitted facts or questions of disputed facts, or questions partly of one kind and partly of the other.

(a) ascertain from each party or from his advocate or other authorised representative, what facts he admits or denies;

(b) orally examine any party or his authorised representative, other than an advocate, appearing or present in the court;

(c) order that any party shall appear in person on a date specified in the order and adjourn the hearing of the matter to such date;

(d) call upon any party to produce all documents in his possession or in his power upon which he intends to rely in support of his case, and if necessary, or expedient, order any party to produce such documents on a date specified in the order and adjourn the hearing of the matter to such date; and

(e) have regard to any allegations made in any particulars of claim, counterclaim or set-off whether formal or informal, in the cause and to the contents of any document produced by any party.

(b) amend issues already framed, frame additional issues or strike out issues which appear to be wrongly framed or superfluous, on such terms as to costs, payment of money into court, giving of security or otherwise as the court may think fit.

4. Notwithstanding rule 3 the court, if it thinks fit, may direct the parties to prepare issues for settlement by the court.

5. The issues may be settled, without previous notice, at any stage of the proceedings at which all the parties are actually present, or at the hearing, or notice may be given to all the parties to attend on a date and at a place to be specified in the notice for settlement of the issues.

1. In any cause or matter in which all the parties interested and who are not under disability consent thereto, and also, without such consent, in any cause or matter requiring any prolonged examination of documents or accounts or any scientific or local examination which cannot, in the opinion of the court, be conveniently made by the court in the usual manner, the court may, at any time, on such terms as it may think proper, order any question or issue of fact or any question of account arising therein to be investigated or tried before a referee to be agreed between the parties or appointed by the court.

2. Where an order has been made under rule 1, the court shall furnish the referee with such part of the record of the proceedings or relevant documents filed with the court and such other information and instructions as the court may consider necessary for his guidance, and shall direct the parties, if necessary, to attend upon the referee during the inquiry or investigation; and the instructions shall specify whether the referee is merely to transmit to the court the record of his inquiry or investigation or also to report his own opinion on the points, or any of them, referred to him.

3. The court may, at any stage of the proceedings, direct any necessary inquiry or investigation described in rule 1 to be made or taken, notwithstanding that it may appear that there is some special or further relief sought or some other issue to be tried, as to which it is proper that the cause or matter should proceed in the ordinary manner.

4. The referee may, subject to any directions by the court, hold the inquiry at or adjourn it to any place which he may consider most convenient and may make any inspection or view which he may deem expedient for the disposal of the controversy before him:

Provided that, as far as practicable, he shall proceed with the inquiry or investigation on successive days.

5. Subject to any direction of the court ordering the inquiry or investigation, evidence may be taken by a referee and the attendance of witnesses may be enforced by subpoena issued through the court; and every such inquiry or investigation shall be conducted, as nearly as circumstances will admit, in the same manner as a trial before a Magistrate, but not so as to make the tribunal of the referee a public court of justice.

6. The referee may, before the conclusion of any inquiry or investigation before him or by his report under the reference, submit any question arising therein for the decision of the court, or may state any facts specially.

7. The record of proceedings and the report in writing of the referee shall be received in evidence in the case, unless the court may have reason to be dissatisfied with them, and the court may draw such inferences from the record of proceedings or the report as shall be just.

8. The court shall have power to require any explanations or reasons from the referee and to remit the cause or matter, or any part thereof, for further inquiry or consideration to the same or any other referee, as often as may be necessary, and shall pass such ultimate judgment or order as may appear to it to be just and proper in the circumstances of the case.

1. In every cause or matter pending before the court, if it shall appear to the satisfaction of the court that any plaintiff or defendant who may not be represented by an advocate is prevented by some sufficient cause from attending the court in person or requires assistance of some other person at the hearing in the court, the court may in its discretion, permit any other person who shall satisfy the court that he has authority in that behalf to appear for such plaintiff or defendant:

Provided that nothing in this rule shall be construed to authorise any person other than an advocate to charge any fee for any advice given or service rendered in relation to any such cause or matter.

2. If any person does any act or takes any proceeding in the name of or on behalf of any other person without the lawful authority of such other person and knowing himself not to be so authorised, the court may refer the matter to the High Court to be dealt with as a contempt of court pursuant to the provisions of section 6 of the Act.

1. If in any suit for an amount of twenty dollars or upwards, a defendant is about to leave Solomon Islands, or has disposed of or removed from Solomon Islands his property, or any part thereof, the plaintiff, either at the institution of the suit or at any time thereafter until final judgment, may apply to the court for an order against the defendant that security be taken for his appearance to answer any judgment which may be passed against him in the suit.

2. If the court, after making such investigation as it may consider necessary, shall be of opinion that there is cause for believing that the defendant is about to leave Solomon Islands, or that he has disposed of or removed from Solomon Islands his property, or part thereof, and that, in either case, by reason thereof the execution of any decree which may be made against him is likely to be obstructed or delayed, the court may issue its warrant to bring the defendant before the court to show cause, if any there be, why he should not give good and sufficient bail for his appearance.

3. If the defendant shall fail to show cause as aforesaid in rule 2, the court shall order him to give bail, with or without sureties, for his appearance at any time when called upon while the suit is pending and until execution or satisfaction of any decree which may be passed against him in the suit; and the surety or sureties shall undertake, in default of such appearance, to pay any sum of money to the plaintiff in respect of which they shall stand bound as surety not exceeding the amount of any judgment, with costs, which may be given against such defendant.

4. Should a defendant offer, in lieu of bail for his appearance, to deposit a sum of money or other valuable property sufficient to answer the claim against him, with costs of the suit, the court shall accept the deposit.

5. In the event of the defendant neither finding security nor offering a sufficient deposit, he may be committed to custody until the determination of the suit, or, if judgment be given against the defendant, until the execution or satisfaction of the decree, if the court shall so order:

Provided that the court may at any time, upon reasonable cause being shown and upon such terms as to security or otherwise as may seem just, order the release of the defendant.

6. The court may, before issuing any warrant under this Order, require the plaintiff to deposit in court such sum as the court may think fit to defray the costs of executing the warrant and of bringing the defendant before the court.

7. The expenses incurred for the subsistence in prison of any person arrested and committed under this Order shall be paid in advance through the court by the plaintiff in the action; and the court shall determine whatever allowance it shall think fit for the reasonable and sufficient subsistence of such person having regard to his status and way of life; and any amount so disbursed may be recovered by the plaintiff in the action as costs in the cause, if the court shall specifically so order.

1. If the defendant, in any suit for an amount or value of twenty dollars or upwards, with intent to obstruct or delay the execution of any decree that may be passed against him, is about to dispose of his property, or any part thereof, or to remove any such property from Solomon Islands, the plaintiff may apply to the court, either at the time of the institution of the suit or at any time thereafter until final judgment, to call upon the defendant to furnish sufficient security to fulfil any decree which may be made against him in the suit, and, on his failing to give such security, to direct that any property, movable or immovable, belonging to the defendant, shall be attached until further order of the court.

2. Every application referred to in rule 1 shall contain particulars of the property to be attached and the estimated value thereof so far as the plaintiff can reasonably ascertain the same, and shall be supported by oral or affidavit evidence.

3. If the court, after making such investigation as it may consider necessary, is satisfied that the defendant is about to dispose of or remove from Solomon Islands his property with intention to obstruct or delay the execution of any decree which may be made against him, the court may order the defendant, within a time to be specified in the order, either to furnish security, in such sum as shall be specified in the order, or to produce and place at the disposal of the court, when required, such property, or the value of the same, or such portion thereof as may be sufficient to fulfil the decree, or to appear and show cause why he should not furnish security; and the court may also, in the order, direct the attachment until further order of the whole or any part of the property specified in the application.

4. If the defendant fails to show cause or to furnish the required security within the time specified in the order, the court may direct that the property specified in the application, if not already attached, or such portion thereof as shall be sufficient to fulfil the decree, shall be attached until further order; but if the defendant shows cause or furnishes the required security, and the property specified in the application, or any part of it, shall already have been attached, the court shall order the attachment to be withdrawn.

5. The attachment of any property under this Order shall not affect the rights of persons not being parties to the suit, and, in the event of any claim being preferred to the property attached before judgment, such claim shall be investigated in the manner prescribed in Order 33 relating to interpleader proceedings.

6. In all cases of attachment before judgment, the court shall, at any time, remove the attachment on the defendant furnishing security as hereinbefore required together with security for the costs of the attachment.

1. In any suit in which it is shown, to the satisfaction of the court, that any property which is in dispute in the suit is in danger of being wasted, damaged or alienated by any party to the suit, the court may issue an injunction to such party commanding him to refrain from doing the particular act complained of, or may give such order for the purpose of preventing him from wasting, damaging or alienating the property as the court may think necessary.

2. In all cases in which it may appear to the court necessary for the preservation or better management or custody of any property in dispute in a suit, the court may appoint a receiver or manager of such property, and, if need be, remove the person in whose possession or custody the property may be from the possession or custody thereof, and commit the same to the custody of the receiver or manager, and the court may authorise the receiver or manager to do all things and exercise all powers required for the proper management, preservation or improvement of the property and collection of the rents and profits thereof, including the application and disposal of such rents and profits, as the court may consider necessary.

3. The court may, on the application of any party to a suit, or of its own motion in any suit, order the sale, in such manner and on such terms as the court may think fit, of any goods, wares or merchandise, the right to which is in dispute in the suit, which may be of a perishable nature or be likely to depreciate from keeping, or which, for any other just and sufficient reason, the court may think it desirable to have sold at once.

4. In any suit for restraining the defendant from committing any breach of contract or other injury, and whether the same be accompanied by a claim for damages or not, the plaintiff may, at any time after the commencement of the suit and whether before or after judgment, apply to the court for an injunction to restrain the defendant from the repetition or the continuance of the breach of contract or the wrongful act complained of, or from committing any breach of contract or injury of a like kind arising out of the same contract or relating to the same property or right, and such injunction may be granted by the court on such terms as to the duration of the injunction, keeping of account, giving of security or otherwise as the court shall consider reasonable and just:

Provided that any order for an injunction may be discharged, varied or set aside by the court on application by any party dissatisfied with such order.

5. The court may in every case, before making an order or appointment under this Order, direct that such reasonable notice of the application shall be given to the opposite party as the court shall think fit.

1. A defendant in an action may set off, or may set up by way of counterclaim against the claim of the plaintiff, any right or claim, whether such set-off or counterclaim sound in damages or not, and such set-off or counterclaim shall have the same effect as a statement of claim in a cross action so as to enable the court to pronounce a final judgment in the same action both on the original and on the cross claim:

Provided that if in the opinion of the court the set-off or counterclaim cannot conveniently be disposed of in the pending action or otherwise ought not to be allowed, the court may refuse permission to the defendant to avail himself thereof, and the court shall refuse such permission in respect of any counterclaim for an amount or value exceeding the jurisdiction in that respect of the court.

2.—(1) No defendant shall be allowed to avail himself of any set-off or counterclaim unless he shall have filed with the Magistrate or the clerk of court, as the case may be, four days before the return day, a notice in original and as many copies as there are plaintiffs in the suit, stating his name and address and a concise statement of the grounds of such set-off or counterclaim and shall have paid the same fees as would be payable if he were claiming by writ of summons:

Provided that the court may, in its discretion and on such terms as to adjournment or otherwise as may appear to it to be just, allow a defendant to avail himself of a set-off or counterclaim notwithstanding that such notice has not been duly filed within the time specified above.

(2) Upon receipt of notice of set-off or counterclaim and upon payment of the prescribed fees, the magistrate or the clerk of court shall cause a duplicate of such notice to be served upon the plaintiff or each of them.

(3) The provisions of Order 9, relating to particulars of claim, shall apply, as far as they are applicable to every set-off or counterclaim.

3. Where in any action a counterclaim is established as a defence against the plaintiff's claim, the court may, if the balance is in favour of the defendant, give judgment for the defendant for such balance, or may otherwise adjudge to the defendant such relief as he may be entitled to upon the merits of the case.

4. The court may, if it thinks fit, order that a defence of partial set-off shall be accompanied by payment into court of the amount to which, on the defendant's own showing, the plaintiff is entitled unless the plaintiff's claim is resisted on some other ground of defence; and, in default of such payment the defendant shall be liable to pay the costs of the suit even though he may succeed in his defence to the extent of the set-off on which he relies.

1. A defence of tender must be accompanied by payment into court of the amount alleged to have been tendered.

1. Upon the application of any party to a cause, or of its own motion, the court may order any party thereto to appear and make discovery on oath or to file an affidavit as to the documents which are or which have been in his possession or power relating to any matter in question in the suit.

2. The court may, at any time during the pendency of a cause or other proceedings, order the production by any party thereto of any document in his possession or power relating to any matter in question in the suit or proceedings, and the court may deal with such documents, when produced, as shall appear to the court to be just.

3. The court may in its discretion on the application of any party to a cause or other proceeding compel by order any other party to allow the applicant to inspect all or any documents in the custody or control of such other party relative to the suit, and, if necessary to take copies of the same.

4. If any party to a cause fails to comply with the terms of any order for discovery, production or inspection of any document he shall be liable to attachment; and he shall also, if a plaintiff, be liable to have his action dismissed for want of prosecution, and, if a defendant, to have his defence, if any, struck out and to be placed in the same position as if he had not defended the action.

1. At any stage of any cause or other proceeding the court may entertain interlocutory applications which may be made either ex parte or after notice given to the other parties to be affected thereby; and every such application may be made either orally before the Magistrate or in writing, and may, if the application is based upon facts to be stated, be supported by evidence thereof given either orally or by affidavit.

2. Every order to show cause shall specify the day upon which cause is to be shown, to be called the return day to the order, and shall not, unless the court otherwise directs, ordinarily be less than three days after service.

3. Upon the hearing of any order to show cause the court may discharge the order or make the order absolute, or adjourn the consideration thereof, or permit further evidence to be produced either for or against the order, and may modify the terms of the order so as to meet the merits of the case.

1. The court may upon the application of any party to a cause order that the hearing thereof be postponed if the court is satisfied that the postponement is likely to have the effect of better ensuring the hearing and determination of the issues between the parties on the merits and that the application is not made for the purpose of mere delay; and any postponement may be granted subject to such terms as to costs or otherwise as the court may consider just.

2. Where an application is made under rule 1 on the ground of the absence of a witness, before granting the application the court shall require the applicant to satisfy it that the evidence of such witness is material and that the witness is likely to be available within a reasonable time.

1. Where a civil cause or matter has been called for hearing and neither party appears, the court may either strike out the proceedings, or, if the court has reason to believe that the parties have not settled out of court and have failed or been unable to appear for some other reason, set down the cause or matter for some other date and, without requiring the payment of further fee, send notice to the parties of the fresh date of hearing in any manner the court thinks fit.

2. If the plaintiff does not appear when called, but the defendant or any one of them does the court shall, unless it sees good reason to the contrary, strike out the proceedings (except as to any counterclaim by the defendant), and make such order as to costs in favour of the defendant appearing as seems to it to be just:

Provided that if the defendant admits the cause of action to the full amount claimed, the court may in its discretion give judgment in favour of the plaintiff as if the plaintiff had appeared and the defendant had admitted his liability.

3. If the plaintiff appears and the defendant does not appear when called and has not in writing previously explained to the court good reason for his absence, the court may, upon proof of service of the writ of summons proceed to hear the cause and give judgment upon the evidence adduced by the plaintiff, or may postpone the hearing of the cause and direct notice to be given to the defendant accordingly.

4. Where the defendant to a cause which has been struck out under rule 2 has a counterclaim, the court may, upon proof of service upon the plaintiff of notice of the counterclaim, proceed to hear the counterclaim and give judgment upon the evidence adduced by the defendant, or may postpone the hearing of the counterclaim and direct notice of the postponement to be given to the plaintiff accordingly.

5. Any judgment obtained against any party in the absence of that party may, on sufficient cause being shown, be set aside by the court upon such terms as to costs or otherwise as it may think fit.

1.—(1) Unless issues have been settled in accordance with the provisions of Order 17 before the date fixed for the hearing of any cause, the hearing shall commence by the plaintiff stating his case and the defendant shall then be called upon immediately to reply thereto stating whether he accepts liability or denies it and if he denies it the grounds upon which he does so.

(2) If issues have been previously framed, the hearing shall commence by the plaintiff stating his case and thereafter immediately producing his evidence.

2. If the defendant admits liability, judgment may be entered against him forthwith.

3. If the defendant denies liability, the plaintiff shall be called upon to produce his evidence and examine his witnesses.

4. The defendant shall have the right to cross-examine any witness and the plaintiff may then re-examine the witness with regard to any matter arising out of the cross-examination.

(a) if the defendant decides to produce no evidence, oral or documentary, the plaintiff shall be at liberty to sum up his case; and thereafter the defendant shall be entitled to state his defence and reply generally;

(b) if the defendant decides to produce evidence, the plaintiff shall have no right to address the court at the conclusion of his own case, but the defendant shall then state his defence and produce his evidence. At the conclusion of the defendant's evidence, the defendant shall be entitled to sum up his defence and comment upon the evidence generally; and thereafter the plaintiff shall be entitled to reply generally upon the whole case.

6. Any witness called by the defendant shall be subject to cross-examination by the plaintiff and may be re-examined by the defendant in respect to any matter arising out of the cross-examination.

7. Where by reason of the nature of the issues between the parties the burden of proof rests upon the defendant, he shall, if the court so decides, have the right to begin; and in any such case rules 3, 4, 5 and 6 shall be applied as though the word "defendant" were substituted therein for the word "plaintiff" and the word "plaintiff" substituted for the word "defendant".

8. Documentary evidence shall be put in and read, or, if all parties to the action consent thereto, a note of such consent being made on the trial record it may be taken as read.

9. Every document put in evidence shall be marked by the Magistrate or the clerk of court and shall be retained by the court until final judgment in the action and shall thereafter be returned to the party who put it in or from whose possession or power it came, unless for sufficient reason it is impounded by order of the court.

10. The court may in all cases disallow any question put in cross-examination to any party or other witness which may appear to it to be vexatious or not relevant to the matters in issue before the court.

1. The decision or judgment in any suit shall ordinarily be pronounced orally in open court:

Provided that the court may in its discretion, if the judgment is long or complex or otherwise difficult to deliver in simple language, hand down to each party a written copy thereof instead of pronouncing it verbatim.

2. If the course reserves judgment at the hearing, parties to the suit shall be served with notice to attend and hear judgment, unless the court, at the hearing, informs the parties of the day upon which it intends to deliver judgment, in which case there need be no further notice.

3. All parties shall be deemed to have notice of the decision or judgment if it is pronounced at the hearing; and all parties served with notice to attend and hear judgment shall be deemed to have notice of the judgment when it is pronounced, notwithstanding that any party may have failed to appear to the notice.

4. A minute of every judgment whether final or interlocutory shall be made on the trial record and every such minute shall be a decree of the court and shall have the full force and effect of a formal decree; but the court may in addition to such minute, upon the application of any party or of its own motion, cause a formal decree to be drawn up in any suit and delivered to the parties therein.

5. If the defendant shall have been allowed to set off any demand or counterclaim against the claim of the plaintiff, the minute of the judgment shall state what amount, if any, is due to the defendant and the judgment with respect to any sum awarded to him shall have the same effect and be subject to the same rules as if such sum had been claimed by the defendant in a separate suit against the plaintiff.

6. A person directed by any decree or order to pay money or to do any other act is bound to obey the decree or order without any further demand for payment or performance, and, if no time is expressed in such decree or order for the payment or performance directed, the defendant shall be bound to make payment or effect performance immediately after the decree or order has been made, unless the court shall by some subsequent order enlarge the time.

7. The court may, either upon the application of any party to any suit or of its own motion, direct a time within which payment must be made or performance be effected and may by any subsequent order enlarge or cancel or vary such time.

8. Where a judgment or order is for the payment of a sum of money, the court may in its discretion order interest not exceeding five per cent per annum to be paid thereon until date of payment.

9. Where any judgment or order directs payment of money the court may, either upon the application of any party to the suit, or, for sufficient reason, of its own motion direct that payment shall be made by instalments, with or without interest as limited in rule 8, and any such order may be made at the time of giving judgment or at any time thereafter and may be rescinded or varied for cause shown at any time; and also any such order may direct that upon failure of any instalment the whole amount remaining unpaid shall forthwith become due.

10. If the plaintiff and the defendant agree as to the terms and conditions on which judgment shall be entered, the court shall, unless it sees good reason to the contrary to be entered in the record, enter judgment on the terms and conditions so agreed.

11. Any judgment or order given by default of either party to any suit may be set aside by the court or a Magistrate upon such terms as to costs or otherwise as the court or Magistrate may think fit.

1. Under the denomination of costs is included the whole of the expenses necessarily incurred by either party to any cause or matter, and in enforcing the decree or order made therein, including the expenses of summoning and of the attendance of the parties and witnesses and of obtaining copies of documents, the fees of the court and the remuneration of referees.

Provided that if any party to a suit is dissatisfied with the direction of the Magistrate as to the assessment or apportionment of any costs or any items thereof he may appeal to the Registrar of the High Court or to a Judge of that Court and the Registrar or the Judge shall, either with or without hearing the parties in argument thereon in chambers, make such order as to the assessment or apportionment of the costs as may be just.

3. Subject to the proviso to rule 2, the costs of every cause or matter and of each particular proceeding therein shall be in the discretion of the court; and the court may award or apportion costs in any manner it may consider just:

Provided that except for sufficient cause the court shall not order the successful party to any suit to pay the whole of the costs of the suit.

4.—(1) Where a plaintiff does not or does not ordinarily live in Solomon Islands, or is about to leave Solomon Islands, the court may direct, either of its own motion or on the application of any defendant to the suit, that the plaintiff shall pay into court or furnish security in such sum as the court considers sufficient to cover the costs in the action, and such direction may be given at the commencement of the proceedings or at any stage thereof.

(2) If the plaintiff fails to comply with any direction given under paragraph (1), the court may stay the proceedings until the direction has been complied with.

5. The court may order costs to be paid out of any fund or property to which any cause or matter relates.

6. In taxation of costs between party and party nothing shall be allowed in respect of fees paid to the court beyond what was necessary having regard to the amount recovered on the judgment.

7. A folio shall comprise seventy-two words, and where figures or numbers appear, every figure or whole number, as the case may be, shall count as one word.

8. Where upon the trial of any cause or matter it appears that such cause or matter cannot be proceeded with by reason of any advocate engaged by any party thereto having neglected to appear personally or by some proper person on his behalf, or having omitted to produce any document necessary for the use of the court and which ought to have been produced, such advocate may be ordered personally to pay the costs incurred by such failure, or such part of such costs, as the court may think fit.

1. Any order of the court made in any cause or matter may be enforced in the same manner as a decree to the same effect.

2. Any interlocutory order may be enforced by any of the methods applicable thereto by which a final order is enforceable.

3. Without prejudice to the generality of rule 2, interlocutory orders may be enforced according to the following provisions—

(a) if a plaintiff in a suit makes default or fails to fulfil any interlocutory order, the court may, if it thinks fit, stay further proceedings in the suit until the order is complied with, or may give a judgment of non-suit against such plaintiff with or without liberty to bring a fresh suit on the same grounds of action, or may make such other order and on such terms and conditions as to costs or otherwise as the court may think fit;

(b) if a defendant in any suit makes such default or failure, the court may give judgment by default against such defendant, or make such other order and upon such terms and conditions as to costs or otherwise as the court may think fit:

Provided that any such judgment by default, either against a plaintiff or a defendant, may be set aside by the court, upon such terms as to costs or otherwise as the court may think just.

1. Where any person (in this Order called the applicant) is under a liability for any debt or other thing in action or any money or goods for or in respect of which adverse claims have been made upon him by two or more claimants he may apply to the court for relief by way of interpleader.

2. Whether or not a writ of summons has been served upon the applicant in respect of any liability mentioned in rule 1, the applicant may at any time apply either orally or in writing to the court stating the particulars of the claims made, or likely to be made, upon him and the court shall, upon payment of the prescribed fee, summon the claimants or likely claimants, as the case may be, before it, and whether the applicant is present or not, shall hear and determine the issue between the claimants and make such order as to the disposal of the liability upon the applicant as the court shall think fit.

3. A Magistrate may, before or after the issue of an interpleader summons to any claimants, direct that the applicant shall bring the subject-matter into court or dispose of it in such manner as the Magistrate thinks fit pending the determination of the claims thereto.

4. In any case of interpleader the court shall make such order as to costs as the court shall consider just.

1. Any party in whose favour a judgment of the court is given for the payment of money may apply orally or in writing to the court for execution of the judgment if it is not satisfied.

2. The process for the execution of any judgment shall be by writ of execution issued under the hand of the Magistrate of the court in which the judgment was given and shall be addressed to the sheriff who shall be empowered to levy by distress and sale of the personal property of the person against whom the judgment was given (in this Order referred to as the judgment debtor) such sum as shall be specified in the writ, together with the costs of the execution, and all police officers shall, if so required, aid in the execution.

3. All the personal property of a judgment debtor whether held in his own name or by another person in trust for him or on his behalf (except the wearing apparel and bedding of himself and his family and the tools and implements of his trade, if any, to the value of twenty dollars) is liable to attachment and sale in execution of a decree or order.

4. A writ of execution shall not be issued until fourteen days after the date of the decree or order:

Provided that for special reason to be noted on the record of execution and in its discretion the court may order immediate execution in any particular case.

5. No goods seized in execution shall be sold until the expiration of five days after the seizure, unless such goods are perishable or the judgment debtor requests an earlier sale; and where the goods are estimated to be of a value of more than forty dollars, sale shall be by way of public auction after such advertisement as the court shall direct:

Provided that where the nature of any property to be sold is such that in the opinion of the court a better price can be obtained by sale by private treaty than by public auction the court may waive the requirement for public auction and authorise sale by private treaty and the reason for waiving such requirement shall be noted on record of execution.

6. If the judgment debtor shall before actual sale pay or tender to the court or to the sheriff or his agent the amount specified in the writ or so much thereof as the person entitled thereto (in this Order referred to as the judgment creditor) shall agree to accept in full discharge, together with the costs of the execution, the execution shall be superseded and the property discharged.

7.—(1) No order for commitment of any judgment debtor under paragraph (g) of subsection (1) of section 19 of the Act shall be made unless a summons (in this Order referred to as a judgment summons) to appear before the court and be examined on oath has been personally served upon the judgment debtor; and no judgment summons shall be served less than four days before the date fixed for the hearing thereof.

(2) A judgment summons shall be in the form of a writ of summons, but endorsed requiring the judgment debtor to appear on the return day of the summons to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for failure to pay the sum of the original judgment debt together with the costs of the judgment summons.

8. Where a decree or order has been made against two or more judgment debtors the judgment creditor may apply for execution against all or any of them.

9.—(1) Where the judgment debtor is a firm or a person carrying on business not in his own name and the judgment creditor applies for a judgment summons to issue against any person whom he alleges to be liable under the judgment or order to be executed, as a partner or the sole member of the firm or as the person carrying on business in a name other than his own, the judgment creditor shall, before the judgment summons is issued, satisfy the Magistrate on oath or by affidavit that the person against whom the judgment summons is sought is the person liable under the judgment or order; and that person shall be served with a copy of such evidence or affidavit together with the judgment summons.

(2) If on the date fixed for the hearing of the judgment summons such person denies his liability, the court may decide the question on the evidence then before it or may order the question to be tried and determined in an action to be commenced by writ of summons in the ordinary way.

10. Witnesses may be called to prove the means of a judgment debtor in the same manner as witnesses may be called or summoned to give evidence at the hearing of an action, and their expenses may be allowed as costs in the execution.

11. The hearing of a judgment summons may, with the leave of the court, be adjourned from time to time.

12. Where a judgment creditor at whose instance a judgment summons is issued, or a judgment debtor summoned to appear by judgment summons, does not reside within the jurisdiction of the court in which the judgment summons is to be heard, he may forward to the court from which the summons issued an affidavit setting forth any facts which he may wish to be before the court prior to any order being made on the summons; and the court may, if it thinks fit, on the hearing of the summons admit the affidavit as evidence of the person by whom the same is made.

13.—(1) Where upon the return day of a judgment summons, the judgment debtor satisfies the Magistrate that a receiving order has been made for the protection of his estate, or that he has been adjudged bankrupt, or that a composition order has been made against him, and that the debt was provable therein, no order of commitment shall be made.

(2) Where an order of commitment has been made and the Magistrate who made the order shall thereafter be satisfied that the judgment debtor has had a receiving order made against him, or that he has been adjudged bankrupt or that a composition order has been made against him, and that the debt in respect to which the order was made was provable therein, if the committal order has not yet been executed, it shall be cancelled and if it has been executed the Magistrate shall order the judgment debtor to be discharged.

14.—(1) On the hearing of a judgment summons, the Magistrate, if he is of the opinion that an order of commitment ought not to be made, may refuse to make the order, or may make a fresh order for payment of the amount remaining due and unpaid under the judgment or order, either at a specified time or by instalments.

(2) If an order of commitment is made, the Magistrate may direct that the execution of such order be suspended to enable the judgment debtor to pay the amount in respect of which the order is made, either by instalments or otherwise; and when such order is made, notice thereof shall be sent to the judgment debtor unless he is present in court when such direction is given.

(3) The Magistrate may from time to time upon the application of either party and after reasonable notice being given to the other party of the time and place at which the application will be heard, vary the amount of any instalments ordered to be paid by such amount as will, in the Magistrate's opinion, meet the ability of the judgment debtor to pay the same.

(4) Subject to the provisions of rule 15, all payments under an order made upon a judgment summons or an order of commitment shall be paid into court.

(5) If no order for commitment and no fresh order for payment is made on the hearing of the judgment summons, but the Magistrate considers that the judgment creditor was justified in applying for the judgment summons, the Magistrate may, instead of dismissing the summons, order that it shall stand adjourned.

(6) An order for commitment shall be executed by the sheriff or a bailiff or a police officer.

15. If at any time after the issue of a commitment order, the amount endorsed on the order is paid into the court which issued the order, to to the sheriff, or, if the judgment debtor has been delivered into the custody of the officer-in-charge of any prison, to that officer, the commitment order shall cease to have effect and the court, the sheriff or the officer-in-charge of the prison, as the case may be, shall discharge the judgment debtor forthwith; and if the amount has been paid to the sheriff or the officer-in-charge of the prison, the sheriff or that officer shall forthwith pay the amount into the court.

16. Upon receipt of any moneys paid into court, the clerk of court, or the Magistrate, shall, subject to the deduction of all proper costs, charges and expenses, pay the same to the judgment creditor.

17. Upon the judgment creditor lodging with the Magistrate or the clerk of court in which the commitment order was issued a request in writing that the judgment debtor, if in prison, be discharged from custody, the Magistrate or the clerk of court shall notify the officer-in-charge of the prison and that officer shall forthwith cause the judgment debtor to be released.

18. Upon the issue of a judgment summons against a judgment debtor, the sheriff shall lodge with the court issuing the judgment summons any writ of execution against the property of the debtor which may have been issued in the action, whether as yet executed or not; but any such writ, if not fully executed, may be re-issued by leave of the Magistrate.

19.—(1) Any judgment creditor may, either before or after any oral examination of the judgment debtor, apply either in person or in writing to the court which issued the judgment or order against the debtor for a summons to be served to obtain payment to him of the amount of any debt due to the judgment debtor from any other person (in this Order referred to as a garnishee) who is indebted to the judgment debtor, or so much thereof as may be sufficient to satisfy the said judgment or order together with the costs of the garnishee proceedings; and if the court upon hearing the evidence or reading the affidavit of the applicant is satisfied as to the likelihood of such amount being due to the judgment debtor from the garnishee, the court may issue a summons accordingly calling upon the garnishee to show cause why he should not pay to the judgment creditor the debt due from him to the judgment debtor, or so much thereof as may satisfy the judgment or order together with the costs aforesaid.

(2) For the purpose of this rule, the garnishee shall be deemed to be within the jurisdiction of the court notwithstanding that the amount of the debt due from the garnishee to the judgment debtor is in excess of the jurisdiction of the court.

20. Where the garnishee is not, in respect of the debt due to the judgment debtor, within the jurisdiction of the court which issued the judgment or order, the judgment creditor may obtain from the court which issued the judgment or order a certified copy thereof, and may, upon lodging such certified copy with the court within the jurisdiction of which the garnishee resides, make application to that court in the manner provided in rule 19, and that court shall deal with the garnishee proceedings accordingly.

21.—(1) Every garnishee summons shall be served on the garnishee not less than seven days before the return day of the summons, and, when so served, it shall bind in the hands of the garnishee all debts due and payable from him to the judgment debtor to be named in the summons.

(2) When the garnishee is a firm or a person carrying on business in a name or style other than his own, or is a company or other corporation, the summons may be served in the same manner as a writ of summons is served.

22.—(1) Upon the issue of any garnishee summons, the clerk of court or the Magistrate issuing the same shall cause a copy thereof to be served upon the judgment debtor in respect of whose judgment debt the garnishee summons is issued, together with a notice advising him that if he wishes to show cause why the garnishee should not be ordered to pay the debt due to him over to the judgment creditor, he must appear and show cause, if any there be, upon the return day of the garnishee summons.

(2) The copy and notice referred to in paragraph (1) shall be served on the judgment debtor after service of the garnishee summons has been effected upon the garnishee and not less than four days before the return day of the garnishee summons, and, the court may from time to time postpone the return day of the garnishee summons in order that service of the notice may be effected.

23.—(1) The garnishee may at any time before the return day of the summons pay into court the amount admitted by him to be due from him to the judgment debtor, or, if the amount so admitted is more than the amount of the judgment debt, or any part thereof outstanding, together with the fees and costs endorsed on the garnishee summons, such amount as is sufficient to meet such amount, fees and costs.

(2) Upon payment into court of any amount referred to in paragraph (1), the Magistrate or the clerk of court shall cause notice to be given to the judgment creditor and to the judgment debtor, warning the latter that the money paid into court will be ordered to be paid out to the judgment creditor, unless the judgment debtor appears on the return day of the summons and shows cause why such amount should not be so paid out.

(3) If the judgment creditor elects to accept the amount paid into court in satisfaction of his claim against the garnishee, he shall send or give notice in writing of his acceptance to the court and the court shall notify the garnishee accordingly, and thereupon all further proceedings against the garnishee shall abate and the judgment creditor shall not be liable for any costs incurred by the garnishee after receipt of such notice.

(4) If the payment into court is made by the garnishee four days before the return day of the garnishee summons, the garnishee shall not be liable for any further costs incurred by the judgment creditor; but if he pays into court less than four days before the said return day, the court may in its discretion order the garnishee to pay such fees and costs, beyond the fees and costs, if any, paid into court by the garnishee, as the judgment creditor may have properly incurred for work done before the receipt of the notice of the payment into court and in attending the court to obtain the order for the same.

(5) Where the judgment creditor has not given notice of acceptance in accordance with paragraph (3) he may, nevertheless, accept the money paid into court at any time before the hearing of the garnishee summons, but in such case he shall be liable for any costs which may have been reasonably incurred by the garnishee since the date of payment into court and which are allowed by the court.

(6) In default of acceptance by the judgment creditor, the proceedings against the garnishee may proceed.

24. Money paid into court by a garnishee and accepted by the judgment creditor shall, on application being made by the judgment creditor upon the return day of the garnishee summons be ordered to be paid out to him:

(a) before such money is paid out to the judgment creditor, the court shall satisfy itself by evidence on oath or affidavit or otherwise that the judgment creditor has not received payment of the amount payable under the judgment or order from any other source and has not obtained an order for the payment of such amount under any other garnishee proceedings; and if it appears that the judgment creditor has received payment of such amount, or any part thereof, from any other source or has received an order for payment thereof in any other garnishee proceedings, so much only of the money paid into court shall be paid out to him as will, with the amount so received, or for payment whereof an order has been obtained, make up the full amount of the judgment debt together with any fees and costs allowed to the judgment creditor in the garnishee proceedings; and the balance of the money paid into court shall be dealt with as the court shall direct;

(b) if the judgment debtor appears and shows cause why the money should not be paid out to the judgment creditor, the court may make such order as to the money paid into court, and as to costs, as the court may think just;

(c) if the judgment debtor alleges, or it is made to appear to the court, that the money paid into the court belongs to or is claimed by some third person, or that any third person has, or claims to have, a lien or charge on it, the court may adjourn the proceedings and summon such third person to appear and state the nature and particulars of his claim; and may there and then dispose of the issue or direct that the issue be tried and determined in a fresh action as between such third person and the judgment creditor; and pending the determination of that action may stay further proceedings in garnishee;

(d) if the judgment creditor does not intend to apply for an order against the garnishee for payment of any further costs, and he obtains the consent in writing of the judgment debtor he may apply to the court for the money in court to be paid out to him before the return day of the garnishee summons, and the court may direct that the money be paid out accordingly;

(e) the costs of any application for payment out made under this rule, including the costs of any affidavit under paragraph (a), or of obtaining any consent under paragraph (d) may be allowed as costs in the garnishee proceedings, and may be retained as costs in the garnishee proceedings by the judgment creditor out of the money recovered by him in the garnishee proceedings;

(f) no hearing fee shall be payable on any application for payment out of money paid into court by a garnishee, unless the judgment debtor appears and shows cause, in which case the hearing fee shall be payable by the judgment debtor on the amount paid into court, or unless the judgment debtor alleges, or it is otherwise made to appear to the court, that the money paid into court belongs to or is claimed by a third person or that a third person has a lien or charge thereon, and the court proceeds to hear and determine the issue, in which case, if the third person appears, a hearing fee shall be payable by that person on so much of the amount paid into court as is claimed by him.

25. If the garnishee does not pay into court any amount admitted by him to be due to the judgment debtor or so much, together with costs, as will satisfy the judgment or order, the court shall—

(a) if the garnishee does not appear to the garnishee summons, give judgment in default against the garnishee; or

(b) if the garnishee does appear to the garnishee summons and disputes his liability, hear and determine the issue as to his liability to the judgment debtor, or if the court thinks it expedient, direct that the issue as to liability as between the garnishee and the judgment debtor shall be tried or determined in any manner in which an issue or question in an action may be tried and determined.

Certificate where garnishee is sued in court other than the court in which judgment obtained

26. Where the court in which the garnishee is sued is not the court in which the judgment or order was given or made upon which he is sued, the Magistrate or clerk of court of the first-mentioned court shall send forthwith a certificate of the order of that court to the court in which the judgment or order was given or made, and shall also from time to time send notice of any payment made on, before or after the return day of the garnishee summons.

27. Payment made by or execution levied upon the garnishee, under any proceedings under this Order, shall be a valid discharge to the garnishee, as against the judgment debtor, to the amount paid or levied (inclusive of any amount allowed to the garnishee for costs and which he is by the Rules, or by order of the court allowed to deduct from the amount due from him to the judgment debtor) although such proceedings may be set aside or the judgment or order reversed.

28. The costs of any application for an attachment of debts, and of any proceedings arising from or incidental to such application, shall be in the discretion of the court; and any costs which are allowed to the judgment creditor which are not ordered to be paid by the garnishee personally shall, unless the court otherwise directs, be taxed and retained by the judgment creditor out of the money recovered by him in the garnishee proceedings, in priority to the amount due under the judgment or order obtained against the judgment debtor.

29. In proceedings to obtain an attachment of debts the Magistrate may, in his discretion, refuse to intervene where, from the smallness of the amount to be recovered or of the debt sought to be attached, or otherwise, the remedy sought would be worthless or vexatious or would, in the opinion of the court, cause undue hardship to the judgment debtor.

30.—(1) Where in the process of any execution pursuant to the provisions of this Order a commitment order is issued against a judgment debtor the judgment creditor shall pay into court in advance of the issue of the order, and from time to time thereafter, such sum as the court shall think fit to cover the reasonable and sufficient subsistence of the judgment debtor having regard to his status and way of life during the period of commitment.

(2) Such sum or sums shall be disbursed through the court in the form of a daily allowance to be fixed by the court for the subsistence of the judgment debtor during the period of his commitment.

(3) Any sum so disbursed may be recovered, in the discretion of the court, by the judgment creditor as costs in the execution.

Form
No. Particulars
1. General title of writs and other documents in a suit
2. Writ of summons
3. Endorsement of service
4. Summons to witness
5. Notice to admit
6. Warrant to arrest absconding defendant
7. Bail bond by defendant and sureties
8. Warrant to attach property before judgment
9. Order to produce (general form)
10. Formal decree
11. Interpleader summons
12. Writ of execution
13. Judgment summons
14. Warrant of arrest on judgment or order of Court
15. Order of commitment on judgment or order of Court
16. Notice of suspension of order of commitment
17. Summons to garnishee
ASM 1 Writ of summons
ASM 2 Affiliation order
ASM 3 Order for financial provision, custody and access
ASM 4 Judgment summons (attachment of earnings)
ASM 5 Attachment of earnings order

YOU ARE HEREBY REQUIRED TO ATTEND this court on the ................ day of ............................. 19........ at ........... o'clock for the hearing of an action brought against you by ...................................... the above-named plaintiff of ..................................... . The particulars of the claim are stated below.

IF YOU FAIL TO ATTEND, the plaintiff may proceed and the court may give judgment in your absence.

Dated this .......................... day of ......................... 19........ .

Note.—The clerk of court may fill up the particulars if the plaintiff requests him to do so.

Served by me .................................. on the within-named ...................... on the .................. day of ................... 19.......... at ......... o'clock at .........................

NOTE: This should be filled up forthwith after service, by the officer effecting it.

Returned into the Clerk of Court's Office on the .................. day of ..................... 19.......... at ................ o'clock.

To ..................................... of ................................................

YOUR ARE HEREBY REQUIRED TO ATTEND in person before this court on the ................................ day of ......................... 19.......... at ........... o'clock and so from day to day till the above cause be tried to testify all that you know in the said cause [and also to bring with you and produce to the court at the same time and place the following:-(*)]

You are summoned at the instance of .................................................

Dated this ........................... day of .......................... 19............... .

TO ............................................. of ..........................................

TAKE NOTICE THAT the plaintiff/defendant* in the above action proposes to adduce in evidence the following documents/facts*:-

YOU ARE HEREBY REQUIRED to state in writing on or before the ................. day of ........................... 19.......... whether you admit or deny the authenticity of such documents/the truth of such facts*.

[The documents will be available for your inspection at .................... on the ................. day of .......................... 19.......... between the hours of and *]

YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to arrest of ..................................... being the defendant in the above suit and bring him before me at this court there to show cause why he should not give bail or security for his appearance at any time when called upon when the above suit is pending and until execution or satisfaction of any decree which may be passed therein against him.

Dated this ........................... day of ............................. 19............ .

I, the undersigned, acknowledge myself to owe to ..................................... of ........................................... being the plaintiff in the above suit, his executors, administrators or assigns, the sum written opposite my signature hereto, to be raised by seizure and sale of my goods if the condition hereon is not fulfilled.

Dated this ........................ day of ........................ 19........... .

If the said ....................................... of ................................ being the defendant in the above suit, shall appear when called upon at any time before the court while the suit is pending and until execution or satisfaction of the decree of the court in case judgment therein be given against him or, in default of such appearance, the said defendant, his executors, administrators or assigns, shall pay to the said ................................... of .................................., being plaintiff in the above suit, or his executors, administrators or assigns, any sum of money that may be adjudged against the said defendant in the suit, with costs, then this obligation shall be void otherwise it shall remain in force.

WHEREAS it has been shown to the satisfaction of this court that ................................ of ..................................... , the defendant in the above suit, with intent to obstruct or delay the execution of any decree which may be passed against him in the suit, is about to dispose of or to remove from Solomon Islands his goods and chattels:

NOW, THEREFORE, YOU ARE COMMANDED to seize, attach and take into your hands the movable and immovable property of the defendant (or the certain property specified in the Schedule below to the estimated value of $ ) and to hold the same until the further order of the court

AND YOU ARE ALSO COMMANDED forthwith after the execution of this warrant to return the same to this court endorsed with the time, place and particulars of its execution.

Dated this .......................... day of ................................. 19............ .

I, .................................... stationed at ...................................... in the ................................ Province of Solomon Islands hereby certify that I have executed this warrant at ........................................ (place) at (time) and seized the following property of the abovenamed ............................................

Dated this ......................... day of ............................. 19.............. .

I, ............................ stationed at .................... in the Province of ....................... Solomon Islands, hereby certify that, by virtue of this warrant, I have made diligent search for the money and goods of the abovenamed ............................. and that I can find no money or goods of him/her whereupon the sums specified in this warrant can be levied.

Dated this .............................. day of ........................... 19.............. .

TO .......................................... of .............................................
Plaintiff/Defendant*

YOU ARE HEREBY ORDERED to produce and show to the court on the trial of the above action all books, papers, letters, copies of letters and other writing or documents in your custody, possession or power containing any entry, memorandum or minute relating to the matters in issue in the action and in particular the following:

Dated this ....................... day of ........................... 19............ .

It is ordered in the above case that the Defendant shall pay to the Plaintiff the sum of $................... and $........................... costs.

[The Defendant shall pay the sum of $........ forthwith]
[The Defendant shall pay the sum of $........ by the day of 19 ]
[The Defendant shall pay the sum of $........ by instalments of $............ every (week) (fortnight) (month).
The first payment shall be made on or before the day of 19]
[IN ADDITION the Defendant shall pay interest on the judgment sum and costs of $.............. at ................% from the date of judgment until the sum is paid]

Dated this ................... day of ................................. 19........ .

.................................................. of .......................................
and ............................................. of .......................................
WHEREAS ................................... of ........................................ informed this court that he has received adverse claims from
................................................. of .........................................
and ............................................ of .........................................
to (*)

YOU ARE THEREFORE SUMMONED to appear at this court on the ..................... day of ...................... 19........ at ............ o'clock when judgment will be given determining the rights and claims aforesaid .............................................

NOTE: You are each required within 7 days after the service of this summons upon you, inclusive of the day of service, to file in the court either a notice that you make no claim or particulars stating the ground of your claim.

Dated this .................... day of .............................. 19....... .

On the ............... day of ............................ 19........ at the [Magistrate's] [Local] Court judgment was entered against .......................................... the above-named Defendant in the sum of $..................... and costs of $..................... The Defendant has not paid the sum of $....................................

YOU ARE HEREBY ORDERED to seize and sell the Defendant's goods and chattels and pay any sums realised upon such sale to this court.

Judgment Sum $
Costs $
Fee on issue of this Writ $
Costs of execution $
Fee for seizure $
Interest at % $
Poundage @ 5% $
TOTAL $

Dated this ........................ day of ....................... 19.............. .

I, .................................... stationed at ................................. in the ................................. Province of Solomon Islands hereby certify that I have executed this warrant at (place) at (time) and seized the following property of the above named .........................................................

Dated this ............................ day of .............................. 19......... .

I, .................................... stationed at ..................................... in the ............................ Province of Solomon Islands, hereby certify that, by virtue of this warrant, I have made diligent search for the money and goods of the abovenamed and that I can find no money or goods of him/her whereupon the sums specified in this warrant can be levied.

To ................................. of .........................................

YOU ARE HEREBY REQUIRED to attend the ............................ Magistrate's Court on the ...................... day of .............................. 19..... at ....... o'clock to show cause why you should not be committed to prison for failure to pay the sum of the original judgment debt together with the costs of the judgment summons.

IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR at the time and place stated above the court may issue a warrant for your committal to prison unless the judgment debt is satisfied.

Dated this ..................... day of ............................ 19......... .

The above-named Plaintiff obtained judgment against the above-named defendant in the ........................... Magistrate's Court on the ........................ day of .......................... 19.......... for the payment of $............ [debt] [damages] and $............ costs. The defendant has failed to pay $.......................... .

He was summoned to attend court at ..................... on .................. the ................ day of .................... 19.......... to explain his means.

[He failed to attend court on the said date and has shown no reason why he has not paid]
[I have examined him and I am satisfied that he could have paid this sum since the judgment was obtained but he has deliberately not paid]

YOU ARE HEREBY ORDERED to arrest and bring him before me at this Magistrate's Court immediately UNLESS he pays the sum of $....................... at the time of arrest.

Amount of Judgment Debt $
Original Costs $
Costs on Judgment Summons $
[Fee on issue of this warrant]
payable by Defendant $
TOTAL $

TO the Sheriff, all Police Officers and the Officer in Charge of the prison at ...........................

The above-named Plaintiff obtained judgment against the above-named defendant in the ............................. Magistrate's Court on the ..................... day of ........................ 19.............. for the payment of $................. [debt] [damages] and $.................. costs. The defendant has failed to pay $.....................

He was summoned to attend court at ................... on the ................... day of ...................... 19............ to explain his means.

[He failed to attend court on the said date and has shown no reason why he has not paid]
[I have examined him] and I am satisfied that he could have paid this sum since the judgment was obtained but he has deliberately not paid

YOU ARE HEREBY ORDERED to take ........................................ to the prison at ................................. and hold him there for the period of ............................ unless the amount of $............................ is paid by him or on his behalf at any time before the said period has expired.

Dated this .................... day of ................................ 19............ .

Amount of Judgment Debt $
Original Costs $
Costs on Judgment Summons $
[Fee on issue of this warrant]
payable by Defendant $
TOTAL $

TO ............................................. of .............................................
the above-named defendant.

The above-named Plaintiff obtained judgment against you in the ........................ Magistrate's Court on the ........................ day of ....................... 19.......... for the payment of $.................... [debt] [damages] and $.................. costs. You have failed to pay $........................... .

I am satisfied that you could have paid this sum since the judgment was obtained but you have deliberately not paid.

TAKE NOTICE THEREFORE that I have committed you to prison for days/weeks but this will not take effect if you pay the sum of $......................... [by the ..........day of ............... 19........... ] [by .......... instalments of $................. per .............
the first payment to be paid on or before the .................... day of ..................... 19.......... and every .................. thereafter]

Dated this .........................day of ........................ 19............ .

Amount of Judgment Debt $
Original Costs $
Costs on Judgment Summons $
[Fee on issue of this warrant]
payable by Defendant $
TOTAL $

TO ...................................................................... the Garnishee

The above-named Plaintiff on the ............................... day of ....................... 19................. obtained judgment against the above-named Defendant in the .............................. Magistrates' Court in the sum of $................ [debt] [damages]* and $.................. costs.

The Defendant has not paid and the Plaintiff believes that you owe or hold money on behalf of the defendant in the sum of $....................... or more.

YOU ............................... the above-named garnishee ARE HEREWITH SUMMONED to appear at the .......................... Magistrate's Court on the ......................... day of ................... 19........... at .............o'clock to show reasons why you should not pay money directly to the Court or to the Plaintiff.

YOU MUST NOT PAY ANY MONEY TO THE DEFENDANT AFTER YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS SUMMONS.

If you owe or hold any money on behalf of the Defendant and DO NOT WISH to attend court you can pay any money INTO COURT at the ....................... Magistrate's Court.

If you do not owe or hold money on behalf of the defendant YOU MUST ATTEND the Court and explain. You will be able to claim costs of attendance and the court may order your reasonable costs to be paid.

Dated this ......................... day of ........................ 19............ .

SOLOMON ISLANDS
IN THE .......................... MAGISTRATE'S COURT
Civil Jurisdiction

TO ............................................ of ..................................... the above-named respondent.

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to attend this court on the ................ day of ........................... 19........ at .............. o'clock for the hearing of a complaint brought against you by the above-named complainant the grounds for and the particulars of which complaint are stated below.

IF YOU FAIL TO ATTEND according to this summons the complainant may proceed and the court may make an order in your absence.

Dated this ................ day of ............................ 19............ .

TO ........................................... of ................................ the above-named Respondent

ON the complaint of .............................. on the ................. day of ...................... 19...... you were judged to be the father of .................................. born on the ..................... day of .................... 19......... .

1. You, the respondent, pay to the complainant the sum of $ towards the birth expenses [forthwith] [by the ............. day of ................. 19........... ] [by ......... instalments of $.............. per .............. The first payment shall be made on the ............ day of ........................ 19.......... ]

2. You, the respondent, pay for the benefit of the said child $...................... per .................. until the child reaches the age of sixteen years or until the court makes further orders. The first payment shall be made on the ................ day of ..................... 19......... .

3. You, the respondent, pay the costs of these proceedings of $............... [forthwith] [by the ................ day of .................. 19........... ]

NOTE: All payments under this order are to be made to the Clerk of Court at ..................... Magistrate's Court.

TO ........................... of ........................ the above-named Complainant

AND TO ...................... of ....................... the above-named Respondent.

Having heard the complaint of ...................................... [and having heard the Respondent] the following ORDERS(s) ARE MADE:

1. You, the Respondent, pay to the Complainant $................... per ................from the .................... day of ...................... 19....... .

2. You, the Respondent, pay to the Complainant a lump sum payment of $................. [forthwith] [by the ................... day of ....................19.......... .] [by ......... instalments of $..................... per .................. The first payment shall be made on the ......................... day of ............................19........ .]

3. You the Respondent/Complainant pay for the benefit of the child[ren] namely—

Name ......................................... Date of Birth .................................

[the sum of $................... [per child] per ................. until the child[ren each] attains the age of 16 years or the court makes a further order.]
[a lump sum of $.................... (per child)]
[forthwith]
[by the ...................... day of ..................19........... .]
[by instalments of $.................... per .................... The first payment shall be made on the ........................ day of ......................... 19.......... .]

2. Reasonable access to the afore-mentioned child[ren] is given to the respondent/complainant [subject to the following conditions:]

That the respondent pay costs of $..................... to the complainant/or this court [forthwith] [not later than the .............. day of ............................ 19...... .]

Dated this ...................... day of .......................... 19............ .

TO ................................... of ................................. the above-named Respondent.

YOU ARE HEREBY REQUIRED to attend court on the .................... day of ......................... 19....... at ........... o'clock to show cause why your salary should not be attached pursuant to the provisions of s. 26(1) of the Affiliation, Separation and Maintenance Act.

Arrears under the order made by this court on the ..................... day of ................................. 19........ are as at the ..................... day of ........................... 19......... as follows:

IF YOU FAIL TO ATTEND according to this summons, the court may make any such order as it considers appropriate.

Dated this ...................... day of ......................... 19......... .

The above-named respondent is liable to make payments of $.................. per .............. to the complainant under an [affiliation] [financial provision] order made by this court on the .................... day of ................... 19....... and the court is satisfied that the respondent is a person to whom earnings are payable or are likely to become payable by the above-named employer. The respondent has been given an opportunity to be heard and the court is satisfied that he has [without reasonable cause failed to make the payments] [has consented to an order being made in the terms of the following order]

1. That the employer by its duly authorised officer do make payments of $.................... per ................... out of those earnings in pursuance of the provisions of section 26 of the Affiliation, Separation and Maintenance Act to the Clerk of the Magistrates Court at ................ for transmission to the complainant.

2. That in order to pay off the arrears that today total $................... , the employer do pay an additional sum of $................. per .................... until such arrears are fully paid.

3. Payments are to commence from the .............. day of .................. 19........ .

Dated this .............................. day of ............................ 19............ .

(a) Where the amount involved or annual value does not exceed $500.....................30.00

(b) Where the amount involved or annual value exceeds $500 but does not exceed $1000...............50.00

(c) Where the amount involved or annual value exceeds $1000 but does not exceed $2000............75.00

2. On summons where judicial relief is sought but not the recovery of money or property and where the amount involved cannot be estimated..................30.00

3. On set-off or counterclaim: a fee of the same amount as the fee payable on the issue of a summons.

4. Renewal of writ of summons etc., a fee of half the amount as the fee payable on the issue of a summons.

5. On an application to enforce any order by attachment or to commit a judgment debtor to prison............10.00

7. On every oath to the truth of an affidavit or deposition administered by a Magistrate or by a Justice of the Peace...5.00

15. On copies of proceedings: for each handwritten page of A4 ISO size......................5.00 per page

1. For the service of writ of summons or subpoena or any other
process on each defendant or witness in addition to any
reasonable expenses of bailiff...............10.00

4. For conveying to prison from place of arrest, the reasonable
travelling expenses actually incurred.

	$40	Over	Over	Over
	or	$40	$100	$200
	under	but	but
		under	under
		$100	$200
	$	$	$	$
Summonses etc.

1. Preparing summons, claim, defence	0.50	1.00	1.25	2.00
(other than a general denial),	to	to	to
counterclaim, including particulars	1.00	2.00	3.00
annexed, or judgment summons and fair
copy

2. Copy to serve.........	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25

3. Preparing request for further
particulars of claim or counterclaim
and fair copy

4. Preparing further particulars	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50
and fair copy

5. Copy to serve.........	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25

6. Preparing subpoena (one to four	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50
witnesses)

7. Copy for service, each witness	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25

Notices

8. Preparing notice to produce or admit	0.25	0.50	0.50	1.00
facts			to 1.00	to1.25

If necessarily long, such additional	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20
allowance as taxing master shall think
proper, not exceeding per folio

9. Preparing motion paper or any other	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50
necessary notice and fair copy				to 1.00

10. Preparing notice of discontinuance	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25
and fair copy

11. Preparing notice of appointment to	0.25	0.25	0.25	0.25
tax costs and fair copy

Instructions

12. To sue or defend in any proceedings	0.25	0.50	1.25	1.50
	to 0.50	to 1.00	to 2.00	to 4.00

13. For affidavit............	0.25	0.50	1.00	1.00
	to 0.50	to 1.00	to 1.50	to 2.00

14. For interlocutory application..........	0.25	0.50	1.00	1.50
	to 0.50	to 1.00	to 2.00	to 4.00

15. For trial.........	1.00	1.50	4.00	5.00
	to 1.50	to 4.00	to 8.00	to 10.00

16. For drawing proof of each witness	0.50	0.50	0.50	0.50
allowed on taxation			to 0.75	to 2.00

Drawing

17. Admissions of facts and fair copy	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50

18. Affidavit and fair copy......	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50
or per folio............	0.15	0.15	0.15	0.15

19. Accounts, statements and other	0.15	0.15	0.15	0.15
documents when required by court
or other party, per folio

20. Bill of costs for taxation and fair	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50
copy or per folio.............	0.15	0.15	0.15	0.15

21. Writ of execution and fair copy...	0.25	0.50	0.75	0.75

Copies

22. Of all documents for which no	0.10	0.10	0.10	0.10
special rate is provided, per folio

Attendances

23. To enter summons, judgment	0.25	0.25	0.50	0.50
summons, motion, to file
counterclaim, particulars, conclude
issues, file admission of facts,
affidavit of documents, interpleader
proceedings etc.

24. To issue subpoena or discontinue	0.25	0.25	0.50	0.50
action

25. To apply for costs on notice of	0.50	0.50	1.00	1.00
discontinuance

26. To inspect or produce for inspection	0.25	0.50	1.00	1.00
documents				to 3.00

27. To obtain or give consent,	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50
admission or swear affidavit

28. On hearing of judgment summons	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
		to 2.00	to 2.00	to 4.00

29. Interlocutory application...	0.50	1.00	2.00	1.00
				to 3.00
30. On trial—

(a) When case adjourned, not being part heard	0.50	1.00	1.00	1.00

(b) When judgment given in default	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00

(c) When case defended—
for the first hour......	2.00	2.00	2.00	4.00
for each hour thereafter..	1.00	2.00	2.00	2.00
but not exceeding per day ...	4.00	6.00	10.00	20.00

31. To hear reserved judgment......	0.50	0.50	1.00	1.50

32. To obtain appointment for taxation	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50

33. To tax bill of costs.........	0.50	0.50	0.50	1.00

34. To issue writ of execution......	0.25	0.25	0.50	0.50

35. For any other attendance at court or	0.25	0.50	0.50	0.50
upon clerk of court, bailiff, etc., not	to 0.50	to 1.00	to 1.00	to 1.00
specifically provided for

36. Letter in lieu of attendance or	0.50	0.50	0.50	0.50
before action

37. Perusing necessary documents, per	0.10	0.10	0.10	0.10
folio

Garnishee proceedings

38. Inclusive sum—

(a) Where debt is sought to be	2.00	3.00	5.00	5.00
attached out of salary or wages
of any person not protected
from attachment by law

(b) Where debt sought to be	3.00	4.00	6.00	6.00
attached is not out of salary or
wages

39. For attending to apply for payment	0.50	1.00	1.00	1.00
out of money in court, or to obtain
judgment or order against consenting
garnishee and judgment debtor does
not oppose

Travelling allowance

40. For every day or part of a day	2.00	2.00	4.00	6.00
during which, in the opinion of the
taxing master, an advocate is
necessarily engaged in travelling from
his place of business in Solomon
Islands to the place of trial and
returning therefrom, and for every day
during which he is necessarily detained
at the place of trial prior to or
subsequent to the trial, such sum as
the taxing master may think reasonable,
not exceeding a total of...............	6.00	6.00	12.00	19.00

Travelling expenses

41. An advocate shall be entitled to
charge a reasonable sum for expenses
of conveyance to and from court when
he resides more than three miles from
the court. If he attends the court in
more than one cause he will be
entitled to a proportionate allowance
under this and item 40 in each cause
only.

Note.—No allowance shall be made
under this or item 40 if another
advocate has his place of business at the
place of trial and his services were
available unless special circumstances
are shown.

$
Where the subject-matter or amount recovered does not exceed $40..................4.00
Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $40 but does not exceed $60............6.00
Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $60 but does not exceed $80.............8.00
Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $80 but does not exceed $100...............10.00

Where judicial relief is sought but not the recovery of money or property and where the amount involved cannot be estimated. ....................... Such amount as the court will allow, not exceeding $10.00

Where the subject-matter or amount recovered does not exceed $40.....................2.00

Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $40
but does not exceed $60............3.00

Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $60
but does not exceed $80...............4.00

Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $80
but does not exceed $100...............5.00

Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $100
but does not exceed $200...............6.00

Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $200
but does not exceed $4.00...............8.00

Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $400
but does not exceed $600...............10.00

Where the subject-matter or amount recovered exceeds $600
but does not exceed $1000...............12.00

Where judicial relief is sought but not the recovery of money or property and where the amount involved cannot be estimated. .................................
Such amount as the court shall allow, not exceeding $5.00

1. These Rules may be cited as the Magistrates' Courts (Costs in Criminal Cases) Rules.

3. A Magistrate in the exercise of his criminal jurisdiction may direct the payment of the costs of the prosecution or defence or both in accordance with the provisions of these Rules out of the Consolidated Fund.

4. The costs which may be so directed to be paid are such sums as, subject to these Rules, appear to the Court reasonably sufficient to compensate the prosecutor for the expense properly incurred by him in instituting and carrying on the prosecution and to compensate any person acting as an interpreter or attending to give evidence for the prosecution or defence or called to give evidence at the instance of the Court for the expense, trouble, or loss of time properly incurred in or incidental to the attendance and acting as an interpreter or to the giving of evidence.

5. The making of any order for the payment of costs under these Rules shall be in the discretion of the Court.

6. No expenses to witnesses whether for the prosecution or defence if such witnesses are witnesses to character only shall be allowed unless the Court otherwise orders.

7.—(1) The allowances for costs which may be ordered to be paid under these Rules shall conform to the respective scales set out in the Schedule hereto.

(2) If a person attends in respect of more cases than one he shall not be allowed more than a proportionate part of the allowance in each case.

8.—(1) No full day allowance under these Rules shall be ordered to be paid to a witness unless the witness is necessarily detained away from his home or place of business or employment for at least four hours for the purpose of giving evidence.

(2) If the time during which the witness is necessarily so detained be less than four hours he shall not receive more than one-half of the allowance which he would have received had he been detained for the full day:

Provided that this provision shall not apply where the Court is satisfied that a witness though absent for less than four hours necessarily loses in consequence of his attendance his whole day's wages or earnings.

9. Witnesses and interpreters attending court in any criminal case or matter may in addition, in the discretion of the Magistrate, be allowed travelling and maintenance expenses reasonably and actually incurred.

3. To professional men, merchants, bankers and planters not less than ten dollars per day and not more than eighteen dollars per day.

4. To tradesmen, labourers, self-employed persons (whether for the purposes of subsistence or otherwise, artisans, mechanics, overseers, clerks, and store assistants not less than two dollars per day and not more than ten dollars per day.

5. To persons not coming within any of the above classes and to females and children such allowances as the Court may consider reasonable.

Solomon Islands Court Rules

Magistrates' Court (Civil Procedure) Rules