S.L. 12.9 Art. 14Rulesapplicableto notifications and communications.

The following rules in relation to notifications and communications shall apply to all courts, boards and tribunals presided

: over by Judges or Magistrates

(a) where it is ordered, in terms of article 173 of the Code of Organization and Civil Procedure, that an order or a directive is to be served or communicated to in camera an advocate or legal procurator and in the case of any other communication including that which is not mandatory at law but is made by the court by way of courtesy, as is the case with communication of a court minute or deposition of witnesses, such service may be personally executed by an executive officer of the court or sent by email by the Deputy Registrar of the Civil Courts and Tribunals of Malta or Gozo to such advocate or legal procurator;

(b) where a time limit has been established in an order or directive made as aforesaid, the said time limit shall be a reasonable one, and such time limit shall commence to run from the date when the communication or service, as the case may be, has been effected;

Provided that where the communication or service, as the case may be, is made by an email, such time limit shall commence to run from the date the email is delivered to the specified address;

(c) the Deputy Registrars of the Civil Courts and Tribunals of Malta and Gozo may communicate with the parties, their advocates or legal procurators regarding the service of written pleadings and judicial acts; and

(d) the parties, along with their lawyers or legal procurators may declare their acceptance of the service of written pleadings, judicial acts and notices by sending an email to the Deputy Registrars of the Civil Courts and Tribunals of Malta or Gozo and, in such event, the Deputy Registrars shall ensure that a copy of the email is entered in the records of the proceedings;

(e) the communication of an act to an advocate which is not mandatory at law but is made by the court by way of courtesy (as is the case with communication of a court minute or deposition of witnesses) shall continue to be effected by being left at the office of the Chamber of Advocates: provided that were the necessary arrangements are made for copies of such court minutes, evidence and other judicial acts, to be communicated by electronic mail, such documents shall be marked as "informal" and shall be forwarded by a member of the judiciary team to the said advocate.

Part VI - Service of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents