Chapter 34 - Reports to Inner House
Report by Lord Ordinary to Inner House
34.1 .-(1) The Lord Ordinary may, at any stage of a cause on intimation to the parties, report the cause or any incidental matter which arises in the course of it, to the Inner House for a ruling.
(2) The Lord Ordinary shall give effect to the ruling of a Division of the Inner House on a report to the Inner House unless the Division decides the cause or incidental matter itself or remits to the Lord Ordinary with directions to proceed in a particular way.
Fixing hearings for reports
34.2 .-(1) Where the Lord Ordinary reports a cause, or any incidental matter in a cause, under rule 34.1(1) to the Inner House, each party shall, within seven days after the date on which the report of the Lord Ordinary is issued, inform the Keeper of the Rolls of the estimate of counsel or other person having a right of audience of the duration of the hearing before the Inner House.
(2) If a party fails to comply with paragraph (1), the Keeper of the Rolls may put the cause out on the By Order Roll before a Division of the Inner House.
(3) Where, at any time after an estimate has been given to the Keeper of the Rolls under paragraph (1), a party's estimate of the likely length of the hearing alters materially, that party shall inform the Keeper of the Rolls of the new estimated length.
(4) On the basis of the information provided to him under this rule, the Keeper of the Rolls shall-
(a) put the cause out for hearing before a Division of the Inner House in the Single Bills or on the Summar Roll as he thinks fit; and
(b) give written intimation of the date of the hearing to each party.
Disposal of reports
34.3.- (1) On considering the report of the Lord Ordinary and hearing parties, the Inner House may-
(a) dispose of the cause or matter reported to it; or
(b) remit to the Lord Ordinary with such directions as it thinks fit.
(2) The decision of the Inner House on a report to it under rule 34.1(1) shall be final.
(3) The Inner House may determine any question of expenses in respect of the matter reported to it or may reserve any such question.
(4) An interlocutor pronounced by the Lord Ordinary in obedience to directions given under paragraph (1) shall be deemed to be an interlocutor of the Inner House.
