Consolidated practice directions

__________________________________________________________ 
1. 
Order 69 of the 
Rules of the Supreme Court 1971 
sets out the requirements 
for paper, printing, notice and copies of documents for use in the 
Supreme Court. 
2. 
A document or copy document which is to be filed must not be folded.
If the document comprises more than one sheet, it must be fastened at 
the top left corner - preferably by stapling. If the document is too thick 
to staple it may be fastened by other means provided these do not add 
unnecessarily to the bulk of the document. A document stapled and 
taped along the edge will not be accepted for filing (other than papers 
for the Judge). For the purposes of documents filed electronically, O 69 
r 2 applies with any necessary changes. 
Format of documents presented for filing using the ECMS or email 
3. 
A document presented for filing using the ECMS or email must be filed 
in .docx electronic format, unless it is an affidavit; a consent to the Court 
doing anything; or a document signed by a person who is not a party to 
the proceedings, in which case it must not be presented for filing using 
the ECMS or email unless it is signed and is presented in a .pdf 
electronic format. 
4. 
If a party presents an amended pleading for filing using the ECMS, the 
amendments must be made using underline, strikeout and/or font 
colour changes tools. Documents presented for filing using the ECMS 
with tracked changes will not retain their formatting. 
5. If, under the Rules, a document must be signed before it is presented for 
filing and the document is not an affidavit; a consent to the Court doing 
anything; or a document signed by a person who is not a party to the 
proceedings, then: 
(a) it must be signed before it is presented; 
(b) a copy of it, in .docx electronic format, that states the name of the 
person who is required to 
sign it instead of showing the person’s

---

1. Supreme Court Registry & Court of Appeal Office 
 
 
PD
Supreme Court of Western Australia 
Consolidated Practice Direction
signature, at any place where the signature is required, must be 
presented instead of the signed copy; and 
(c) the person filing it must retain the signed copy and produce it if 
required to do so by the Court. 
5A. The Rules require that every pleading must be signed by counsel, if 
settled by counsel, and, if not, by the p
arty’s solicitor or by the par
ty, if 
the party sues or defends in person: O 20 r 7(5). Indorsing the pleading 
with the name of a law firm on the record will not satisfy this 
requirement. If not settled by counsel, the practitioner who settled the 
pleading must be identified. A practitioner who settles a pleading filed 
with the Court owes important duties to the Court in doing so and the 
practitioner’s signature is the confirmation that those duties have been 
fulfilled:
Unioil International Pty Ltd v Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (No 2)
(1997) 18 WAR 190, 193. 
5B. If a pleading is presented for filing using the ECMS, the requirements of 
O 67A r 4(7), as summarised at par 5 above, must be satisfied. That is, 
the pleading: 
(a) must be signed before it is presented; 
(b) instead of the signed copy, a copy of the pleading, in .docx 
electronic format, that states the name of counsel (if settled by 
counsel) or 
the party’s solicitor 
(if settled by the solicitor) or the