Part 5: Protection for victims and witnesses in court Section 66: Prohibition of cross-examination in person in civil proceedings New section 85H – Prohibition of cross-examination in person: evidence of domestic abuse
Section 85H makes provision for a prohibition on cross-examination in person where "specified evidence" is adduced that a witness in the proceedings has been the victim of domestic abuse perpetrated by a party to the proceedings (or vice versa). Domestic abuse has the meaning given in section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act.
	Section 85H provides that "specified evidence" is evidence specified, or of a description specified, in regulations made by the Lord Chancellor. It is intended to broadly replicate the list of evidence that is currently specified for the purposes of accessing civil legal aid (set out in Schedule 1 to the Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/3098), as amended). Such evidence includes, for example, a copy of a finding of fact made in legal proceedings in the UK, a letter or report from a health professional, a letter from any person who is a member of a local safeguarding forum or a letter from an independent domestic violence advisor.