The Rules of the Supreme Court (Northern Ireland) (Revision) 1980

Powers; etc. of referee

5.—(1) Subject to any directions contained in the order referring any business to a referee—

(a) the referee shall for the purpose of disposing of any cause or matter (including any interlocutory application therein) or any other business referred to him have the same jurisdiction, powers and duties (excluding the power of committal) as a judge, exercisable or, as the case may be, to be performed as nearly as circumstances admit in the like cases, in the like manner and subject to the like limitations; and

(b) every trial and all other proceedings before a referee shall, as nearly as circumstances admit, be conducted in the like manner as the like proceedings before a judge.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), but subject to any such directions as are mentioned therein, a referee before whom any cause or matter is tried shall have the like powers as the Court with respect to claims relating to or connected with the original subject-matter of the cause or matter by any party thereto against any other person, and Order 15, rule 5(2) and Order 16 shall with any necessary modifications apply in relation to any such claim accordingly.

(3) A referee may hold any trial or any other proceeding before him at any place which appears to him to be convenient and may adjourn the proceedings from place to place as he thinks fit.