One of the most common disclosure disputes in financial remedy cases concerns redactions — particularly when a party removes payee details from their bank statements before producing them to the other side. Some claim these details are “irrelevant” or “private.” But is it actually permissible to do that?
The Duty of Full and Frank Disclosure
The starting point is simple and absolute: each party in financial remedy proceedings owes a duty of full and frank disclosure. Practice Direction 9A to the Family Procedure Rules (FPR) makes clear that parties must provide a complete and honest picture of their finances so that the court can achieve a fair outcome.
That duty extends to every material document, including 12 months of bank statements for all accounts disclosed in Form E. The Form E statement of truth is not just a formality — it’s a personal confirmation that the disclosure is “full, frank, clear and accurate.” Any attempt to conceal or withhold information undermines that duty.
The Rules on Redaction
Redacting payee details amounts to withholding part of a document. The FPR don’t allow a party to decide unilaterally which parts of their disclosure the other side can see. If a party genuinely believes they have a right or duty to withhold part of a document — for example, to protect legally privileged information or a third party’s confidentiality — there is a formal process to follow.
Under FPR 21.3(3):
“A party who wishes to claim a right or duty to withhold inspection of a document, or part of a document, must state in writing (a) the right or duty claimed, and (b) the grounds on which that right or duty is claimed.”
That written statement must be sent to the other side, who can then challenge the redaction under FPR 21.3(5). If the matter is disputed, the court may inspect the document itself and decide whether the information can properly be withheld.
In short: there is a mechanism for limited redaction, but it must be done transparently and — if necessary — with the court’s approval. Simply blacking out names or transactions because they are “personal” or “irrelevant” is not permitted.
Why Payee Details Matter
Payee information often provides vital context: who a party is paying, whether assets have been transferred, or whether money has been dissipated. Even regular spending patterns can help the court assess lifestyle and credibility. What one party views as “irrelevant” may in fact be highly significant to the other or to the court’s assessment of needs and fairness.
Consequences of Improper Redaction
Unjustified redactions can amount to non-disclosure. The court may draw adverse inferences, order further disclosure, or even make a costs order against the party responsible. In serious cases, non-disclosure discovered after judgment can justify an application to set aside the final order.
As the Court of Appeal emphasised in Imerman v Tchenguiz [2010] EWCA Civ 908, disclosure in family cases must be handled through proper procedures — not through unilateral decisions about what should or should not be revealed.
The Bottom Line
Unless a party follows the proper process under FPR Part 21, it is not procedurally permissible to redact payee details from bank statements before disclosure. The default position is clear: full, frank, and open disclosure is the rule — not the exception.
Where genuine confidentiality concerns exist, the right approach is to raise them transparently and, if needed, invite the court to decide. Anything less risks serious procedural and evidential consequences.
