House of Lords

When copies of draft speeches which the law lords propose to deliver are provided in confidence, prior to the delivery of judgment, to the legal representatives of the parties to an appeal which has been heard, the purpose is to obtain help in correcting misprints, inadvertent errors of fact or ambiguities of expression. It is not to enable them to reargue the case. Any attempt to do so amounts to an abuse of the procedure of the House of Lords.

Note It is submitted that this principle applies in all courts where draft judgments are handed down in advance.