House of Commons portcullis
House of Commons
Session 2002 - 03
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Courts Bill [HL]


 

Courts Bill [HL]

 
 

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Explanatory notes to the Bill, prepared by the Lord Chancellor’s Department, are

published separately as Bill 112—EN.

EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Yvette Cooper has made the following statement under section 19(1)(a) of the Human

Rights Act 1998:

In my view the provisions of the Courts Bill [HL] are compatible with the Convention

rights.

 
Bill 11253/2
 
 

 

Courts Bill [HL]

 

 
 

Contents

Part 1

Maintaining the court system

The general duty

      1        The general duty

Court staff and accommodation

      2        Court officers, staff and services

      3        Provision of accommodation

Courts boards

      4        Establishment of courts boards

      5        Functions of courts boards

Abolition of magistrates’ courts committees

      6        Abolition of magistrates’ courts committees, etc.

Part 2

Justices of the peace

The commission of the peace and local justice areas

      7        The commission of the peace for England and Wales

      8        Local justice areas

Lay justices

      9        Meaning of “lay justice”

      10        Appointment of lay justices etc.

      11        Resignation and removal of lay justices

      12        The supplemental list

      13        Entry of names in the supplemental list

 
Bill 11253/2
 
 

Courts Bill [HL]

iv

 

      14        Removal of names from the supplemental list

      15        Lay justices’ allowances

      16        Records of lay justices

Chairman and deputy chairmen and the bench

      17        Chairman and deputy chairmen: selection

      18        Rights to preside and size of bench

Supplementary provisions about the bench

      19        Training, development and appraisal of lay justices

      20        Rules

      21        Duty to consult lay justices on matters affecting them etc.

District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts)

      22        Appointment etc.

      23        Senior District Judge (Chief Magistrate)

      24        Deputy District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts)

      25        District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) as justices of the peace

      26        District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) able to act alone

Justices’ clerks and assistant clerks

      27        Justices’ clerks and assistant clerks

      28        Functions

      29        Independence

Places, dates and times of sittings

      30        Places, dates and times of sittings

Protection and indemnification of justices and justices’ clerks

      31        Immunity for acts within jurisdiction

      32        Immunity for certain acts beyond jurisdiction

      33        Striking out proceedings where action prohibited

      34        Costs in legal proceedings

      35        Indemnity

Fines officers and designated officers

      36        Fines officers

      37        Designated officers and magistrates’ courts

Application of receipts of magistrates’ courts etc.

      38        Application of receipts of designated officers

      39        Limits to requirements about application of receipts

      40        Regulations about payments, accounting and banking by designated officers

 
 

Courts Bill [HL]

v

 

Miscellaneous

      41        Disqualification of lay justices who are members of local authorities

      42        Effect of Act of Settlement on existing justices of the peace

Part 3

Magistrates’ courts

Criminal jurisdiction and procedure

      43        Summons or warrant for suspected offender

      44        Trial of summary offences

      45        Power to make rulings at pre-trial hearings

      46        Power to transfer criminal cases

Civil jurisdiction and procedure

      47        Jurisdiction to issue summons and deal with complaints

      48        Power to transfer civil proceedings (other than family proceedings)

Family proceedings courts and youth courts

      49        Family proceedings courts

      50        Youth courts

Part 4

Court security

      51        Court security officers

      52        Powers of search

      53        Powers to exclude, remove or restrain persons

      54        Surrender and seizure of articles

      55        Powers to retain articles surrendered or seized

      56        Regulations about retention of articles

      57        Assaulting and obstructing court security officers

Part 5

Inspectors of court administration

      58        Inspectors of court administration etc.

      59        Functions of inspectors

      60        Functions of Chief Inspector

      61        Rights of entry and inspection

Part 6

Judges

Offices, titles, styles etc.

      62        Head and Deputy Head of Civil Justice

      63        Ordinary judges of the Court of Appeal

 
 

Courts Bill [HL]

vi

 

      64        Power to alter judicial titles

Flexibility in deployment of judicial resources

      65        District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) as Crown Court judges etc.

      66        Judges having powers of District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts)

      67        Removal of restriction on Circuit judges sitting on certain appeals

Part 7

Procedure rules and practice directions

Criminal Procedure Rules and practice directions

      68        Meaning of “criminal court”

      69        Criminal Procedure Rules

      70        Criminal Procedure Rule Committee

      71        Power to change certain requirements relating to Committee

      72        Process for making Criminal Procedure Rules

      73        Power to amend legislation in connection with the rules

      74        Practice directions as to practice and procedure of the criminal courts

Family Procedure Rules and practice directions

      75        Family Procedure Rules

      76        Further provision about scope of Family Procedure Rules

      77        Family Procedure Rule Committee

      78        Power to change certain requirements relating to Committee

      79        Process for making Family Procedure Rules

      80        Power to amend legislation in connection with the rules

      81        Practice directions relating to family proceedings

Civil Procedure Rules

      82        Civil Procedure Rules

      83        Civil Procedure Rule Committee

      84        Power to change certain requirements relating to Committee

      85        Process for making Civil Procedure Rules

Part 8

Miscellaneous

Provisions relating to criminal procedure and appeals

      86        Alteration of place fixed for Crown Court trial

      87        Appeals to Court of Appeal: procedural directions

      88        Extension of time for criminal appeals to House of Lords

      89        Retirement age of Registrar of Criminal Appeals

      90        Appeals to Courts-Martial Appeal Court: procedural directions

      91        Extension of time for appeals from Courts-Martial Appeal Court

 
 

Courts Bill [HL]

vii

 

Fees, costs and fines

      92        Fees

      93        Award of costs against third parties

      94        Award of costs in appeals under Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

      95        Fixing of fines: failure to furnish statement of financial circumstances

Register of judgments etc. and execution of writs

      96        Register of judgments and orders etc.

      97        High Court writs of execution

Damages

      98        Periodical payments

      99        Periodical payments: security

Provisions relating to Northern Ireland

      100        Power to alter judicial titles: Northern Ireland

      101        Official Solicitor of Northern Ireland

      102        Alteration of place fixed for Crown Court trial: Northern Ireland

      103        Extension of time for criminal appeals to House of Lords: Northern Ireland

      104        Fees: Northern Ireland

Part 9

Final provisions

      105        Interpretation

      106        Rules, regulations and orders

      107        Minor and consequential amendments, repeals, etc.

      108        Commencement

      109        Extent

      110        Short title

                  Schedule 1                                         Constitution and procedure of courts boards

                  Schedule 2                                         Abolition of magistrates’ courts committees: transfers

                  Part 1                    —                     Property transfer schemes

                  Part 2                    —                     Staff transfers

                  Part 3                    —                     Miscellaneous and supplementary

                  Schedule 3                                         Collection of fines by fines officers

                  Part 1                    —                     Introduction

                  Part 2                    —                     The fines collection scheme: main components

                  Part 3                    —                     Supplementary provisions

                  Schedule 4                                         Pre-trial hearings in magistrates’ courts

                  Schedule 5                                         Further functions conferred on District Judges (Magistrates’

Courts)

                  Schedule 6                                         High Court writs of execution

                  Schedule 7                                         Minor and consequential amendments

                  Schedule 8                                         Repeals

 
 

 
contents continue
 
House of Commons home page Houses of Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries

© Parliamentary copyright 2003
Revised 21 May 2003