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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 112 53/2
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 112 53/2
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

© Parliamentary copyright 2003	Revised 21 May 2003