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Courts Bill [HL]


Courts Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Miscellaneous

    39

 

     (2)    For section 3 of the 1997 Act (section 2: supplementary) substitute—

       “3            Process for making Civil Procedure Rules

           (1)           The Civil Procedure Rule Committee must, before making Civil

Procedure Rules—

                  (a)                 consult such persons as they consider appropriate, and

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                  (b)                 meet (unless it is inexpedient to do so).

           (2)           Rules made by the Civil Procedure Rule Committee must be—

                  (a)                 signed by a majority of the members of the Committee, and

                  (b)                 submitted to the Lord Chancellor.

           (3)           The Lord Chancellor may allow, disallow or alter rules so made.

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           (4)                         Before altering rules so made the Lord Chancellor must consult the

Committee.

           (5)           Rules so made, as allowed or altered by the Lord Chancellor—

                  (a)                 come into force on such day as the Lord Chancellor directs, and

                  (b)                 are to be contained in a statutory instrument to which the

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Statutory Instruments Act 1946 applies as if the instrument

contained rules made by a Minister of the Crown.

           (6)           Subject to subsection (7), a statutory instrument containing Civil

Procedure Rules is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of

either House of Parliament.

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           (7)                         A statutory instrument containing rules altered by the Lord Chancellor

is of no effect unless approved by a resolution of each House of

Parliament before the day referred to in subsection (5)(a).”

Part 8

Miscellaneous

25

Provisions relating to criminal procedure and appeals

 86    Alteration of place fixed for Crown Court trial

An application under section 76(3) of the 1981 Act (application for variation of

place fixed for Crown Court trial) is no longer required to be heard in open

court by a judge of the High Court; and accordingly section 76(4) of the 1981

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Act ceases to have effect.

 87    Appeals to Court of Appeal: procedural directions

     (1)    In section 31 of the 1968 Act (powers of the Court of Appeal under Part 1 of that

Act exercisable by single judge), in subsection (2), after paragraph (h) insert—

                  “(i)                    to make orders under section 23(1)(a).”

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     (2)    In section 31A of the 1968 Act (powers of Court of Appeal under Part 1 of that

Act exercisable by registrar), in subsection (2), after paragraph (c) insert—

                  “(d)                    to make orders under section 23(1)(a).”,

            and at the end of paragraph (b), omit “and”.

 

 

Courts Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Miscellaneous

    40

 

     (3)    After section 31A of the 1968 Act insert—

       “31B            Procedural directions: powers of single judge and registrar

           (1)           The power of the Court of Appeal to determine an application for

procedural directions may be exercised by—

                  (a)                 a single judge, or

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                  (b)                 the registrar.

           (2)           “Procedural directions” means directions for the efficient and effective

preparation of—

                  (a)                 an application for leave to appeal, or

                  (b)                 an appeal,

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                         to which this section applies.

           (3)           A single judge may give such procedural directions as he thinks fit—

                  (a)                 when acting under subsection (1);

                  (b)                 on a reference from the registrar;

                  (c)                 of his own motion, when he is exercising, or considering

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whether to exercise, any power of his in relation to the

application or appeal.

           (4)           The registrar may give such procedural directions as he thinks fit—

                  (a)                 when acting under subsection (1);

                  (b)                 of his own motion.

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           (5)           This section applies to an appeal, and an application to the Court of

Appeal for leave to appeal, under—

                  (a)                 this Part,

                  (b)                 section 9 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987, or

                  (c)                 section 35 of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act

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1996.

       31C            Appeals against procedural directions

           (1)           Subsection (2) applies if a single judge gives, or refuses to give,

procedural directions.

           (2)           The Court of Appeal may, on an application to it under subsection (5)—

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                  (a)                 confirm, set aside or vary any procedural directions given by

the single judge, and

                  (b)                 give such procedural directions as it thinks fit.

           (3)           Subsection (4) applies if the registrar gives, or refuses to give,

procedural directions.

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           (4)           A single judge may, on an application to him under subsection (5)—

                  (a)                 confirm, set aside or vary any procedural directions given by

the registrar, and

                  (b)                 give such procedural directions as he thinks fit.

           (5)           An application under this subsection may be made by—

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                  (a)                 an appellant;

                  (b)                 a respondent, if the directions—

                        (i)                        relate to an application for leave to appeal and appear to

need the respondent’s assistance to give effect to them,

 

 

Courts Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Miscellaneous

    41

 

                        (ii)                       relate to an application for leave to appeal which is to be

determined by the Court of Appeal, or

                        (iii)                      relate to an appeal.

           (6)           In this section—

                                  “appellant” includes a person who has given notice of application

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for leave to appeal under any of the provisions mentioned in

section 31B(5);

                                  “respondent” includes a person who will be a respondent if leave

to appeal is granted.”

     (4)    Sections 31B to 31C of the 1968 Act apply to—

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           (a)           applications for leave to appeal falling to be determined on or after the

date on which this section comes into force, and

           (b)           appeals in relation to which—

                  (i)                 a certificate under Part 1 of the 1968 Act that the case is fit for

appeal, or

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                  (ii)                leave to appeal,

                         is granted on or after that date.

     (5)    “The 1968 Act” means the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 (c. 19).

 88    Extension of time for criminal appeals to House of Lords

     (1)    Amend section 2 of the Administration of Justice Act 1960 (c. 65) (applications

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for leave to appeal to House of Lords) as follows.

     (2)           In subsection (1)—

           (a)           for “fourteen” (in both places) substitute “28”, and

           (b)           for “date of the decision of that court” substitute “relevant date”.

     (3)           After subsection (1) insert—

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           “(1A)              In subsection (1), “the relevant date” means—

                  (a)                 the date of the decision of the court below, or

                  (b)                 if later, the date on which that court gives reasons for its

decision.”

     (4)           Amend section 34 of the 1968 Act (applications for leave to appeal to the House

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of Lords) as follows.

     (5)           In subsection (1)—

           (a)           for “fourteen” (in both places) substitute “28”, and

           (b)           for “date of the decision of the Court” substitute “relevant date”.

     (6)           After subsection (1) insert—

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           “(1A)              In subsection (1), “the relevant date” means—

                  (a)                 the date of the Court of Appeal’s decision, or

                  (b)                 if later, the date on which the Court gives reasons for its

decision.”

 89    Retirement age of Registrar of Criminal Appeals

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     (1)    In section 92 of the 1981 Act (tenure of offices in Supreme Court)—

 

 

Courts Bill [HL]
Part 8 — Miscellaneous

    42

 

           (a)           in subsection (2) (offices with retirement age of 70, but with possibility

of extensions to not beyond 75), omit “except the office of Queen’s

Coroner and Attorney and Master of the Crown Office and Registrar of

Criminal Appeals”,

           (b)           omit subsections (2D) and (2E) (retirement age of 62 for that office), and

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           (c)           in subsection (4) (offices to which subsection (1), (2A) or (2D) applies to

be held during good behaviour), for “to which subsection (1), (2A) or

(2D) applies” substitute “listed in column 1 of Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 2”.

     (2)    In Schedule 5 to the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 (c. 8)

(retirement), after the entry relating to a Deputy or temporary Master, Queen’s

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Bench Division, insert—

                                  “Queen’s Coroner and Attorney and Master of the Crown Office

and Registrar of Criminal Appeals”.

 90    Appeals to Courts-Martial Appeal Court: procedural directions

     (1)    In section 36 of the Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1968 (c. 20) (powers of the

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Appeal Court under Part 2 of that Act exercisable by single judge), in

subsection (1), after paragraph (g) insert—

                  “(h)                    to make orders under section 28(1)(a).”,

            and at the end of paragraph (f), omit “and”.

     (2)    In section 36A of that Act (powers of the Appeal Court under Part 2 of that Act

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exercisable by registrar), in subsection (1), at the end of paragraph (b) insert

“and—

                  (c)                    to make orders under section 28(1)(a).”,

            and at the end of paragraph (a), omit “and”.

     (3)    After section 36A of that Act insert—

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       “36B             Procedural directions: powers of single judge and registrar

           (1)           The power of the Appeal Court to determine an application for

procedural directions may be exercised by—

                  (a)                 a judge of the Appeal Court, or

                  (b)                 the registrar.

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           (2)           “Procedural directions” means directions for the efficient and effective

preparation of—

                  (a)                 an application for leave to appeal, or

                  (b)                 an appeal,

                         under this Part.

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           (3)           A judge of the Appeal Court may give such procedural directions as he

thinks fit—

                  (a)                 when acting under subsection (1);

                  (b)                 on a reference from the registrar;

                  (c)                 of his own motion, when he is exercising, or considering

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whether to exercise, any power of his in relation to the

application or appeal.

           (4)           The registrar may give such procedural directions as he thinks fit—

                  (a)                 when acting under subsection (1);

                  (b)                 of his own motion.

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