OpenLegislation

Administration of Justice Act 1970

1970 c. 31 · Enacted 29 May 1970 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 2 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 6 April 2025.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 10repealedTribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 Sch. 23 Pt. 6
Sch. 9 para. 10AinsertedSentencing Act 2026 s. 3(2)

An Act to make further provision about the courts (including assizes), their business, jurisdiction and procedure; to enable a High Court judge to accept appointment as arbitrator or umpire under an arbitration agreement; to amend the law respecting the enforcement of debt and other liabilities; to amend section 106 of the Rent Act 1968; and for miscellaneous purposes connected with the administration of justice.

[29th May 1970]I1C1C2

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

By Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), s. 101(1), Sch. 12 para.23; S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch.1 it is provided (14.10.1991) that in relation to any time before the commencement of s. 70 of that 1991 Act (which came into force on 1.10.1992 by S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2) references in any enactment amended by that 1991 Act, to youth courts shall be construed as references to juvenile courts.

C2

Act applied (with modifications) (31.12.2020) by The International Recovery of Maintenance (Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance 2007) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1125), regs. 1, 8; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

Commencement

I1

Act not in force at Royal Assent see s. 54(4); Act wholly in force 1.10.1971

Contents

  1. Part I: Courts and Judges
  2. High Court
  3. 1Redistribution of business among divisions of the High Court.
  4. 2Admiralty Court.
  5. 3Commercial Court. Repealed
  6. 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  7. 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  8. 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  9. 7—8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  10. Court of Appeal
  11. 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  12. Patents and Registered Designs Appeal Tribunals
  13. 10Temporary additional judges.
  14. Part II: Enforcement of Debt
  15. Provisions restricting sanction of imprisonment
  16. 11Restriction on power of committal under Debtors Act 1869 (c. 62).
  17. 12Restriction on magistrates’ power of committal for civil debt. Repealed
  18. 13—26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  19. Enforcement by attachment of earnings
  20. 27Section 27
  21. 28Other provisions for interpretation of Part II.
  22. Supplementary
  23. 29Section 29
  24. 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  25. Part III: Discovery and Related Procedures
  26. 31Power of court to order disclosure, etc. of documents before commencement of proceedings.
  27. 32Extension of existing powers of court to order disclosure of documents,inspection of property, etc.
  28. 33Section 33
  29. 34Application of ss.31 to 33 to county courts and High Court in Northern Ireland.
  30. 35Application to Crown.
  31. Part IV: Actions by Mortgagees for Possession
  32. 36Additional powers of court in action by mortgagee for possession of dwelling-house.
  33. 37, 38Exclusive jurisdiction of county court in certain mortgage actions. Repealed
  34. 38ASection 38A
  35. 39Interpretation of Part IV.
  36. Part V: Miscellaneous Provisions
  37. 40Punishment for unlawful harassment of debtors.
  38. 41Recovery of costs and compensation awarded by magistrates, assizes, quarter sessions, etc.
  39. 42. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  40. 43. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  41. 44Interest on judgment debts.
  42. 44AInterest on judgment debts expressed in currencies other than sterling.
  43. 45Removal of limit on number of county court judges assignable to a district and of certain registrars appointed jointly.
  44. 46. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  45. 47. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  46. 48Variation in rate of payments in maintenance order registered in magistrates’ court.
  47. 49. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  48. 50. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  49. 51Minor amendments of Children and Young Persons Act 1969 (c. 54).
  50. Part VI: General
  51. 52Financial provisions.
  52. 53. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  53. 54Citation, interpretation, repeals, commencement and extent.
  54. Schedule 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Schedule 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  55. Schedule 2: AMENDMENT OF ENACTMENTS CONSEQUENTIAL ON SECTION 1
  56. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  57. The Maintenance Orders (Facilities for Enforcement) Act 1920 (c. 33)
  58. 2Paragraph 2
  59. The Administration of Estates Act 1925 (c.23)
  60. 3Paragraph 3
  61. 4Paragraph 4
  62. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  63. The Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act 1925 (c. 49)
  64. 6Paragraph 6
  65. Other amendments in Parts I to V
  66. 7Paragraph 7
  67. 8Paragraph 8
  68. 9Paragraph 9
  69. 10Paragraph 10 Repealed
  70. 11Paragraph 11
  71. Amendments of references in Part VII to principal probate registry and registrar
  72. 12Paragraph 12
  73. 13Paragraph 13
  74. 14Paragraph 14
  75. 15Paragraph 15
  76. 16Paragraph 16 Repealed
  77. 17Paragraph 17 Repealed
  78. The Supreme Court Officers (Pensions) Act 1954 (c. 38)
  79. 18Paragraph 18
  80. The Public Records Act 1958 (c. 51)
  81. 19Paragraph 19
  82. The Judicial Pensions Act 1959 (c. 9)
  83. 20Paragraph 20
  84. The County Courts Act 1959 (c. 22)
  85. 21Paragraph 21
  86. 22Paragraph 22
  87. 23Paragraph 23
  88. The County Courts Act 1959 (c.22)
  89. 24Paragraph 24
  90. 25Paragraph 25 Repealed
  91. The Matrimonial Causes Act 1967 (c. 56)
  92. 26Paragraph 26 Repealed
  93. 27Paragraph 27 Repealed
  94. 28Paragraph 28 Repealed
  95. Schedule 3
  96. 1Paragraph 1
  97. 2Paragraph 2
  98. 3Paragraph 3
  99. 4Paragraph 4
  100. 5Paragraph 5
  101. 6Paragraph 6
  102. 7Paragraph 7
  103. 8Paragraph 8
  104. 9Paragraph 9
  105. 10Paragraph 10
  106. 11Paragraph 11
  107. 12Paragraph 12
  108. Schedule 4: Taxes, Social Insurance Contributions, etc. subject to Special Enforcement Provisions in Part II
  109. 1Paragraph 1
  110. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  111. 3Paragraph 3
  112. 3AParagraph 3A
  113. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  114. Schedule S 5–7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Schedule S 5–7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  115. Schedule 8: Maintenance Orders for purposes of 1958 Act and Part II of this Act
  116. 1Paragraph 1
  117. 2Paragraph 2
  118. 2AParagraph 2A
  119. 3Paragraph 3
  120. 4Paragraph 4
  121. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  122. 6Paragraph 6
  123. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  124. 8Paragraph 8
  125. 9Paragraph 9
  126. 10Paragraph 10 Repealed
  127. 11Paragraph 11
  128. 12Paragraph 12 Repealed
  129. 13Paragraph 13 Repealed
  130. 13AParagraph 13A Repealed
  131. 13BParagraph 13B Repealed
  132. 13CParagraph 13C
  133. 14Paragraph 14
  134. 15Paragraph 15
  135. Schedule 9: Enforcement of Orders for Costs, Compensation, etc.
  136. Part I: Cases where Payment Enforceable as on Summary Conviction
  137. Costs awarded by magistrates
  138. 1Paragraph 1
  139. 1AParagraph 1A
  140. 2Paragraph 2
  141. Costs awarded by assizes and quarter sessions
  142. 3Paragraph 3
  143. 4Paragraph 4
  144. 4AParagraph 4A
  145. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  146. Costs awarded by Court of Appeal (criminal division) or House of Lords
  147. 6Paragraph 6
  148. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  149. Miscellaneous orders for costs, compensation, damages etc.
  150. 9Paragraph 9
  151. 9AParagraph 9A
  152. 10Paragraph 10
  153. 12Paragraph 12
  154. 12AParagraph 12A
  155. 12BParagraph 12B
  156. 12CParagraph 12C
  157. Paragraph
  158. Part II: Cases where costs enforceable summarily as civil debt
  159. Costs awarded by magistrates
  160. 13Paragraph 13
  161. 14Paragraph 14
  162. 15Paragraph 15 Repealed
  163. Costs awarded by assizes and quarter sessions
  164. 16Paragraph 16
  165. Costs awarded by Court of Appeal (criminal division)
  166. 16AParagraph 16A
  167. 17–20Paragraph 17–20 Repealed
  168. 21Paragraph 21 Repealed
  169. Schedule 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Schedule 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  170. Schedule 11Enactments Repealed