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Administration of Justice Act 1982

1982 c. 53 · Enacted 28 October 1982 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 11 July 2023.

An Act to make further provision with respect to the administration of justice and matters connected therewith; to amend the law relating to actions for damages for personal injuries, including injuries resulting in death, and to abolish certain actions for loss of services; to amend the law relating to wills; to make further provision with respect to funds in court, statutory deposits and schemes for the common investment of such funds and deposits and certain other funds; to amend the law relating to deductions by employers under attachment of earnings orders; to make further provision with regard to penalties that may be awarded by the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal under section 47 of the Solicitors Act 1974; to make further provision for the appointment of justices of the peace in England and Wales and in relation to temporary vacancies in the membership of the Law Commission; to enable the title register kept by the Chief Land Registrar to be kept otherwise than in documentary form; and to authorise the payment of travelling, subsistence and financial loss allowances for justices of the peace in Northern Ireland.

[28th October 1982]

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part I: Damages for Personal Injuries Etc.
  2. Abolition of certain claims for damages etc.
  3. 1Abolition of right to damages for loss of expectation of life.
  4. 2Abolition of actions for loss of services etc.
  5. Fatal Accidents Act 1976
  6. 3Amendments of Fatal Accidents Act 1976.
  7. Claims not surviving death
  8. 4Exclusion of Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934.
  9. Maintenance at public expense
  10. 5Maintenance at public expense to be taken into account in assessment of damages.
  11. Provisional damages for personal injuries
  12. 6Award of provisional damages for personal injuries.
  13. Part II: Damages for Personal Injuries Etc.—Scotland
  14. 7Damages in respect of services.
  15. 8Services rendered to injured person.
  16. 9Services to injured person’s relative.
  17. 10Assessment of damages for personal injuries.
  18. 11Maintenance at public expense to be taken into account in assessment of damages: Scotland.
  19. 12Award of provisional damages for personal injuries: Scotland.
  20. 13Supplementary.
  21. 14Amendment and repeal of enactments. Repealed
  22. Part III: Powers of Courts to Award Interest
  23. 15Interest on debts and damages.
  24. 16Interest on lump sums in matrimonial proceedings.
  25. Part IV: Wills
  26. Amendments of Wills Act 1837
  27. 17Relaxation of formal requirements for making wills.
  28. 18Effect of marriage or its termination on wills.
  29. 19Gifts to children etc. who predecease testator.
  30. Rectification and interpretation of wills
  31. 20Rectification.
  32. 21Interpretation of wills—general rules as to evidence.
  33. 22Presumption as to effect of gifts to spouses.
  34. Registration of wills
  35. 23Deposit and registration of wills of living persons. Not yet in force
  36. 24Designation of Principal Registry as national body under Registration Convention. Not yet in force
  37. 25Regulations as to deposit and registration of wills etc. Not yet in force
  38. 26Fees as to registration in Scotland.
  39. International wills Not yet in force
  40. 27The form of an international will. Not yet in force
  41. 28International wills—procedure. Not yet in force
  42. Part V: County Courts
  43. 29—33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  44. 34Transfers from High Court to county court.
  45. 35Transfers from county court to High Court. Repealed
  46. 36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  47. 37Limits of county court jurisdiction.
  48. Part VI: Funds in Court
  49. 38Management and investment of funds in court.
  50. 39Investment of money transferred to National Debt Commissioners.
  51. 40Statutory deposits.
  52. 41Transfer of funds in court to Official Custodian for Charities and appropriate authority.
  53. 42Common investment schemes.
  54. 43Provision for making good defaults.
  55. 44Power to repeal and modify ss. 42 and 43.
  56. 45Accounts.
  57. 46Supplemental.
  58. 47Interpretation.
  59. 48Application of Part VI to Scotland. Not yet in force
  60. 48AApplication of Part VI to Northern Ireland
  61. Part VII: Miscellaneous
  62. Family Law
  63. 49Presentation of petitions for matrimonial relief on behalf of patients under Mental Health Act 1959. Repealed
  64. 50Orders for the maintenance of wards of court. Repealed
  65. 51Remission of arrears of maintenance.
  66. 52Filing of orders.
  67. Amendments of Attachment of Earnings Act 1971
  68. 53Power to order debtor to appear before court where attachment of earnings order is in force.
  69. 54Deductions by employer under attachment of earnings order.
  70. 55Attachment of debts
  71. Penalties under Solicitors Act 1974
  72. 56Increase in penalty etc.
  73. Judicial Trustees
  74. 57Accounts of judicial trustees.
  75. Recorders
  76. 58Assistance by Recorders for transaction of business of High Court.
  77. Official referee’s business
  78. 59Official referee’s business.
  79. 60. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  80. Jurors
  81. 61Questions to persons summoned for jury service.
  82. Inquests
  83. 62Juries where death in police custody etc. suspected.
  84. Explosive substances—consents to prosecutions
  85. 63Consents to prosecutions under the Explosive Substances Act 1883.
  86. Constitution of the Law Commission
  87. 64Temporary vacancies in Law Commission.
  88. Justices of the Peace
  89. 65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  90. Land Registration
  91. 66Computerisation of the title register. Repealed
  92. 67Jurisdiction. Repealed
  93. Part VIII: Provisions relating to Northern Ireland
  94. 68Damages for personal injuries etc.
  95. 69Interest on debts and damages.
  96. 70Amendents of Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978.
  97. 71. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  98. 72Travelling, subsistence and financial loss allowances for Justices of the Peace.
  99. Part IX: General and Supplementary
  100. 73Transitional provisions and savings.
  101. 74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  102. 75Repeals and revocations.
  103. 76Commencement.
  104. 77Extent.
  105. 78Citation.
  106. Schedule 1: Interest on debts and damages
  107. Part I: Section Inserted in Senior Courts Act 1981
  108. 35APower of High Court to award interest on debts and damages.
  109. II. . .
  110. Part III: Consequential amendment of Crown Proceedings Act 1947
  111. Paragraph
  112. Part IV
  113. 19APower of arbitrator to award interest.
  114. Schedule 2The Annex to the Convention on International Wills
  115. Article 1Part Article 1
  116. Article 2Part Article 2
  117. Article 3Part Article 3
  118. Article 4Part Article 4
  119. Article 5Part Article 5
  120. Article 6Part Article 6
  121. Article 7Part Article 7
  122. Article 8Part Article 8
  123. Article 9Part Article 9
  124. Article 10Part Article 10
  125. Article 11Part Article 11
  126. Article 12Part Article 12
  127. Article 13Part Article 13
  128. Article 14Part Article 14
  129. Article 15Part Article 15
  130. Schedule 3: Monetary Limits of County Court Jurisdiction
  131. Part I: The County Court Limit
  132. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  133. Part II: Amendents of enactments specifying monetary limits
  134. 2Paragraph 2
  135. 3Paragraph 3
  136. 4Paragraph 4
  137. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  138. 6Paragraph 6
  139. Part III: Power to raise County Court limit
  140. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  141. Part IV: Highways
  142. 8Paragraph 8
  143. Schedule 4: Attachment of debts
  144. Part I: Section inserted in Senior Courts Act 1981
  145. 40AAdministrative and clerical expenses of garnishees.
  146. II. . .
  147. Schedule 5Schedule 5
  148. Schedule 6: Damages for Personal Injuries etc.Northern Ireland
  149. Abolition of actions for enticement, seduction and harbouring of child
  150. 1Paragraph 1
  151. Fatal accidents
  152. 2Paragraph 2
  153. 3Paragraph 3
  154. 4Paragraph 4
  155. 5Paragraph 5
  156. 6Paragraph 6
  157. 7Paragraph 7
  158. 8Paragraph 8
  159. Exclusion of section 14 of Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 1937
  160. 9Paragraph 9
  161. Orders for provisional damages for personal injury
  162. 10Paragraph 10
  163. Schedule 7: Interest on Debts and Damages—Northern Ireland
  164. Part I: Section inserted in Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978
  165. 33APower of High Court to award interest on debts and damages.
  166. Part II: Article inserted in County Courts Northern Ireland) Order 1980
  167. Interest on debts and damages
  168. 45AParagraph 45A
  169. Part III: Amendments Consequential on Section 69
  170. Crown Proceedings Act 1947 (c. 44)
  171. 1Paragraph 1
  172. Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 (c. 23)
  173. 2Paragraph 2
  174. County Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1980
  175. 3Paragraph 3
  176. Schedule 8: Amendments of Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978
  177. 1Paragraph 1
  178. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  179. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  180. 4Paragraph 4
  181. 5Paragraph 5
  182. 6Paragraph 6
  183. 7Paragraph 7
  184. 8Paragraph 8
  185. 9Paragraph 9
  186. 10Paragraph 10
  187. 11Paragraph 11
  188. 12Paragraph 12
  189. Schedule 9 Not yet in force
  190. IRepeals Not yet in force
  191. IIRepeals Not yet in force