# Courts Act 2003, Section 26: District Judges (Magistrates' Courts) able to act alone

Extent: E+W

(1) Nothing in the 1980 Act—
(a) requiring a magistrates' court to be composed of two or more justices, or
(b) limiting the powers of a magistrates' court when composed of a single justice,
applies to a District Judge (Magistrates' Courts).
(2) A District Judge (Magistrates' Courts) may—
(a) do any act, and
(b) exercise alone any jurisdiction,
which can be done or exercised by two justices, apart from granting or transferring a licence.
(3) Any enactment making provision ancillary to the jurisdiction exercisable by two justices of the peace also applies to the jurisdiction of a District Judge (Magistrates' Courts), unless the provision relates to granting or transferring a licence.
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(5) “The 1980 Act” means the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43).

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/39/section/26 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/courts-act-2003/section-26
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.