{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/courtsmartial-appeals-act-1951/section-31",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/courtsmartial-appeals-act-1951/section-31.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Geo6/14-15/46",
  "legislation_title": "Courts–Martial (Appeals) Act 1951",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/courtsmartial-appeals-act-1951",
  "path": "section/31",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "31",
  "heading": "Qualifications of Judge Advocate General and assistants.",
  "text": "(1) No person shall be qualified for appointment as Judge Advocate General unless he is—\n(a) a person who satisfies the judicial-appointment eligibility condition on a 7-year basis;\n(b) an advocate in Scotland of at least 7 years’ standing, or a solicitor who has had a right of audience in the Court of Session or the High Court of Justiciary for at least 7 years;\n(c) a member of the Bar of Northern Ireland of at least 7 years’ standing;\n(d) the Vice Judge Advocate General; or\n(e) an Assistant Judge Advocate General.\n(2) No person shall be qualified for appointment as the Vice Judge Advocate General or an Assistant Judge Advocate General unless he is—\n(a) a person who satisfies the judicial-appointment eligibility condition on a 5-year basis;\n(b) an advocate in Scotland of at least 5 years’ standing, or a solicitor who has had a right of audience in the Court of Session or the High Court of Justiciary for at least 5 years or;\n(c) a member of the Bar of Northern Ireland of at least 5 years’ standing;. . .\n(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4) Before recommending a person for appointment as Judge Advocate General or appointing a person to be the Vice Judge Advocate General or an Assistant Judge Advocate General, the Lord Chancellor shall take steps to satisfy himself that the health of the person proposed to be recommended for appointment, or to be appointed, as the case may be, is satisfactory.\n(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words substituted by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 37), s. 71(2), Sch. 10 para. 11(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 31(1)(a) substituted (21.7.2008) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), s. 148, Sch. 10 para. 6(2)(a); S.I. 2008/1653, art. 2(d) (with arts. 3 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(1)(b) substituted (21.7.2008) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), s. 148, Sch. 10 para. 6(2)(b); S.I. 2008/1653, art. 2(d) (with arts. 3 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 31 in para. (b) in each of the subsections of (1),(2) and (3) substituted (1.4.1997) by 1996 c. 46, s. 5, Sch. 1 Pt. IV para. 65; S.I. 1997/304, art. 2 with savings in para. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in s. 31(1)(c) substituted (21.7.2008) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), s. 148, Sch. 10 para. 6(2)(b); S.I. 2008/1653, art. 2(d) (with arts. 3 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words substituted by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 37), s. 71(2), Sch. 10 para. 11(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 31(2)(a) substituted (21.7.2008) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), s. 148, Sch. 10 para. 6(3)(a); S.I. 2008/1653, art. 2(d) (with arts. 3 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(2)(b) substituted (21.7.2008) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), s. 148, Sch. 10 para. 6(3)(b); S.I. 2008/1653, art. 2(d) (with arts. 3 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Word in s. 31(2)(b) inserted (1.10.2001) by 2001 c. 19, s. 34, Sch. 6 Pt. 2 para. 6(a)(i); S.I. 2001/3234, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(2)(c) substituted (21.7.2008) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), s. 148, Sch. 10 para. 6(3)(b); S.I. 2008/1653, art. 2(d) (with arts. 3 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "S. 31(2)(d) and word preceding it repealed (1.10.2001) by 2001 c. 19, ss. 34, 38, Sch. 6 Pt. 2 para. 6(a)(ii), Sch. 7 Pt. 3; S.I. 2001/3234, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "S. 31(3) repealed (1.10.2001) by 2001 c. 19, ss. 34, 38, Sch. 6 Pt. 2 para. 6(b), Sch. 7 Pt. 3; S.I. 2001/3234, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 31(4) substituted (1.10.2001) by 2001 c. 19, s. 34, Sch. 6 Pt. 2 para. 6(c); S.I. 2001/3234, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "S. 31(5) repealed by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 76), s. 125(7), Sch. 20"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/14-15/46/section/31",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:18:12.618121+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}