# The Criminal Procedure Rules 2025, Rule 3.17: Place of magistrates’ court trial

Extent: E+W

The court officer must arrange for a magistrates’ court trial to take place in a courtroom provided by the Lord Chancellor, unless—
(a) the court otherwise directs; or
(b) the case is one to which rule 24.9 (Single justice procedure: special rules) applies.
[Note. See section 3 of the Courts Act 2003 and section 16A of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980.
In some circumstances the court may conduct all or part of the hearing outside a courtroom. The members of the court may discuss the verdict and sentence outside the courtroom.]

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/909/rule/3.17 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-rules-2025/rule-3.17
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.