{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/judicature-northern-ireland-act-1978/section-69",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/judicature-northern-ireland-act-1978/section-69.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1978/23",
  "legislation_title": "Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/judicature-northern-ireland-act-1978",
  "path": "section/69",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "69",
  "heading": "General Functions of the Department of Justice in relation to Courts and Judgments",
  "text": "(1) The functions of the Department of Justice include—\n(a) facilitating the conduct of the business of the following courts, namely—\n(i) the Court of Judicature;\n(ii) county courts;\n(iii) magistrates’ courts; and\n(iv) coroners’ courts;\n(b) giving effect to judgments to which the Judgments Enforcement (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 applies; and\n(c) discharging such other functions in relation to the courts mentioned in paragraph (a) or the enforcement of the judgments mentioned in paragraph (b) as are conferred on, or transferred to, it or any civil servants in the Department of Justice by or under this Act or any other statutory provision.\n(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4) The functions exercisable ... under subsection (1) shall include the functions heretofore exercisable by—\n(a) the officers and other persons employed in the Court of Judicature;\n(b) the persons employed in the county court service by virtue of section 108 of the County Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1959 or any other officer of a county court;\n(c) clerks of petty sessions and persons employed in the offices of clerks of petty sessions;\n(d) the Enforcement of Judgments Office; and\n(e) the officers of coroners’ courts,\nother than those functions which by or under this Act become the functions of statutory officers.\n(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 69(1) substituted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Court Service (Abolition and Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/133), art. 1, Sch. para. 5(2)(b) (with arts. 5-7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 69(2)(3) omitted (12.4.2010) by virtue of The Northern Ireland Court Service (Abolition and Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/133), art. 1, Sch. para. 5(2)(c) (with arts. 5-7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 69(4) omitted (12.4.2010) by virtue of The Northern Ireland Court Service (Abolition and Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/133), art. 1, Sch. para. 5(2)(d) (with arts. 5-7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 69(1)(a)(i)(4)(a) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 59, 148, Sch. 11 para. 6(1); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 69(5) repealed (22.7.2004) by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2004 (c. 14), s. 1(1), {Sch. 1 Pt. 5 Group 11}"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "S. 69(6) omitted (12.4.2010) by virtue of The Northern Ireland Court Service (Abolition and Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/133), art. 1, Sch. para. 5(2)(e) (with arts. 5-7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 69 heading substituted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Court Service (Abolition and Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010/133), art. 1, Sch. para. 5(2)(a) (with arts. 5-7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1959 c. 25. (N.I.)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/23/section/69",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:23:00.123548+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."
}