OpenLegislation

Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 in England

2002 c. 26 · Enacted 24 July 2002 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 15 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 1 November 2024.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 61repealedAccess to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 Sch. 5
Sch. 12 para. 16repealedAccess to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 Sch. 5
Sch. 12 para. 23-27repealedAccess to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 Sch. 5
s. 9(2)words substitutedJustice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 3 para. 41(3)
s. 22applied by 2000 c. 1, Sch. para 5A (as inserted)Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 12 para. 79
s. 90(2)words substitutedJustice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 3 para. 42(2)
s. 90(4)words repealedJustice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 3 para. 42(3) Sch. 13
s. 9(11)words substitutedJustice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 3 para. 41(5)(a)
s. 9(1)words substitutedJustice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 3 para. 41(2)
s. 9(3) (4)words substitutedJustice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 3 para. 41(2)
s. 9(5)words substitutedJustice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 3 para. 41(4)
s. 9(11)words substitutedJustice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 Sch. 3 para. 41(5)(b)
Sch. 6entry substitutedConstitutional Reform Act 2005 Sch. 5 para. 126(3)
s. 39(2)amendment to earlier affecting provision 2007 c. 27, Sch. 2 para. 18Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 Sch. 2 para. 38(10)
s. 37(4)amendment to earlier affecting provision 2007 c. 27, Sch. 2 para. 18Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 Sch. 2 para. 38(10)

An Act to make provision about the judiciary in Northern Ireland and to amend section 6 of the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876; to make provision about the law officers and other legal officers and the courts in Northern Ireland; to establish a Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, a Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland and a Northern Ireland Law Commission; to amend the law of youth justice in Northern Ireland; to make provision for making available to victims of crime information about the release of offenders in Northern Ireland; to make provision about community safety in Northern Ireland; to amend the law of legal aid in Northern Ireland; and for connected purposes.

[24th July 2002]

B e 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 1: The Judiciary
  2. General
  3. 1Guarantee of continued judicial independence
  4. Appointment and removal
  5. . . .
  6. 9CComplaints to the Commission or the Lord Chancellor
  7. 9DComplaints to the Ombudsman
  8. 9EReport and recommendations
  9. Transfer of functions of justices of the peace
  10. 10Transfer of functions of justices of the peace
  11. 13Presiding county court judge
  12. 14Presiding resident magistrate
  13. 15Presiding lay magistrate
  14. 16Complaints about holders of judicial office
  15. 19Judicial oath or affirmation
  16. 20Crown Solicitor
  17. 21Judicial pensions: pension sharing
  18. Part 2: Law Officers and Public Prosecution Service
  19. Attorney General
  20. 22Attorney General
  21. Advocate General
  22. 27Advocate General
  23. Public Prosecution Service
  24. 32AInfluencing a prosecutor
  25. 40Superintendence and removal of Director
  26. 41Transfer of functions etc.
  27. 42Independence of Director
  28. 48Powers of inspectors
  29. Law Commission
  30. Aims
  31. New orders
  32. 54Reparation orders
  33. 55Community responsibility orders
  34. Youth conferences
  35. 57Youth conferences and youth conference plans
  36. 58Diversionary youth conferences
  37. 59Court-ordered youth conferences
  38. 60Youth conference orders
  39. Other provisions
  40. 62Orders: enforcement etc.
  41. 64Juvenile justice centre orders for 17 year olds
  42. 65Consultation about detention Not yet in force
  43. 66Display of Royal Arms at courts
  44. 67Flying of flags at court-houses
  45. Civil procedure
  46. 74Appeals in small claims cases
  47. 75Time limit for cases stated by county court
  48. Legal aid
  49. Court Service
  50. 78Power to abolish Court Service
  51. Part 6: Supplementary
  52. 87Commencement
  53. 88Interpretation
  54. 89Transitionals and savings
  55. 90Statutory rules
  56. 91Extent
  57. 92Financial provision
  58. 93Short title
  59. 8Committees and sub-committees
  60. 10Paragraph 10
  61. 11Delegation
  62. 12Paragraph 12
  63. 13Miscellaneous
  64. 14Paragraph 14
  65. 15Paragraph 15
  66. 16Paragraph 16
  67. 17Paragraph 17
  68. 18Disqualification
  69. 19Paragraph 19
  70. 20Freedom of information
  71. Schedule 3: Appointment to listed judicial offices
  72. Part 1: Appointments by Her Majesty
  73. Application
  74. 1Paragraph 1
  75. Process
  76. 2Paragraph 2
  77. Part 2: Appointments by the Commission
  78. Application
  79. 3Paragraph 3
  80. Process
  81. 4Paragraph 4
  82. Part 3: Maximum numbers
  83. 5Paragraph 5
  84. Part 4: General provision about selections
  85. 6Paragraph 6
  86. Circumstances where Ombudsman ineligible to exercise specified functions
  87. Ombudsman to direct a person to exercise specified functions
  88. 1AParagraph 1A
  89. Persons whom the Ombudsman must not direct
  90. 1BParagraph 1B
  91. Meaning of “specified functions” and “practising”
  92. 1CParagraph 1C
  93. Term of office etc. of Ombudsman
  94. Salary, allowances and expenses
  95. Acting Ombudsman
  96. Status of the Ombudsman
  97. 8Paragraph 8
  98. Powers of the Ombudsman
  99. 9Paragraph 9
  100. Arrangements for assistance
  101. Arrangements by the Lord Chancellor
  102. Delegation of functions
  103. Financial provisions and directions
  104. Code of conduct
  105. Reports
  106. Documentary evidence
  107. 16Paragraph 16
  108. General
  109. 17Paragraph 17
  110. Schedule 4: Functions of justices of the peace
  111. 5Paragraph 5
  112. 5AParagraph 5A
  113. 6Paragraph 6
  114. 1Assembly Bills
  115. 2Devolution issues
  116. 4Paragraph 4
  117. 5Human rights
  118. 7Paragraph 7
  119. 7AParagraph 7A
  120. 8Varying retrospective decisions
  121. 10Paragraph 10
  122. 11Suspension of devolved government Not yet in force
  123. 12Acting as Attorney General for Northern Ireland during vacancy
  124. 13Consultation about appointment of Attorney General for Northern Ireland
  125. 14Crown Solicitor
  126. 15Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice
  127. 16Paragraph 16
  128. 17Paragraph 17
  129. 19Special advocates
  130. 20Paragraph 20
  131. 21Scheduled offences
  132. 22Paragraph 22
  133. 23Paragraph 23
  134. 24Consent to prosecution Repealed
  135. 26Paragraph 26
  136. 27Paragraph 27
  137. 28Paragraph 28
  138. 29Paragraph 29
  139. 30Paragraph 30
  140. 31Paragraph 31
  141. 32Paragraph 32
  142. 33Paragraph 33
  143. 34Paragraph 34
  144. 36Paragraph 36
  145. 37Paragraph 37
  146. 9Miscellaneous
  147. 10Paragraph 10
  148. 11Paragraph 11
  149. 12Paragraph 12
  150. 13Paragraph 13
  151. 14Disqualification
  152. 15Paragraph 15
  153. 16Freedom of information
  154. 2Commissioners holding judicial office
  155. 7Miscellaneous
  156. 8Paragraph 8
  157. 9Paragraph 9
  158. 10Paragraph 10
  159. 11Paragraph 11
  160. 12Paragraph 12
  161. 13Disqualification
  162. 14Paragraph 14
  163. 15Freedom of information
  164. 1Costs in Criminal Cases Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (c. 10 (N.I.))
  165. 2Treatment of Offenders Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (c. 29 (N.I.)) Not yet in force
  166. 3Rehabilitation of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (S.I. 1978/1908 (N.I. 27))
  167. 4Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (S.I. 1981/1675 (N.I. 26))
  168. 5Treatment of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/1344 (N.I. 15)) Not yet in force
  169. 6Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 (S.I. 1994/2795 (N.I. 15))
  170. 7Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (S.I 1996/3160 (N.I. 24))
  171. 8Paragraph 8
  172. 9Paragraph 9
  173. 10Paragraph 10
  174. 11Paragraph 11
  175. 13Paragraph 13
  176. 14Paragraph 14
  177. 15Paragraph 15
  178. 16Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1504 (N.I. 9))
  179. 17Paragraph 17
  180. 18Paragraph 18
  181. 19Paragraph 19
  182. 20Paragraph 20
  183. 21Paragraph 21
  184. 1Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1945 (c. 15 (N.I.))
  185. 2Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (c. 33 (N.I.))
  186. 3County Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1959 (c. 25 (N.I.))
  187. 4Paragraph 4
  188. 5Paragraph 5
  189. 6Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (c. 14 (N.I.))
  190. 7Law Commissions Act 1965 (c. 22)
  191. 8Paragraph 8
  192. 9Paragraph 9
  193. 10Administration of Justice Act 1973 (c. 15)
  194. 11Paragraph 11
  195. 12Paragraph 12
  196. 14Rehabilitation of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (S.I. 1978/1908 (N.I. 27)) Not yet in force
  197. 15Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) Act 1980 (c. 47)
  198. 29Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (S.I 1981/1675 (N.I. 26))
  199. 30Paragraph 30 Not yet in force
  200. 31Paragraph 31
  201. 32Child Abduction (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (S.I. 1985/1638 (N.I. 17)) Not yet in force
  202. 33Paragraph 33 Not yet in force
  203. 34Paragraph 34 Not yet in force
  204. 35Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986/ 595 (N.I. 4)) Not yet in force
  205. 36Paragraph 36 Not yet in force
  206. 37Paragraph 37 Not yet in force
  207. 38Paragraph 38 Not yet in force
  208. 39Paragraph 39 Not yet in force
  209. 40Paragraph 40 Not yet in force
  210. 41Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33)
  211. 42Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/1341 (N.I. 12)) Not yet in force
  212. 43Paragraph 43 Not yet in force
  213. 44Paragraph 44 Not yet in force
  214. 45Paragraph 45 Not yet in force
  215. 46Paragraph 46 Not yet in force
  216. 48Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 7) Not yet in force
  217. 49Criminal Appeal Act 1995 (c. 35)
  218. 50Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/755 (N.I. 2)) Not yet in force
  219. 51Paragraph 51 Not yet in force
  220. 52Paragraph 52 Not yet in force
  221. 54Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/3160 (N.I. 24))
  222. 55Paragraph 55
  223. 56Paragraph 56
  224. 57Paragraph 57 Not yet in force
  225. 58Paragraph 58
  226. 59Paragraph 59 Not yet in force
  227. 60Sex Offenders Act 1997 (c. 51)
  228. 61Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 (c. 32) Not yet in force
  229. 62Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47) Not yet in force
  230. 66Criminal Justice (Children) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1504 (N.I. 9))
  231. 67Paragraph 67
  232. 68Paragraph 68 Not yet in force
  233. 69Paragraph 69
  234. 70Paragraph 70
  235. 71Paragraph 71
  236. 72Paragraph 72
  237. 73Paragraph 73
  238. 76Northern Ireland Act 2000 (c. 1) Not yet in force
  239. 77Paragraph 77 Not yet in force
  240. 78Paragraph 78 Not yet in force
  241. 79Paragraph 79 Not yet in force
  242. 80Terrorism Act 2000 (c. 11)