{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/justice-northern-ireland-act-2002/schedule-3A/paragraph-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/justice-northern-ireland-act-2002/schedule-3A/paragraph-1.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2002/26",
  "legislation_title": "Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/justice-northern-ireland-act-2002",
  "path": "schedule/3A/paragraph/1",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "1",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "(1) The Ombudsman is ineligible to exercise specified functions if either sub-paragraph (2) or (3) applies.\n(2) This sub-paragraph applies where the Ombudsman—\n(a) is engaged in political activity as a member of a political party; or\n(b) has ever been any of these—\n(i) a practising barrister in England and Wales;\n(ii) a practising solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales;\n(iii) a practising advocate in Scotland;\n(iv) a practising solicitor in Scotland;\n(v) a practising member of the Bar of Northern Ireland;\n(vi) a practising solicitor of the Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland;\n(vii) the holder of a listed judicial office.\n(3) This sub-paragraph applies where the Ombudsman considers—\n(a) that the Ombudsman has exercised functions that appear to be of a judicial nature and such as to make it inappropriate for the Ombudsman to exercise specified functions; or\n(b) that past service in a capacity mentioned in sub-paragraph (5) makes it inappropriate for the Ombudsman to exercise specified functions.\n(4) As part of the considerations under sub-paragraph (3), the Ombudsman may consult the Department of Justice.\n(5) The service referred to in sub-paragraph (3)(b) is service as any of these –\n(a) a Commissioner;\n(b) a member of staff of the Commission;\n(c) a person employed in the civil service of the State.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Sch. 3A inserted (25.9.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 124, 148, Sch. 15; S.I. 2006/1537, art. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Sch. 3A paras. 1-1C and cross-headings substituted for Sch. 3A para. 1 (1.4.2016) by Public Services Ombudsman Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 4), s. 64, Sch. 6 para. 4"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/26/schedule/3A/paragraph/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:19:23.998184+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."
}