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Justices of the Peace Act 1979 (repealed 19.6.1997)

1979 c. 55 · Enacted 6 December 1979 · Extends to England and Wales

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 17 August 1997.

Annotations to the whole text

Textual amendments

F1

Act repealed (19.6.1997) by 1997 c. 25, ss. 73(3), 74(1), Sch. 6 Pt.I (with savings in Sch. 4 Pt. II paras. 6(a), 23, 28 and saving (temp.) for ss. 58 and 70 of the repealed Act in Sch. 4 Pt. II para. 7(2)(a)

Contents

  1. Part I: General
  2. Areas and commissions of the peace
  3. 1Commission areas.
  4. 2London commission areas.
  5. 3Power to adjust London commission areas.
  6. 4Petty sessions areas.
  7. 5General form of commissions of the peace.
  8. Justices other than stipendiary magistrates
  9. 6Appointment and removal of justices of the peace.
  10. 7Residence qualification.
  11. 8Supplemental list for England and Wales.
  12. 9Removal of name from supplemental list.
  13. 10Effect of entry of name in supplemental list.
  14. 11Records of justices of the peace.
  15. 12Travelling, subsistence and financial loss allowances.
  16. Stipendiary magistrates other than metropolitan stipendiary magistrates
  17. 13Appointment and removal of stipendiary magistrates.
  18. 14Retirement of stipendiary magistrates.
  19. 15Acting stipendiary magistrate.
  20. 16Place of sitting and powers of stipendiary magistrates.
  21. Part II: Organisation of Functions of Justices
  22. General provisions
  23. 17Chairman and deputy chairmen of justices.
  24. 18Rules as to chairmanship and size of bench.
  25. Magistrates’ courts committees
  26. 19General provisions as to magistrates’ courts committees.
  27. 20Constitution of magistrates’ courts committees.
  28. 21Powers of Lord Chancellor in relation to magistrates’ courts committees.
  29. 22Supplementary provisions as to magistrates’ courts committees.
  30. 22AGeneral powers and duties of magistrates’ courts committees.
  31. 23Powers and duties of committee as to petty sessional divisions.
  32. 24Procedure relating to s. 23.
  33. 24AAlteration of names of petty sessions areas outside inner London Area.
  34. 24BProcedure relating to s. 24A.
  35. 24CReports and plans.
  36. Justices’ chief executives, justices’ clerks and staff
  37. 24DAppointment of justices’ chief executive.
  38. 24EFunctions of justices’ chief executive.
  39. Justices’ clerks and their staffs
  40. 25Appointment and removal of justices’ clerks.
  41. 26Qualifications for appointment as justices’ clerk.
  42. 26AJustices’ chief executives and justices’ clerks to be employed under contracts of service.
  43. 27Conditions of service and staff of justices’ clerks.
  44. 28General powers and duties of justices’ clerks.
  45. 29Functions of justices’ clerk as collecting officer.
  46. 30Person acting as substitute clerk to justices.
  47. 30AIndependence of justices’ clerk and staff in relation to legal functions.
  48. Part III: Inner London Area
  49. Metropolitan stipendiary magistrates
  50. 31Appointment, removal and retirement of metropolitan stipendiary magistrates.
  51. 32Allocation and sittings of metropolitan stipendiary magistrates.
  52. 33Jurisdiction of metropolitan stipendiary magistrates and lay justices.
  53. 34Acting metropolitan stipendiary magistrate.
  54. 34ADivision of work in inner London area.
  55. Justices’ clerks for youth courts and family proceedings courts
  56. 34BAppointment of justices’ clerks for youth courts and family proceedings courts.
  57. Provisions relating to committee of magistrates
  58. 35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  59. 36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  60. 36A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  61. 37. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  62. 38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  63. Part IV: City of London
  64. 39Ex officio and appointed justices.
  65. 40Chairman and deputy chairmen of justices.
  66. 41Application of enactments to the City.
  67. 42No petty sessional divisions in the City.
  68. 43Records of appointed justices for the City.
  69. Part V: Protection of Justices and Indemnification of Justices and Justices’ Clerks
  70. 44Immunity for acts within jurisdiction.
  71. 45Immunity for certain acts beyond jurisdiction.
  72. 46—49. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  73. 50Where action prohibited, proceedings may be set aside.
  74. 51, 52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  75. 53Indemnification of justices and justices’ clerks.
  76. 54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  77. Part VI: Administrative and Financial Arrangements
  78. 55Duties of local authorities.
  79. 56Provisions supplementary to s. 55.
  80. 57. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  81. 58Corresponding arrangements in inner London area.
  82. 59Grants by Lord Chancellor to responsible authorities.
  83. 59ALocal authority land appropriated to magistrates’ courts purposes.
  84. 60Special provision as to grants to Greater London Council. Repealed
  85. 61Application of fines and fees.
  86. 62Defaults of justices’ clerks and their staffs.
  87. 62ARegulations as to accounts and audit.
  88. Part VII: Miscellaneous and Supplementary Provisions
  89. 63Courses of instruction.
  90. 63ADisqualification in case of bankruptcy.
  91. 64Disqualification in certain cases of justices who are members of local authorities.
  92. 65Justices not disqualified by reason of being ratepayers.
  93. 66Acts done by justices outside their commission area.
  94. 67Promissory oaths of certain justices.
  95. 68Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Lancashire.
  96. 69Isles of Scilly.
  97. 69ARegulations.
  98. 70Interpretation.
  99. 71Transitional provisions and savings, amendments and repeals.
  100. 72Short title, commencement and extent.
  101. Schedule 1: Transitional Provisions and Savings
  102. Interpretation
  103. 1Paragraph 1
  104. General transitional provisions
  105. 2Paragraph 2
  106. Commissions of the peace
  107. 3Paragraph 3
  108. Justices of the peace in office
  109. 4Paragraph 4
  110. 5Paragraph 5
  111. 6Paragraph 6
  112. Stipendiary magistrates (other than metropolitan stipendiary magistrates)
  113. 7Paragraph 7
  114. 8Paragraph 8
  115. Petty sessional divisions
  116. 9Paragraph 9
  117. Justices’ clerks and their staffs
  118. 10Paragraph 10
  119. 11Paragraph 11
  120. 12Paragraph 12
  121. 13Paragraph 13
  122. 14Paragraph 14
  123. Justices of the Peace Act 1949, Schedule 2
  124. 15Paragraph 15
  125. Provisions relating to Part V of Act
  126. 16Paragraph 16
  127. Saving for superannuation provisions
  128. 17Paragraph 17
  129. Savings for Local Government Act 1972, ss. 67, 252, 254
  130. 18Paragraph 18
  131. Schedule 2: Consequential Amendments
  132. Maintenance Orders (Facilities for Enforcement) Act 1920 (c. 33)
  133. 1Paragraph 1
  134. Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (c. 12)
  135. 2Paragraph 2
  136. National Assistance Act 1948 (c. 29)
  137. 3Paragraph 3
  138. Children Act 1948 (c. 43)
  139. 4Paragraph 4
  140. Marriage Act 1949 (c. 76)
  141. 5Paragraph 5
  142. Maintenance Orders Act 1950 (c. 37)
  143. 6Paragraph 6
  144. Magistrates’ Courts Act 1952 (c. 55)
  145. 7—9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  146. Affiliation Proceedings Act 1957 (c. 55)
  147. 10Paragraph 10
  148. Licensing Act 1964 (c. 26)
  149. 11Paragraph 11
  150. Administration of Justice Act 1964 (c. 42)
  151. 12Paragraph 12
  152. Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 (c. 45)
  153. 13Paragraph 13
  155. 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  156. Guardianship of Minors Act 1971 (c. 3)
  157. 16Paragraph 16
  158. Immigration Act 1971 (c. 77)
  159. 17Paragraph 17
  160. Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972 (c. 18)
  161. 18Paragraph 18
  162. Criminal Justice Act 1972 (c. 71)
  163. 20Paragraph 20
  164. Administration of Jusice Act 1973 (c. 15)
  165. 21Paragraph 21
  166. 22Paragraph 22
  167. 23Paragraph 23
  168. 24Paragraph 24
  169. Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973 (c. 62)
  170. 25Paragraph 25
  171. 26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  172. Local Government Act 1974 (c. 7)
  173. 28Paragraph 28
  174. Solicitors Act 1974 (c. 47)
  175. 29Paragraph 29
  176. Supplementary Benefits Act 1976 (c. 71)
  177. 30Paragraph 30
  178. Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates’ Courts Act 1978 (c. 22)
  179. 31Paragraph 31
  180. Schedule 3Repeals