{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-act-1980/section-56",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-act-1980/section-56.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1980/43",
  "legislation_title": "Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-act-1980",
  "path": "section/56",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "56",
  "heading": "Non-appearance of complainant.",
  "text": "... Where at the time and place appointed for the hearing or adjourned hearing of a complaint the defendant appears but the complainant does not, the court may dismiss the complaint or, if evidence has been received on a previous occasion, proceed in the absence of the complainant.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 56 repealed (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 10 para. 99 Table; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(d) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 56 substituted (6.4.2011) by The Family Procedure (Modification of Enactments) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1045), arts. 1, 8 (with art. 39)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 56 modified by S.I. 2012/2814, Sch. 2 para. 3(2C) (as inserted (22.4.2014) by The Crime and Courts Act 2013 (Family Court: Consequential Provision) (No.2) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/879), arts. 1(1), 143(b))"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/43/section/56",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-31T10:26:47.197891+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."
}