{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-forms-rules-1981/note",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-forms-rules-1981/note.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1981/553",
  "legislation_title": "The Magistrates' Courts (Forms) Rules 1981",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/magistrates-courts-forms-rules-1981",
  "path": "note",
  "kind": "note",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Explanatory note",
  "text": "These Rules consolidate, with amendments, the Rules specified in Schedule 1 to these Rules and prescribe the forms to be used in connection with proceedings in magistrates' courts. These forms are set out in Schedule 2 to these Rules.\nSome obsolete forms which were prescribed in the Magistrates' Courts (Forms) Rules 1968 (“the 1968 Rules”) have been omitted from Schedule 2.\nThese forms are—\nNumber of Form in Schedule to the 1968 Rules\nSubject matter of form\n26.\nWarrant to arrest person indicted.\n28.\nWarrant of commitment of person indicted who is already in custody.\n97.\nOrder of removal from approved school to borstal.\n98.\nInterim order on application for removal from approved school to borstal.\n101.\nDomestic proceedings: report by probation officer of attempted conciliation.\n124.\nCertificate of ability of surety to pay.\n137.\nWarrant for temporary removal from approved school.\n138.\nWarrant for further removal after temporary removal from approved school.\nThree other forms which were prescribed in the 1968 Rules have also been omitted in these Rules, namely, forms numbered 64 (Further transfer of fine order), 127 (Complaint for forfeiture of recognizance to keep the peace) and 128 (Summons for forfeiture of recognizance). Instead, certain forms prescribed in Schedule 2 to these Rules, namely, forms numbered 59 (Transfer of fine order), 60 (Transfer of fine order to Scotland or Northern Ireland), 98 (Complaint) and 2 (Summons), respectively, may be used with appropriate amendments.\nFour forms, which were prescribed in the Schedule to the 1968 Rules, have been omitted from Schedule 2 to these Rules, namely forms numbered 115A (Notice of courts' powers under sections 16 and 18(1) of the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Act 1978 (c.22)), 115B (Family protection order), 115C (Power of arrest attached to order made under section 16 of the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates' Courts Act 1978) and 115D (Endorsement of expedited order). These forms are now set out in the Schedule to the Magistrates' Courts (Matrimonial Proceedings) Rules 1980 (S.I. 1980/1582).\nFour new forms have been added in Schedule 2 to these Rules, namely, forms numbered 88 (Notice to Crown Court of conviction of further offence committed during operational period of suspended sentence), 114 (Notice to person outside the United Kingdom of complaint for variation etc. of maintenance or custody order), 120 (Recognizance: Bail: Appeal to Crown Court) and 121 (Recognizance to prosecute an appeal before the High Court on case stated and for bail pending the appeal).",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1981/553/note",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T18:40:56.141548+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."
}