{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/offences-against-the-person-act-1861/section-44",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/offences-against-the-person-act-1861/section-44.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Vict/24-25/100",
  "legislation_title": "Offences against the Person Act 1861",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/offences-against-the-person-act-1861",
  "path": "section/44",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "44",
  "heading": "If the magistrates dismiss the complaint, they shall make out a certificate to that effect.",
  "text": "If the justices, upon the hearing of any such case of assault or battery upon the merits, where the complaint was preferred by or on behalf of the party aggrieved, under either of the last two preceding sections, shall deem the offence not to be proved, or shall find the assault or battery to have been justified, or so trifling as not to merit any punishment, and shall accordingly dismiss the complaint, they shall forthwith make out a certificate . . . stating the fact of such dismissal, and shall deliver such certificate to the party against whom the complaint was preferred.",
  "extent": "E+W+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words repealed (E.W.S.) by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), ss. 123(6), 170, Sch. 8 para. 16, Sch. 15 para. 3, Sch. 16"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 44 repealed (E.W.) (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), s. 109(1)(3), Sch. 8 para. 41, Sch. 10; S.I. 2005/910, art. 3"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/24-25/100/section/44",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T13:09:26.210595+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."
}