[9Appointment and assignment of resident magistrates.N.I.
(1)Her Majesty may. . . appoint fit and proper persons to be resident magistrates, being persons who at the dates of their appointments[ are—
(a)members of the Bar of Northern Ireland of at least seven years' standing; or
(b)solicitors of the[Court of Judicature] of at least seven years' standing.]
Subs. (2) rep. by 2002 c. 26
(3)A resident magistrate shall sit in accordance with directions given by the[Lord Chief Justice].
(4)A resident magistrate may, in accordance with such directions, sit [in any magistrates' court] .
(5)Subject to subsections (3) and (4), the[Lord Chief Justice] may assign a resident magistrate to one or more [divisions] and may from time to time vary any such assignment.]
[(6)In subsection (5) “division” means an administrative court division specified under section2 of the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 for all or the residual purposes of a magistrates' court.]