The Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

[F1 Issue of witness summons of court's own motion N.I.

118D— (1) For the purpose of any criminal proceedings before it, a magistrates' court may of its own motion issue a summons (a witness summons) directed to a person and requiring him to—

(a) attend before the court at the time and place stated in the summons; and

(b) give evidence or produce any document or thing specified in the summons.

(2) If a witness summons issued under this Article is directed to a person who—

(a) applies to the magistrates' court, and

(b) satisfies the court that he cannot give any evidence likely to be material evidence or, as the case may be, produce any document or thing likely to be material evidence,

the court may direct that the summons shall be of no effect.

(3) The magistrates' court may refuse to make a direction under paragraph (2) if any requirement relating to the application under that paragraph is not fulfilled.

(4) An application under paragraph (2) must be made in accordance with magistrates' courts rules.

(5) Magistrates' courts rules may, in such cases as the rules may specify, require that where—

(a) a person applying under paragraph (2) can produce a particular document or thing, but

(b) he seeks to satisfy the court that the document or thing is not likely to be material evidence,

he must arrange for the document or thing to be available at the hearing of the application.]

F1 Art. 118-118E and cross-headings substituted (1.1.2012) for art. 118 and preceding cross-heading by Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 c. 24 (NI), ss. 100(1), 111(3) (with s. 106(4), Sch. 6 para. 8); S.R. 2011/370, art. 3(f)