The Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

Estreat of recognizances and making of orders as to costs in connection with appeals N.I.

151.—(1) Where it appears that an appellant has failed to comply with the conditions of a recognizance entered into under Article 148 or Article 149, because—

(a) a notice of abandonment has been duly served under Article 150; or

(b) the appeal has not been duly prosecuted; or

(c) being the applicant for a case stated, he has failed to take delivery of it or to transmit it as required by Article 146 (9);

a court of summary jurisdiction acting for the same petty sessions district as the magistrates' court from whose decision the appeal was made or by whom the case was stated, may, after such a notice as is referred to in Article 138 (3), has been served in accordance with that paragraph upon the party or parties bound by the recognizance, order the recognizance to be estreated.

(2) In addition, the court of summary jurisdiction may, on the application of the other party to the appeal, order to be paid to him out of the amount forfeited on the estreat of the recognizance such sum as appears to the court to be just and reasonable in respect of expenses properly incurred by such other party in connection with the appeal and the balance of the sum so forfeited, if any, shall be paid into the [F1 Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland] so, however, that where the appeal is abandoned pursuant to notice duly served under Article 150 the said balance shall be repaid to the party or parties from whom it was forfeited.

(3) Where an appeal has been abandoned by a public or local authority or by an officer of a public or local authority acting as such or by a constable acting as such by notice of abandonment under Article 150 or where such an appeal has not been duly prosecuted, a court of summary jurisdiction such as is referred to in paragraph (1) may upon complaint order it or him to pay such costs as appear to the court to be just and reasonable in respect of expenses properly incurred by any other party in connection with the appeal.

(4) The provisions of this Article are in addition to and not in derogation of any provision made by rules of court for the enforcement of the recognizances referred to in paragraph (1).

F1 Words in art. 151(2) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 15(5), Sch. 18 para. 137 (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2)