The Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

[F1 PART 3 N.I. THE HOLDING OF PETTY SESSIONS]

F1 Art. 11 and Pt. 3 heading substituted (31.10.2016) by Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (c. 9), s. 106(2), Sch. 1 para. 86(4) (with Sch. 8 para. 1); S.R. 2016/387, art. 2(k) (with art. 3)

[F1 Petty sessions N.I.

11.— (1) Sessions for the holding of courts of summary jurisdiction shall continue to be known as petty sessions and are so referred to in this Order.

(2) The Lord Chief Justice may give directions as to—

(a) the places at which petty sessions are to be held;

(b) the days on which petty sessions are to be regularly held;

(c) the ordinary hours of sitting of courts of summary jurisdiction;

(d) such other incidental, consequential, transitional or supplementary matters as appear to the Lord Chief Justice to be necessary or proper.]

Holding of petty sessions in courthouse N.I.

12.  Where a courthouse is provided or maintained under the Administration of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1954F2 at any place fixed for the holding of petty sessions, the petty sessions shall be held in that courthouse unless either—

(a) the[F3 Lord Chief Justice] otherwise directs; or

(b) the resident magistrate presiding or who is to preside otherwise adjourns the sitting of the court pursuant to the powers conferred on him by section 13 of that Act.

F2 1954 c. 9 (NI)

F3 Words in art. 12(a) substituted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(2), 148(1), Sch. 5 para. 64; S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1