Administration of Justice Act 1970

7 Extension of power to dispense with holding of assizes

(1) An Order in Council under section 72 of the Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act 1925 (regulation of circuits) may contain a direction that, notwithstanding any enactment or custom to the contrary, assizes shall no longer be held for such county or at such place as may be specified in the Order either at all or for the transaction of such class of business as may be so specified.

(2) Where such an Order contains in relation to any county or place a direction authorised by this section, the Order may also contain such provisions as appear to Her Majesty to be necessary or expedient in consequence of the direction including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision or to the provisions of paragraphs (f), (g) and (h) of subsection (1) of the said section 72, provision—

(a) for enabling business which would or might have been transacted at assizes held in or for that county or place to be transacted at other assizes and persons who would or might have been tried or dealt with by a court of assize held in or at that county or place to be tried or dealt with by a court of assize held elsewhere;

(b) for assigning to such local authority as may be pre scribed by the Order liability in respect of the costs of cases taken at any assizes in consequence of a provision made by virtue of paragraph (a) above (so far as those costs are payable out of local funds under the [1952 c. 48.] Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1952) and in respect of such of the expenses of holding any court of assize at which cases are so taken as may be so prescribed; and

(c) for the modification or amendment of any enactment (including an enactment extending to Scotland) relating to courts of assize and their jurisdiction.

(3) In this section " county" has the same meaning as in the Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act 1925.