Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978

47 Exercise of jurisdiction by Crown Court. U.K.

(1) All proceedings in the Crown Court shall be heard and disposed of before a single judge, and—

(a) any Crown Court business may be conducted at any place in Northern Ireland;

(b) sittings of the Crown Court at any place may be continuous or intermittent or occasional;

(c) judges may sit simultaneously to take any number of different cases in the same or in different places, and all or any of them may adjourn cases from time to time and may do so from place to place at any time.

(2) The judges of the High Court and the county court shall sit in the Crown Court in accordance with directions given by the [F1 Lord Chief Justice] and the cases or classes of cases suitable for allocation to judges of the High Court and to county court judges respectively and all other matters relating to the distribution of Crown Court business shall be determined in accordance with directions given by the [F2 Lord Chief Justice].

(3) The places at which the Crown Court sits and the days and times when the Crown Court sits at any place shall be determined in accordance with directions given by the [F3 Lord Chief Justice].

(4) Subject to [F4 section 66 (2) of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (subpoenas not to issue in certain criminal cases) and to]. any provision contained in or having effect under this Act, the Crown Court shall, in relation to the attendance and examination of witnesses, any contempt of court, the enforcement of its orders and all other matters incidental to its jurisdiction, have the like powers, rights and authority as the High Court or the county court.

(5) Officers of the Crown Court shall be responsible for the keeping of the records of the proceedings of the court, the notification to those concerned of the place and time appointed for any proceedings or other business and such other formal or administrative matters as may be specified by directions given by the Lord Chancellor [F5 after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice].

(6) The Royal Ulster Constabulary shall give effect to any orders or directions which may be given to it by the Crown Court.

[F6 (7) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate any of the following to exercise his functions under this section—

(a) the holder of one of the offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002;

(b) a Lord Justice of Appeal (as defined in section 88 of that Act).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 47(2) substituted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(2), 148(1), Sch. 5 para. 24(2)(a); S. I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 12(a)

F2 Words in s. 47(2) substituted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(2), 148(1), Sch. 5 para. 24(2)(b); S. I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 12(a)

F3 Words in s. 47(3) substituted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(2), 148(1), Sch. 5 para. 24(3); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 12(a)

F4 Words in s. 47(4) inserted (4.7.1996) by virtue of 1996 c. 25, ss. 79(4), Sch. 4, paras. 1, 28 (by virtue of which provisions, the 1996 Act has effect subject to the modification that in its application to N.I. for s. 66(3)(4) of that Act there is subtituted s. 66(3)(4) as set out in Sch. 4 para. 28 of the 1996 Act)

F5 Words in s. 47(5) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(2), 148(1), Sch. 5 para. 24(4); S. I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 12(a)

F6 S. 47(7) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(2), 148(1), Sch. 5 para. 24(5); S. I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 12(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 47(5) transfer of functions (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), art. 1(2), Sch. 17 para. 6(b) (with arts. 28-31)