Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

144 Rule committee and rules of procedure. E+W

[F1 (A1) The Lord Chancellor may appoint a rule committee for magistrates' courts.]

(1) [F2 The Lord Chief Justice may on] the advice of or after consultation with the rule committee [F3 , and with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor, ]make rules for regulating and prescribing [F4 except in relation to—

(a) any criminal cause or matter, or

(b) family proceedings,]

the procedure and practice to be followed in magistrates’ courts and by justices’ clerks [F5 and designated officers for magistrates' courts] .

[F6 (1A) If the Lord Chancellor does not agree rules made by the Lord Chief Justice, the Lord Chancellor must give the Lord Chief Justice and the rules committee written reasons for doing so.]

(2) The rule committee shall consist of the Lord Chief Justice, the President of the Family Division of the High Court F7 . . . and such number of other persons appointed by the Lord Chancellor as [F8 he may, after consulting the Lord Chief Justice, determine] .

(3) Among the members of the committee appointed by the Lord Chancellor there shall be at least

[F9 [F10 (za) one District Judge (Magistrates' Courts);]

(a) one justices’ clerk;

(b) one person who has a [F11 Senior Courts] qualification (within the meaning of section 71 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990); and

(c) one person who has been [F12 authorised by a relevant approved regulator] to conduct litigation in relation to all proceedings in the [F11 Senior Courts] .]

[F13 (3A) In this section “relevant approved regulator” is to be construed in accordance with section 20(3) of the Legal Services Act 2007.]

(4) The power to make rules conferred by this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment by resolution of either House of Parliament.

[F14 (4A) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under this section.]

(5) F15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 144(A1) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15, 148, Sch. 4 para. 102(4); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(e)

F2 Words in s. 144(1) substituted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15, 148, Sch. 4 para. 102(3)(a); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(e)

F3 Words in s. 144(1) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15, 148, Sch. 4 para. 102(3)(b); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(e)

F4 S. 144(1)(a)(b) and words inserted (1.9.2004 for specified purposes, 1.4.2005 for specified purposes, 7.10.2005 for specified purposes, 6.4.2011 in so far as not already in force) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), s. 110(1), Sch. 8 para. 245(2); S.I. 2004/2066, art. 2(c)(xi) (with art. 3); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y); S.I. 2005/2744, art. 2(3) (with art. 3); S.I. 2010/2921, art. 3(b)

F5 Words in s. 144(1) substituted (1.9.2004 for specified purposes, 1.4.2005 for specified purposes, 7.10.2005 for specified purposes, 6.4.2011 in so far as not already in force) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), s. 110(1), Sch. 8 para. 245(2); S.I. 2004/2066, art. 2(c)(xi) (with art. 3); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y); S.I. 2005/2744, art. 2(3) (with art. 3); S.I. 2010/2921, art. 3(b)

F6 S. 144(1A) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15, 148, Sch. 4 para. 102(4); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(e)

F7 Words in s. 144(2) repealed (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003, (c. 39), ss. 109(1)(3), 110, Sch. 8 para. 245(3), {Sch. 10}; S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)(aa)

F8 Words in s. 144(2) substituted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15, 148, Sch. 4 para. 102(5); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(e)

F9 S. 144(3)(a)(b)(c) substituted for words from “one justice's clerk" to the end by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 37, 82), s. 125(3), Sch. 18 para. 25(7)(a)

F10 S. 144(3)(za) inserted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003, (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, {Sch. 8 para. 245(4)}; S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F11 Words in s. 144(3)(b)(c) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 59, 148, Sch. 11 para. 4; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)

F12 Words in s. 144(3)(c) substituted (1.1.2010) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), s. 211(2), Sch. 21 para. 43(a) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/3250, art. 2(h)

F13 S. 144(3A) inserted (1.1.2010) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), s. 211(2), Sch. 21 para. 43(b) (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/3250, art. 2(h)

F14 S. 144(1A) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15, 148, Sch. 4 para. 102(6); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(e)

F15 S. 144(5) repealed (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1)(3), 110, Sch. 8 para. 245(5), Sch. 10; S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)(aa)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 144 extended by Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45, SIF 39:1), s. 48 (as amended by Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43, SIF 82), s. 154(1), Sch. 7 para. 151)

C2 S. 144 extended by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), ss. 28, 123(6), Sch. 2 para. 4(c), Sch. 8 para. 16

C3 S. 144 extended (1.7.1991) by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 82), ss. 10(2); S.I. 1991/1364, art. 2, Sch.

C4 S. 144 extended by Extradition Act 1989 (c. 33, SIF 48), ss. 1(3), 7(3), 14(2), Sch. 1 para. 9(2)

C5 S. 144 extended (14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), ss. 97(1), 108(6) (with Sch. 14 para. 1(1)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

C6 S. 144 amended (17.6.1992) by Child Support Act 1991 (c. 48, SIF 20), s. 10(5), (with s. 9(2)); S.I. 1992/1431, art. 2 Sch. 2

C7 S. 144 extended (1.10.1992) by Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), ss. 20(5)(b), 101(1), Sch. 12 para. 6 (with s. 28); S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2

C8 S. 144 extended (5.11.1993) by Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972 (c. 18), s. 18(1A) (as inserted (5.11.1993) by Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1992 (c. 56), s. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. II para. 11); S.I. 1993/618, art. 2

S. 144 modified (2.4.2001) by 1999 c. 22, s. 14, Sch. 3 para. 2(7) (with s. 107, Sch. 14 para. 7(2)); S.I. 2001/916, art. 3(a)(i) (with Sch. 2 para. 2)

C9 S. 144 extended (5.11.1993) by Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972 (c. 18), s. 38A (as inserted (5.11.1993) by Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1992 (c. 56), s. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. II Para. 18); S.I. 1993/618, art. 2

S. 144 extended (4.7.1996, with effect as mentioned in s. 1 of the amending Act and S.I. 1997/682, art. 2(1)(a)) by 1996 c. 25, s. 19(1)(a)(2) (with s. 78(1)); S.I. 1997/682, art. 2(1)(a)

S. 144 extended (4.7.1996, with effect as mentioned in s. 1 of the amending Act and S.I. 1997/682, art. 2(1)(a)) by 1996 c. 25, s. 19(3) (with s. 78(1)); S.I. 1997/682, art. 2(1)(a)

S. 144(1) extended (4.7.1996, with effect as mentioned in s. 1 of the amending Act and S.I. 1997/682, art. 2(1)(a)) by 1996 c. 25, s. 20(3) (with s. 78(1)); S.I. 1997/682, art. 2(1)(a)

S. 144(1) extended (19.6.1997) by 1997 c. 25, ss. 44(3), 74(1) (with Sch. 4 para. 27)

S. 144 extended (19.6.1997) by 1997 c. 25, ss. 45(1)(2), 74(1) (with Sch. 4 para. 27)

S. 144 extended (1.8.1998 with effect for specified purposes as mentioned in S.I. 1998/1883 and 30.9.1998 to the extent that it is not already in force as mentioned in S.I. 1998/2337) by 1998 c. 37, s. 49(2); S.I. 1998/1883, art. 2(b) and S.I. 1998/2327, art. 3(2), Sch. 2

S. 144 extended (30.9.1998 for purposes specified in S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2(1)(m) and 4.1.1999 for purposes specified in S.I. 1998/2327, art. 4(2)(b), Sch. 2) by 1998 c. 37, s. 52(6), Sch. 3 para. 4(5)(12); S.I. 1998/2327, arts. 2(1)(m), 4(2)(b), Sch. 2

S. 144 extended (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 132(2), 168(1)

S. 144 power to make rules extended (7.11.2002) by 2002 c. 38, s. 141(2) (with Sch. 4 paras. 6-8)

C10 S. 144(1) power to make rules extended (with modifications) (with effect as indicated in reg. 1(1) of S.I. 2002/419) by 1989 c. 33, s. 34A, Sch. 1A (as inserted by S.I. 2002/419, reg. 2, Sch. 9 paras. 3, 5 (with reg. 2(2))