(1)A magistrates’ court may at any time, whether before or after beginning to hear a complaint, adjourn the hearing, and may do so, notwithstanding anything in this Act, when composed of a single justice.
(2)The court may when adjourning either fix the time and place at which the hearing is to be resumed or, unless it remands the defendant under section 55 below, leave the time and place to be determined later by the court; but the hearing shall not be resumed at that time and place unless the court is satisfied that the parties have had adequate notice thereof.
[F2(3)In family proceedings a magistrates’ court may stay the whole or part of any proceedings or order either generally or until a specified date or event.
(4)Subsections (1) and (2) are subject, for the purpose of family proceedings in any magistrates’ court, to other provision made by Family Procedure Rules.]
Textual Amendments
F1S. 54 heading substituted (6.4.2011) by The Family Procedure (Modification of Enactments) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1045), arts. 1, 6(a) (with art. 39)
F2S. 54(3)(4) inserted (6.4.2011) by The Family Procedure (Modification of Enactments) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/1045), arts. 1, 6(b) (with art. 39)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 54 applied (with modifications) (1.4.1997) by S.I. 1997/704, rule 5(2)(3)(4)(c)
C2S. 54 applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2010/60, rule 62.16 (as substituted (4.4.2011) by The Criminal Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2010 (S.I. 2010/3026), rules 1, 9, Sch. 2)
C3S. 54 modified (3.10.2011) by The Criminal Procedure Rules 2011 (S.I. 2011/1709), rule 62.16(3)(b)
C4S. 54 modified (1.10.2012) by The Criminal Procedure Rules 2012 (S.I. 2012/1726), rule 62.16(2)(3)(b)