Senior Courts Act 1981

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Point in time view as at 01/01/2014. This version of this provision has been superseded.

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Senior Courts Act 1981, Section 102 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 16 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

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102 Deputy district registrars.E+W

[F1(1)If it appears to the [F2Lord Chief Justice] that it is expedient to do so in order to facilitate the disposal of business in the High Court [F3or any other court or tribunal to which a person appointed under this subsection may be deployed], he may appoint a person to be a deputy district judge.

(1A)A person is qualified for appointment under subsection (1) only if the person—

(a)is qualified for appointment as a district judge, or

(b)holds, or has held, the office of district judge.

(1B)The [F4Lord Chief Justice may not appoint a person under subsection (1) without the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor] if the person—

(a)holds the office of district judge, or

(b)ceased to hold the office of district judge within two years ending with the date when the appointment takes effect.

(1C)Section 85 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4) (selection of certain office holders) does not apply to an appointment to which subsection (1B) applies.]

(3)[F5No appointment to which subsection (1B) applies] shall be such as to extend beyond the day on which the person in question attains the age of seventy-five years.

[F6(4A)The Lord Chief Justice, after consulting the Lord Chancellor—

(a)may assign a deputy district judge appointed under this section to one or more district registries;

(b)may change an assignment so as to assign the deputy district judge to a different district registry or registries (or to no district registry).

(4B)A deputy district judge appointed under this section and assigned to a district registry has, while acting under his assignment, the same jurisdiction as a district judge assigned to that registry.

(4C)Every deputy district judge appointed under this section is, by virtue of his office, capable of acting as a district judge in any district registry to which he is not assigned, but may act in a district registry to which he is not assigned only in accordance with arrangements made by or on behalf of the Lord Chief Justice.]

[F7(5)Subsection (6) of section 91 applies in relation to a deputy district judge appointed under this section as it applies in relation to a person appointed under that section.]

[F8(5ZA)A person appointed under this section may be removed from office as a deputy district judge—

(a)only by the Lord Chancellor with the agreement of the Lord Chief Justice, and

(b)only on—

(i)the ground of inability or misbehaviour, or

(ii)a ground specified in the person's terms of appointment.

(5ZB)Subject to subsection (5ZC), the term of a person's appointment under this section (including a term already extended under this subsection) must be extended by the Lord Chancellor before its expiry.

(5ZC)Extension under subsection (5ZB)—

(a)requires the person's agreement,

(b)is to be for such term as the Lord Chancellor thinks fit, and

(c)may be refused on—

(i)the ground of inability or misbehaviour, or

(ii)a ground specified in the person's terms of appointment,

but only with any agreement of the Lord Chief Justice, or a nominee of the Lord Chief Justice, that may be required by those terms.

(5ZD)Subject to the preceding provisions of this section (but subject in the first place to the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993), a person appointed under this section is to hold and vacate office as a deputy district judge in accordance with the terms of the person's appointment, which are to be such as the Lord Chancellor may determine.

(5ZE)The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a senior judge (as defined in section 109(5) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise the Lord Chief Justice's functions under subsection (1) or (5ZA)(a).]

[F9(5A)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 subsection F10... (4A).]

F11(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1S. 102(1)-(1C) substituted (19.7.2007) for s. 102(1)(2) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 56, 148, Sch. 11 para. 3(2)

F2Words in s. 102(1) substituted (1.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 13 para. 36(2)(a); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(e) (with savings in S.I. 2013/2192, regs. 48, 49)

F3Words in s. 102(1) inserted (1.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 13 para. 36(2)(b); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(e) (with savings in S.I. 2013/2192, regs. 48, 49)

F4Words in s. 102(1B) substituted (1.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 13 para. 36(3); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(e) (with savings in S.I. 2013/2192, regs. 48, 49)

F5Words in s. 102(3) substituted (19.7.2007) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 56, 148, Sch. 11 para. 3(3)

F6S. 102(4A)-(4C) substituted (19.7.2007) for s. 102(4) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 56, 148, Sch. 11 para. 3(4) (with Sch. 11 para. 4)

F7S. 102(5) substituted (31.3.1995) by 1993 c. 8, s. 31, Sch. 8 para. 15(3); S.I. 1995/631, art.2.

F8S. 102(5ZA)-(5ZE) inserted (1.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 13 para. 36(4); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(e) (with savings in S.I. 2013/2192, regs. 48, 49)

F9S. 102(5A) inserted (19.7.2007) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 56, 148, Sch. 11 para. 3(5)

F10Words in s. 102(5A) omitted (1.10.2013) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 13 para. 36(5); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(e) (with savings in S.I. 2013/2192, regs. 48, 49)