Courts Act 2003

102 Power to alter judicial titles: Northern Ireland

(1) The Lord Chancellor may by order—

(a) alter the name of any of the offices of the Supreme Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland or of the county courts in Northern Ireland which are listed in subsection (2);

(b) provide for or alter the way in which the holders of any of those offices are to be styled.

(2) The offices are—

• County court judge

• Deputy judge of the county court

• District Judge

• Judge of the Court of Appeal

• Lord Chief Justice

• Master (Bankruptcy)

• Master (Care and Protection)

• Master (Chancery)

• Master (Enforcement of Judgments)

• Master (High Court)

• Master (Probate and Matrimonial)

• Master (Queen’s Bench and Appeals)

• Master (Taxing Office)

• Presiding judge for the county courts

• Puisne judge of the High Court.

(3) The Lord Chancellor may also by order provide for or alter the way in which deputies or temporary additional officers appointed under section 74(1) of the 1978 Act are to be styled.

(4) Before making an order under this section the Lord Chancellor must consult the Lord Chief Justice.

(5) An order under this section may make such provision as the Lord Chancellor considers necessary in consequence of any provision made under subsection (1) or (3).

(6) The provision that may be made under subsection (5) includes provision amending, repealing or revoking any enactment.

(7) The power to make an order under this section is exercisable by statutory rule for the purposes of the Statutory Rules (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 (S.I. 1979/1573 (N.I. 12)).

(8) An order under this section is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament in the same manner as a statutory instrument; and section 5 of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946 (c. 36) applies accordingly.

(9) “The 1978 Act” means the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 (c. 23).