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The Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981
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The Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, Section 20 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 11 January 2025. 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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Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Article 20:
- Act amended by 1996 c. 25 s.79 Sch.4 para 30
- Act amended by 1996 c. 25 s.79 Sch.4 para 30
- Sch.6 Pt.I para.5 revoked by S.I. 1995/756 art.15 Sch.
- Instrument am (prosp) by S.I. 1994/2795 (N.I.) arts.3(4) 25
- Instrument am (prosp) by S.I. 1994/2795 (N.I.) art.3(5) Sch.1
- Instrument am (prosp) by S.I. 1994/2795 (N.I.) art.5(2)
- Instrument mod (prosp) by 1994 c. 33 s. 91(3)
- Order power to modify conferred by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 24(5)(a) (see s 24(6))
- Instrument revoked by 1998 c. 41 s.74(1)(3) Sch.12 para.5 Sch.14 Pt.I
- art. 29A excluded by 1975 c. 59, s. 4(3) (as substituted) by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 7(6)
- art. 29A inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 7(2)
- art. 34(1A)-(1E) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 8(2)
- art. 140(2ZA) inserted by 2016 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 10 para. 16
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act amended by 1996 c. 25 s.79 Sch.4 para 30
- Act amended by 1996 c. 25 s.79 Sch.4 para 30
- Order power to modify conferred by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 24(5)(a) (see s 24(6))
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):
- Sch.6 Pt.I para.5 revoked by S.I. 1995/756 art.15 Sch.
- art. 29A excluded by 1975 c. 59, s. 4(3) (as substituted) by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 7(6)
- art. 29A inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 7(2)
- art. 34(1A)-(1E) inserted by 2015 c. 9 (N.I.) s. 8(2)
- art. 140(2ZA) inserted by 2016 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 10 para. 16
Issue of summons to accused or warrant for his arrestN.I.
[F120.—(1) On a complaint being made to a lay magistrate that a person has, or is suspected of having, committed a summary offence, the lay magistrate may issue a summons directed to that person requiring him to appear before a magistrates' court to answer to the complaint.
(2) On a complaint being made to a lay magistrate that a person has, or is suspected of having, committed an indictable offence, the lay magistrate may either—
(a)issue a summons requiring him to appear before a magistrates' court; or
(b)issue a warrant to arrest that person and bring him before a magistrates' court
(3) Where the offence charged in the complaint is an indictable offence, a warrant under this Article may be issued by a lay magistrate at any time notwithstanding that a summons has previously been issued and whether before or after the time mentioned in such summons for the appearance of the person summoned.
(4) Where a lay magistrate is satisfied that a summons issued under paragraph (1) has not been served, the lay magistrate may, without a complaint being made to him, re-issue the summons extending the time for the appearance of the person summoned.
(5) Where a district judge (magistrates' courts) is satisfied that a person suspected of having committed a summary offence cannot for any reason be served with a summons, the district judge (magistrates' courts) may issue a warrant for the arrest of that person notwithstanding that a summons has not been first issued.
(6) A warrant may be issued in respect of any offence notwithstanding that the offence was committed outside Northern Ireland if an indictment for the offence may legally be preferred in Northern Ireland.
(7) A warrant shall not be issued under this Article unless the complaint is in writing and substantiated on oath.]
F1Art. 20 substituted (31.10.2016) by Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (c. 9), s. 106(2), Sch. 1 para. 86(8) (with Sch. 8 para. 1); S.R. 2016/387, art. 2(k) (with art. 3)
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