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Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980
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Changes to legislation:
Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, Section 4 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 22 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.
Changes to Legislation
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 the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 1(6A) inserted by 2003 c. 44 Sch. 36 para. 8(5)
- s. 1(6A) words substituted by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 11 para. 3(4) (Effect not applied as (6A) was only inserted prospectively.)
- s. 1(7A) inserted by 2003 c. 44 Sch. 36 para. 8(6)
- s. 12(2A) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 4(3)
- s. 12(5A)-(5F) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 4(6)
- s. 17A(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(2)(b)
- s. 17B(1A)-(1F) substituted for s. 17B(1) by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(2)(b)
- s. 17B(5) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(2)(d)
- s. 17BA inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 7
- s. 17ZA-17ZC inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 6(2)
- s. 18(1)-(1B) substituted for s. 18(1) by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(7)(a)
- s. 18(4A)(4B) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(7)(b)
- s. 18(6) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(7)(c)
- s. 20(7A)(7B) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(8)(c)
- s. 22(2A)-(2E) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(9)(a)
- s. 22A(1A)-(1E) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 6(3)(b)
- s. 23(1A)-(1G) substituted for s. 23(1) by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(4)(b)
- s. 23(4A)(4B) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(4)(d)
- s. 24A(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(11)(b)
- s. 24BA inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(5)
- s. 24ZA 24ZB inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 8
- s. 75A inserted by 2013 c. 22 s. 26(1)
- s. 85(5) inserted by 2013 c. 22 s. 26(4)
- s. 139A inserted by 2013 c. 22 s. 26(6)
- s. 145(1A) inserted by 2010 c. 26 Sch. 3 para. 8(3) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. Sch. 3 Pt. 2 repealed (4.9.2013) without ever being in force by 2013 c. 22, s. 17(4) ; S.I. 2013/2200 art. 2(a))
- s. 145(1A) repealed by 2010 c. 26 Sch. 4 Pt. 2 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. Sch. 4 Pt. 2 repealed (4.9.2013) without ever being in force by 2013 c. 22, s. 17(4) ; S.I. 2013/2200 art. 2(a))
- Sch. 6A (entry) by 2000 c. 43 Sch. 7 para. 69
4 General nature of committal proceedings.E+W
[F1(1)The functions of examining justices may be discharged by a single justice.
(2)Examining justices shall sit in open court except where any enactment contains an express provision to the contrary and except where it appears to them as respects the whole or any part of committal proceedings that the ends of justice would not be served by their sitting in open court.
F2[(3)Subject to subsection (4) below, evidence tendered before examining justices shall be tendered in the presence of the accused.]
(4)Examining justices may allow evidence to be [F3tendered] before them in the absence of the accused if—
(a)they consider that by reason of his disorderly conduct before them it is not practicable for the evidence to be [F3 tendered] in his presence, or
(b)he cannot be present for reasons of health but is represented by [F4 a legal representative] and has consented to the evidence being [F3tendered] in his absence.]
Textual Amendments
F1Ss. 4-8 repealed (18.6.2012 for specified purposes, 5.11.2012 for specified purposes, 28.5.2013 for specified purposes) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), s. 336(3)(4), Sch. 3 para. 51(3), Sch. 37 Pt. 4; S.I. 2012/1320, art. 4(1)(c)(2)(3) (with art. 5) (see S.I. 2012/2574, art. 4(2) and S.I. 2013/1103, art. 4); S.I. 2012/2574, art. 2(2)(3)(c), Sch. (with arts. 3, 4) (as amended (4.11.2012) by S.I. 2012/2761, art. 2) (with S.I. 2013/1103, art. 4); S.I. 2013/1103, art. 2(1)(c)(2)(3) (with arts. 3, 4)
F2S. 4(3) substituted (4.7.1996 with effect as mentioned in Sch. 1 Pt. III para. 39 of the substituting Act) by 1996 c. 25, s. 47, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 2(2) (with s. 78(1)); S.I. 1997/683, art. 1(2)
F3Words in s. 4(4) inserted (4.7.1996 with effect as mentioned in Sch. 1 Pt. III para. 39 of the inserting Act) by 1996 c. 25, s. 47, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 2(3) (with s. 78(1)); S.I. 1997/683, art. 1(2)
F4Words substituted by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 37, 82), s. 125(3), Sch. 18 para. 25(3)(a)
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