Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

[F1 59A Orders for periodical payment: proceedings by [F2 designated officer]. E+W

(1) Where payments under [F3 an order made by a magistrates' court] are required to be made periodically—

(a) to or through [F4 the designated officer for a magistrates' court], or

(b) by any method of payment falling within section 59(6) above,

and any sums payable under the order are in arrear, [F5 the relevant designated officer] shall, if the person for whose benefit the payments are required to be made so requests in writing, and unless it appears [F6 to that designated officer] that it is unreasonable in the circumstances to do so, proceed in his own name for the recovery of those sums.

(2) Where payments under [F3 an order made by a magistrates' court] are required to be made periodically to or through [F7 the designated officer for a magistrates' court], the person for whose benefit the payments are required to be made may, at any time during the period in which the payments are required to be so made, give authority in writing to [F8 the relevant designated officer for him] to proceed as mentioned in subsection (3) below.

(3) Where authority under subsection (2) above is given to [F9 the relevant designated officer, he] shall, unless it appears to him that it is unreasonable in the circumstances to do so, proceed in his own name for the recovery of any sums payable to or through him under the order in question which, on or after the date of the giving of the authority, fall into arrear.

(4) In any case where—

(a) authority under subsection (2) above has been given to [F10 the relevant designated officer], and

(b) the person for whose benefit the payments are required to be made gives notice in writing to the [F11 relevant designated officer cancelling] the authority,

the authority shall cease to have effect and, accordingly, the [F12 relevant designated officer shall] not continue any proceedings already commenced by virtue of the authority.

(5) The person for whose benefit the payments are required to be made shall have the same liability for all the costs properly incurred in or about proceedings taken under subsection (1) above at his request or under subsection (3) above by virtue of his authority (including any costs incurred as a result of any proceedings commenced not being continued) as if the proceedings had been taken by him.

(6) Nothing in subsection (1) or (3) above shall affect any right of a person to proceed in his own name for the recovery of sums payable on his behalf under an order of any court.

(7) In this section—

• [F13 “the relevant designated officer”, in relation to an order, means—

  (a)

  in a case where payments under the order are required to be made to or through the designated officer for a magistrates' court, the designated officer for that magistrates' court; [F14 and]

  (b)

  in a case where such payments are required to be made by any method of payment falling within section 59(6) and the order was made by a magistrates' court, the designated officer for that magistrates' court; F15 ...

  (c)

  F15 ...]

• F16 ...

F17 ...]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 59A inserted (1.4.1992) by Maintenance Enforcement Act 1991 (c. 17, SIF 49:3), s. 2; S.I. 1992/455, art. 2

F2 Words in s. 59A heading substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(7); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F3 Words in s. 59A(1)(2) substituted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 10 para. 42(2); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(d) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F4 Words in s. 59A(1)(a) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(2)(a); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F5 Words in s. 59A(1) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(2)(b); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F6 Words in s. 59A(1) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(2)(c); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F7 Words in s. 59A(2) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(3)(a); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F8 Words in s. 59A(2) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(3)(b); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F9 Words in s. 59A(3) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(4); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F10 Words in s. 59A(4)(a) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(5)(a); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F11 Words in s. 59A(4)(b) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(5)(b); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F12 Words in s. 59A(4)(b) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(5)(c); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F13 S. 59A(7): definition of "the relevant designated officer" substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 209(6); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F14 Word in s. 59A(7) inserted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 10 para. 42(3)(a)(i); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(d) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F15 Words in s. 59A(7) omitted (22.4.2014) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 10 para. 42(3)(a)(ii); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(d) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F16 Words in s. 59A(7) omitted (22.4.2014) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 10 para. 42(3)(b); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(d) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F17 Words in s. 59A(7) omitted (22.4.2014) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 10 para. 42(3)(c); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(d) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)