Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

[F1 85 Power to remit fine. E+W

(1) Where a fine has been imposed on conviction of an offender by a magistrates’ court, the court may at any time remit the whole or any part of the fine, but only if it thinks it just to do so having regard to a change of circumstances which has occurred—

(a) where the court is considering whether to issue a warrant of commitment after the issue of such a warrant in respect of the fine has been postponed under subsection (2) of [F2 section 77] above, since the relevant time as defined in subsection (4) of that section; and

(b) in any other case, since the date of the conviction.

(2) Where the court remits the whole or part of the fine after a term of imprisonment has been fixed, it shall also reduce the term by an amount which bears the same proportion to the whole term as the amount remitted bears to the whole or, as the case may be, shall remit the whole term.

[F3 (2A) Where the court remits the whole or part of the fine after an order has been made under section 35(2)(a) or (b) of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997, it shall also reduce the total number of hours or days to which the order relates by a number which bears the same proportion as the amount remitted bears to the whole sum or, as the case may be, shall revoke the order.

(3) In calculating any reduction required by subsection (2) or (2A) above any fraction of a day or hour shall be left out of account.]

(4) Notwithstanding the definition of “fine” in section 150(1) below, references in this section to a fine do not include any other sum adjudged to be paid on conviction, whether as a pecuniary penalty, forfeiture, compensation or otherwise.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 85 substituted by Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33, SIF 39:1), ss. 61(5), 123(6), Sch. 8 para. 16

F2 Words in s. 85(1)(a) expressed to be substituted (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 106, Sch. 7 para.32; S.I. 1998/2327, art.2(1)(w)

F3 S. 85(2A)(3) substituted (1.1.1998) for s. 85(3) by 1997 c. 43, s. 55(1), Sch. 4 para. 10(2); S.I. 1997/2200, art. 3(d)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 85 modified by Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (c. 53, SIF 107:1), ss. 71(8), 92

S. 85 restricted (3.2.1995) by 1994 c. 37, ss. 9(4)(a), 69(2) (with s. 66(2))

S. 85 amended (1.1.1998) by 1997 c. 43, s. 55(2); S.I. 1997/2200, art. 2(1)(m)

C2 S. 85(1) restricted (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 140(5), 168(1)