Senior Courts Act 1981

76 [F1 Committal] [F1 Sending] for trial: alteration of place of trial. E+W

(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act about the distribution of Crown Court business, the Crown Court may give directions, or further directions, altering the place of any trial on indictment, whether by [F2 varying the decision of a magistrates’ court under section 7 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 or [F3 by substituting some other place for the place specified in a notice under [F4 a relevant transfer provision] (notices of transfer from magistrates’ court to Crown Court)] [F2 substituting some other place for the place specified in a notice under section 51D(1) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (a “section 51D notice”) ] or by varying] a previous decision of the Crown Court.

(2) Directions under subsection (1) may be given on behalf of the Crown Court by an officer of the court.

[F5 (2A) Where a preparatory hearing has been ordered under section 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987, directions altering the place of trial may be given under subsection (1) at any time before [F6 the time when the jury are sworn].]

[F7 (2B) The reference in subsection (2A) to the time when the jury are sworn includes the time when the jury would be sworn but for the making of an order under Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.]

(3) The defendant or the prosecutor, if dissatisfied with the place of trial as [F8 fixed by the magistrates' court, as specified in a notice under a relevant transfer provision] [F8 specified in a section 51D notice] or as fixed by the Crown Court, may apply to the Crown Court for a direction, or further direction, varying the place of trial; and the court shall take the matter into consideration and may comply with or refuse the application, or give a direction not in compliance with the application, as the court thinks fit.

(4) F9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F10 (5) [F11 In this section “relevant transfer provision” means—

(a) section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987, or

(b) section 53 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.]]

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 76 heading substituted (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. 54(2)(d); 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)

F2 Words in s. 76(1) substituted (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. 54(2)(a); 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)

F3 Words inserted by Criminal Justice Act 1987 (c. 38, SIF 39:1), s. 15, Sch. 2 para. 10(a)

F4 Words in s. 76(1) substituted (3.2.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 168(1), Sch. 9 para. 17(a) (by words at the end of para. 17 it is provided that amendments made by this paragraph shall cease to have effect on the coming into force of the amendments made by paragraph 51 of Schedule 4 to this Act); S.I. 1995/127, art. 2(1), Sch. 1, Appendix A

F5 S. 76(2A) inserted by Criminal Justice Act 1987 (c. 38, SIF 39:1), s. 15, Sch. 2 para. 10(b)

F6 Words in s. 76(2A) substituted (24.7.2006) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 331, 336, Sch. 36 para. 47(2); S.I. 2006/1835, art. 2(h) (subject to art. 3)

F7 S. 76(2B) inserted (24.7.2006) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 331, 336, Sch. 36 para. 47(3); S.I. 2006/1835, art. 2(h) (subject to art. 3)

F8 Words in s. 76(3) substituted (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. 54(2)(b); 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)

F9 S. 76(4) repealed (1.5.2004) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 86, 109(3), 110, Sch. 10; S.I. 2004/1104, art. 3(a)(h)(ii)(i)

F10 S. 76(5) inserted (3.2.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 168(1), Sch. 9 para. 17(c) (by words at the end of para. 17 it is provided that amendments made by this paragraph shall cease to have effect on the coming into force of the amendments made by paragraph 52 of Schedule 4 to this Act); S.I. 1995/127, art. 2(1), Sch. 1, Appendix A

F11 S. 76(5) 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. 54(2)(c), Sch. 37 Pt. 4; S.I. 2012/1320, art. 4(1)(c)(d)(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)(d), 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)