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Courts Act 2003

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Changes over time for: Section 17

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Point in time view as at 24/11/2023.

Changes to legislation:

Courts Act 2003, Section 17 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 06 March 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. Help about Changes to Legislation

17Chairman and deputy chairmen: selectionE+W

This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

(1)For each local justice area there is to be—

(a)a chairman of the lay justices assigned to the area, and

(b)one or more deputy chairmen of those lay justices,

chosen by them from among their number.

(2)Rules may make provision—

(a)subject to subsection (3), as to the term of office of the chairman and deputy chairmen, and

(b)as to the number of deputy chairmen to be elected for any area.

(3)The [F1Lord Chief Justice may, with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor,] authorise a lay justice to continue to hold office as chairman or deputy chairman for the purposes of specified proceedings which are, or are expected to be, in progress on the day on which the lay justice’s office would otherwise end.

(4)Any contested election for choosing the chairman or a deputy chairman is to be held by secret ballot.

(5)Rules may make provision for the purposes of this section and may in particular make provision—

(a)about the procedure for nominating candidates for election as a chairman or a deputy chairman;

(b)about the procedure at such an election.

[F2(6)The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under this section.]

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