Part 3The Supreme Court

Composition for proceedings

43Changes in composition

1

This section applies if in any proceedings the Court ceases to be duly constituted in accordance with section 42, or in accordance with a direction under this section, because one or more members of the Court are unable to continue.

2

The presiding judge may direct that the Court is still duly constituted in the proceedings.

3

The presiding judge may give a direction under this section only if—

a

the parties agree;

b

the Court still consists of at least three judges (whether the number of judges is even or uneven);

c

at least half of those judges are permanent judges.

4

Subsections (2) and (3) are subject to directions given by the President of the Court.

5

If in any proceedings the Court is duly constituted under this section with an even number of judges, and those judges are evenly divided, the case is to be re-argued in a Court which is constituted in accordance with section 42.

6

In this section—

a

presiding judge” means the judge who is to preside, or is presiding, over proceedings;

b

references to permanent judges have the same meaning as in section 42.