Administration of Justice Act 1925

Assizes

1 Power to dispense with holding of assizes in places where unnecessary

(1) If at any time it appears to the Lord Chief Justice that there is no business or no substantial amount of business to be transacted at the assizes then about to be held at any place on a circuit and that having regard to all the circumstances of the case it is desirable that an order should be made under this section, he may, with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor, by order direct that assizes shall not on the occasion of that circuit be held at that place, and, where any such order is made, then, notwithstanding any enactment or custom to the contrary, assizes shall not on that occasion be held at the place specified in the order.

(2) There may be included in an order made under this section provision for any matters (including any of the matters mentioned in paragraph (3) of section two of the [39 & 40 Vict. c. 57.] Winter Assizes Act, 1876) for which it appears to the Lord Chief Justice to be necessary or proper to make provision with a view to giving full effect to the order.

2 Power to include ex-judges in commissions of assize

His Majesty may include in a commission of assize any person who has held the office of a judge of the Court of Appeal or of a judge of the High Court, but no person who has held office as aforesaid shall be required to act as commissioner of assize unless he consents so to do.