Northern Ireland Statutory Rule
1984
United Kingdom
Magistrates’ Courts Rules (Northern Ireland) 1984
At a glance
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Browse 261 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
Plea of guilty by post
Manner of service of notice
Times of hearing of appeals or applications
Order of Proceedings at the hearing of a complaint in a civil matter
Entries in Order Book
Method of making periodical payments
Notice to defendant of sum adjudged to be payable by a conviction
[ Supervised activity orders
Collection order
Committal to Crown Court
Summons to debtor to attend on a collection officer
Summons to debtor to attend a default hearing
Arrest where debtor fails to attend default hearing
Notification of court order at default hearing
Interpretation
Appeals
Orders for supervision
Financial penalty enforcement orders
Transfer of Fine Order sent to England and Wales or Scotland
Transfer of fine order sent from England and Wales or Scotland
Enforcement of financial penalties under section 88 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008
Service of summons
Interpretation of Rules 111 to 121
Attachment of earnings order
Service of orders and notices
Particulars of defendant
Notice of application for appropriate variation order
Variation of attachment of earnings order on change of employment
Variation or discharge of attachment of earnings order by court of its own motion
Temporary variation of protected earnings rate
Consolidated attachment orders
Disposal of sums paid under consolidated attachment orders
Service of a summons in England and Wales or Scotland
Method of making payment under attachment of earnings order
Enforcement of Judgments Office records
Suspended sentences to be dealt with only in petty sessions
Evidence of conviction to be sent to the Crown Court
Interpretation of Section F
Order for Absolute or Conditional Discharge
Entry in Order Book
Community Order
Committal to Crown Court
Release on Licence
[ Recommended licence conditions for sentences of 12 months or more
Licence conditions for sentences of less than 12 months
Conviction while licence remains in force
Notification of conviction before expiration of period of deferment
Enforcement process and order
Committal process and order
[ Postal Service of Summons for offences prosecuted by [(d)...] the Director of Public Prosecutions
[ Receipt of certificate or electronic report in evidence
[ Proof of service of notice of registration under the Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
Proof of service of a requirement to identify driver of vehicle under Article 15 of the Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
Proof of service of notice of registration under the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011
[ Postal Service of Summons other than for offences prosecuted by [ ... ] the Director of Public Prosecutions
Service of process issued under Rule 128 or 129
Postponement of issue of decree for possession and application for the issue of the decree
Signature on notice of application for the issue of decree for possession
Service and lodgment of notice of application
Entry of minute of order on application under Rule 131
Duration of committal orders
Duplicate orders
Order allowing time for payment or for payment by instalments in proceedings upon complaint
Application for further time to pay or for payment to be by instalments in proceedings upon complaint
Direction that money found on default shall not be applied in satisfaction of sum adjudged to be paid by a conviction or in proceedings under Article 98 of the Order
[ Declaration under Article 25A of the Order
[ Declarations under the Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
[ Declarations under the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011
Form of warrant or order
To whom payments of sums ordered to be paid in proceedings upon complaint are to be made
Payment where imprisonment imposed
Part payment of sums to clerk of petty sessions
Execution of warrants in proceedings upon complaint
Execution of distress warrant by the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Warrants of distress issued under Article 109 of the Order
Costs of warrant to be added to sum due under warrant of commitment or distress
Application for review of warrant of commitment
Supervision and Treatment Order
Affidavits and declarations
Proof by written statement in criminal proceedings (other than at a preliminary inquiry)
[ Application for special measures directions
[ Application to disapply or disapply in part the primary rule
Renewal application following a material change of circumstances
Application for special measures direction for witness to give evidence by means of a live link
Video recording of testimony from witnesses
Expert Evidence
[“Prohibition on cross-examination of particular witness
Restrictions on cross-examination of witness by the accused person
Appointment by the court
Appointment arranged by the defendant
Procedure for applications in proceedings for sexual offences
[ Application for reporting direction
Application for excepting direction
Variation or revocation
Hearings
[Procedure for the admission of evidence of bad character
Procedure for the admission of hearsay evidence
[ Admissibility of records as evidence under Article 16(5) of the Road Traffic Offenders (NI) Order 1996
[ Evidence by live link where witness is outside the United Kingdom
Application for an abridgement of time
Form of notice
[ Evidence by live link by witness (other than the defendant)
Application for rescission of a direction
Application by the accused for live link direction
Discharge of live link direction
[ Witness Summonses
Application for a witness summons
Application that summons be of no further effect
Application to make the summons issued on application ineffective
Application to make summons issued of the court’s own motion ineffective
[ Application by the accused for a direction allowing the examination of the accused through an intermediary
Discharge or variation of a direction allowing the examination of accused by an intermediary
Declaration by an intermediary acting for either a witness or an accused
Separate warrants to be issued for each sentence imposed
Taking of recognizances
Deposit of recognizance with clerk of petty sessions
Recognizances taken under Article 129 or 130 of the Order
Taking of recognizances of accused and sureties where court has certified consent to bail and accused has been remanded in custody
[ Procedure on application for bail following grant of conditional police bail
Procedure on reconsideration of a decision to grant bail
[ Compassionate bail
Notice of appeal, recognizances, etc.
Documents to be sent to the chief clerk and to the parties to the appeal
Procedure after appeal to county court is determined
Return of Recognizance where notice of abandonment of appeal to the county court has been given
Contents of and signature upon written application for case stated
Notification of decision to grant application for case stated
Notification of decision in an application for case stated in relation to proceedings under section 59 of the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003
Endorsement of warrants of commitment as to release on bail
Preparation and contents of case stated
Appellant to be told of his right to apply to the High Court for release from custody or reduction of bail pending hearing of appeal
Procedure where prosecution appeals against grant of bail by magistrates’ court
Adjournments in proceedings upon summons, etc., where date of resumption thereof to be fixed
Remands in hospital
Service of copy of order to which Article 98 of the Order applies
[Interpretation of Rules 166 to 170
Application for an investigation anonymity order
Appeal against refusal to make an investigation anonymity order
Application to discharge an investigation anonymity order
Appeal against decision to discharge an investigation anonymity order
Binding over complainant to prosecute or give evidence upon issue of warrant
Hearings
[ Application for the closure of licensed premises and premises of registered clubs
Consideration and extension of a closure order
Appeal against a decision in respect of a closure order
[ Application for access to premises under section 94(1) of the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015
Withdrawal of warrants
The Order Book
Interpretation
Certificate of conviction or order
Documents taken by or made before district judges (magistrates’ court) or lay magistrate sitting out of petty sessions
Signing of documents on behalf of clerk of petty sessions
Order of proceedings on the hearing of a complaint charging a summary offence
Procedure in relation to certain offences to which Article 29 of the Order applies
Service of statement of complaint before preliminary investigation
Proceedings at a preliminary investigation
Procedure for binding witnesses and prosecutor over to attend trial
Documents and exhibits to be sent to the court of trial
Supply of depositions and complaint to accused
Commencement
Adjourned preliminary investigation
Interpretation of Rules 32 to 42
Notice of preliminary inquiry
Service on accused of copy of notice and of documents referred to in Article 32(1) of the Order
Conduct of preliminary inquiry
Modification of Rules where accused is a corporation
Court may address accused through court official
Proof by formal admission
Written statement of evidence to be in prescribed form and exhibits to be properly identified
Revocation of existing rules
Procedure where court decides not to admit statement or part thereof as evidence
Authentication of statements, depositions or admissions
Documents and exhibits referred to, etc., at preliminary inquiry to be sent to the court of trial
Procedure for binding witnesses and prosecutor over to attend trial
Supply of depositions and complaint to the accused
Conditions to be complied with before preliminary ... inquiry
Written notice under Article 45(1) of the Order
Procedure where court decides to deal with an indictable offence summarily under Article 45 of the Order
Conviction of offence other than that charged where indictable offence dealt with summarily
Preservation of depositions where indictable offence is dealt with summarily
Taking of depositions under Article 28 or 41 of the Order
Remand for inquiry into physical or mental condition
Saving for the Magistrates’ Courts (Children and Young Persons) Rules (Northern Ireland) 1969
Remand on bail under Article 47(4) of the Order for longer than eight or, as the case may be, twenty-eight days where sureties have not entered recognizances
Accused to be told of his right to apply to High Court or Crown Court for bail
Formal admissions under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968
Applications under Article 37(6) and (7) of the Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
Notice of order under Article 27 of the Offenders Order
Application for removal of disqualification
[ Applications and procedures under the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003
Notice required to accompany process served outside the United Kingdom
Proof of service outside the United Kingdom
[ Notice of application for request for assistance
Notice of application for a domestic freezing order
Variation or revocation of a domestic freezing order
Proceedings before a nominated court
Record of proceedings before a nominated court
Consideration of an overseas freezing order
Release of evidence subject to an overseas freezing order
Interpreter for the purposes of proceedings involving a television or telephone link
Record of proceedings by television link before a nominated court
Record of proceedings by telephone link before a nominated court
Restriction on access to records kept under Rules 52I, 52K and 52L
Assistance with communication for a defendant who does not speak English or who has a hearing or speech impediment
Interpretation
Application for European investigation order
Variation or revocation of a European investigation order
Definitions
Time and issue of process
Signature on process
Times of hearing of processes
Costs of process to be stated
Modes of service of process
Persons entitled to serve processes
Wording, etc., of documents
Special mode of service
Time for service
Summons server’s Process Book
Person other than summons server to prove service
[ Receipt of certificate of service of process in evidence
Service deemed good
Process Register and extract therefrom
Entry of process
Re-entry of process where hearing adjourned
Striking out of proceeding
Withdrawal of proceeding
Form of complaint
Order on consent where defendant appears
Order on written consent
Undefended proceedings
Order where more than one defendant
Dismiss
Procedure where previous dismiss is produced
Where process not entered by plaintiff it may be entered on application of defendant
Preparation of forms in debt or ejectment proceedings
Disposal of process
Signing of formal orders in debt or ejectment proceedings
Form of summons
Transfer of proceedings to county court
Enlargement or abridgement of times
Effect of non-compliance with Rules
Claims for rent joined under Article 72(3) of the Order with claims in ejectment
Contents of process in debt proceedings
Set-off or counterclaim
Details of claim, set-off or counterclaim may be demanded
Order where debt paid before hearing
Order where payments made on account before hearing
Dismiss on proof of set-off or counterclaim
Preparation of summons
Tender
Issue of decree after postponement subject to payment by instalments
Costs in debt proceedings
Interest on amount awarded
Postponement of issue of decree to be stay of enforcement for purposes of Article 116(3) of the Judgments Enforcement (Northern Ireland) Order 1981
Contents of process in ejectment proceedings
Costs in ejectment proceedings
Signature on notice
[ Appeal against recognition of foreign driving disqualification in UK
Time of service of notice
Copy of decision or determination appealed from to be lodged
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