Section 12(1) abolishes the common law offence of scandalising the judiciary (also referred to as scandalising the court or scandalising judges) as a form of contempt of court in Northern Ireland. Subsection (2) clarifies that conduct which is a contempt of court (such as abuse of a judge in the face of the court or that otherwise interferes with particular proceedings) and which would also have been scandalising the judiciary, remains contempt of court.