- Latest available (Revised)
- Point in Time (14/10/1991)
- Original (As enacted)
Version Superseded: 01/11/1994
Point in time view as at 14/10/1991.
There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Justices of the Peace Act 1979 (repealed 19.6.1997), Cross Heading: General provisions.
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.
(1)In any petty sessions area there shall be a chairman and one or more deputy chairmen of the justices chosen from amongst themselves by the magistrates for the area by secret ballot.
(2)Subject to subsection (3) below, if the chairman or a deputy chairman of the justices for a petty sessions area is present at a meeting of those justices, he shall preside unless he requests another justice to preside in accordance with rules made under the next following section.
(3)Subsection (2) above shall not confer on the chairman and deputy chairmen of the justices as such any right to preside in a juvenile or [F1family proceedings court] or at meetings of a committee or other body of justices having its own chairman, or at meetings when any stipendiary magistrate is engaged as such in administering justice.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in S. 17(3) substituted (14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), ss. 92(11), 108(6), Sch. 11 Pt. II para. 7(b) (with Sch. 14 para. 1(1)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 17(2) restricted by S.I. 1990/1554, rule 12
(1)The number of justices (other than metropolitan stipendiary magistrates) sitting to deal with a case as a magistrates’ court shall not be greater than the number prescribed by rules made under this section.
(2)Rules made under this section may make provision as to the manner in which section 17 of this Act and this section are to be administered, and in particular—
(a)as to the arrangements to be made for securing the presence on the bench of enough, but not more than enough, justices;
(b)as to the term of office and the procedure at an election of the chairman or a deputy chairman of the justices in a petty sessions area, and the number of deputy chairmen to be elected in any such area; and
(c)as to the justices whom a chairman or deputy chairman of justices may request to preside at a meeting.
(3)The right of magistrates to vote at an election of the chairman or a deputy chairman of the justices in a petty sessions area may, by rules made under this section, be restricted with a view to securing that the election is made by magistrates experienced as such in the area.
(4)No rules shall be made under this section except on the advice of, or after consultation with, the rule committee established under [F2section 144 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980].
(5)Rules under this section shall be made by the Lord Chancellor by statutory instrument, which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
Subordinate Legislation Made
P1S. 18: power exercised by S.I.1991/1966.
Textual Amendments
F2Words substituted by Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c.43, SIF 82), s. 154(1), Sch. 7 para. 192
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including: