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Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980
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Changes to legislation:
Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, Section 142 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 19 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act applied by 2017 anaw 2 Sch. 3 para. 18(5)
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 1(6A) inserted by 2003 c. 44 Sch. 36 para. 8(5)
- s. 1(6A) words substituted by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 11 para. 3(4) (Effect not applied as (6A) was only inserted prospectively.)
- s. 1(7A) inserted by 2003 c. 44 Sch. 36 para. 8(6)
- s. 12(2A) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 4(3)
- s. 12(5A)-(5F) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 4(6)
- s. 17A(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(2)(b)
- s. 17B(1A)-(1F) substituted for s. 17B(1) by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(2)(b)
- s. 17B(5) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(2)(d)
- s. 17BA inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 7
- s. 17ZA-17ZC inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 6(2)
- s. 18(1)-(1B) substituted for s. 18(1) by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(7)(a)
- s. 18(4A)(4B) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(7)(b)
- s. 18(6) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(7)(c)
- s. 20(7A)(7B) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(8)(c)
- s. 22(2A)-(2E) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(9)(a)
- s. 22A(1A)-(1E) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 6(3)(b)
- s. 23(1A)-(1G) substituted for s. 23(1) by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(4)(b)
- s. 23(4A)(4B) inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(4)(d)
- s. 24A(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 2 para. 6(11)(b)
- s. 24BA inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 9(5)
- s. 24ZA 24ZB inserted by 2022 c. 35 s. 8
- s. 75A inserted by 2013 c. 22 s. 26(1)
- s. 85(5) inserted by 2013 c. 22 s. 26(4)
- s. 139A inserted by 2013 c. 22 s. 26(6)
- s. 145(1A) inserted by 2010 c. 26 Sch. 3 para. 8(3) (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. Sch. 3 Pt. 2 repealed (4.9.2013) without ever being in force by 2013 c. 22, s. 17(4) ; S.I. 2013/2200 art. 2(a))
- s. 145(1A) repealed by 2010 c. 26 Sch. 4 Pt. 2 (This amendment not applied to legislation.gov.uk. Sch. 4 Pt. 2 repealed (4.9.2013) without ever being in force by 2013 c. 22, s. 17(4) ; S.I. 2013/2200 art. 2(a))
- Sch. 6A (entry) by 2000 c. 43 Sch. 7 para. 69
142 Power of magistrates’ court to re-open cases to rectify mistakes etc.E+W
(1)[F1A magistrates’ court may vary or rescind a sentence or other order imposed or made by it when dealing with an offender if it appears to the court to be in the interests of justice to do so;] and it is hereby declared that this power extends to replacing a sentence or order which for any reason appears to be invalid by another which the court has power to impose or make.
[F2(1A)The power conferred on a magistrates’ court by subsection (1) above shall not be exercisable in relation to any sentence or order imposed or made by it when dealing with an offender if—
(a)the Crown Court has determined an appeal against—
(i)that sentence or order;
(ii)the conviction in respect of which that sentence or order was imposed or made; or
(iii)any other sentence or order imposed or made by the magistrates’ court when dealing with the offender in respect of that conviction (including a sentence or order replaced by that sentence or order); or
(b)the High Court has determined a case stated for the opinion of that court on any question arising in any proceeding leading to or resulting from the imposition or making of the sentence or order.]
(2)Where a person is [F3convicted by a magistrates’ court]and it subsequently appears to the court that it would be in the interests of justice that the case should be heard again by different justices, the court may, F4. . .so direct.
[F5(2A)The power conferred on a magistrates’ court by subsection (2) above shall not be exercisable in relation to a conviction if—
(a)the Crown Court has determined an appeal against—
(i)the conviction; or
(ii)any sentence or order imposed or made by the magistrates’ court when dealing with the offender in respect of the conviction; or
(b)the High Court has determined a case stated for the opinion of that court on any question arising in any proceeding leading to or resulting from the conviction.]
(3)Where a court gives a direction under subsection (2) above—
(a)the [F6conviction] and any sentence or other order imposed or made in consequence thereof shall be of no effect; and
(b)section 10(4) above shall apply as if the trial of the person in question had been adjourned.
F7(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(5)Where a sentence or order is varied under subsection (1) above, the sentence or other order, as so varied, shall take effect from the beginning of the day on which it was originally imposed or made, unless the court otherwise directs.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 142(1) substituted (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 35, s. 26(2); S.I. 1995/3061, art. 3(c)
F2S. 142(1A) inserted (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 35, s. 26(3); S.I. 1995/3061, art. 3(c)
F3Words in s. 142(2) substituted (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 35, s. 26(4)(a); S.I. 1995/3061, art. 3(c)
F4Words in s. 142(2) repealed (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 35, ss. 26(4)(b), 29(2), Sch.3; S.I. 1995/3061, art. 3(c)(d)(i)(iv)
F5S. 142(2A) inserted (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 35, s. 26(5); S.I. 1995/3061, art. 3(c)
F6Word in s. 142(3) substituted (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 35, s. 26(6); S.I. 1995/3061, art. 3(c)
F7S. 142(4) repealed (1.1.1996) by 1995 c. 35, s. 26(7), 29(2), Sch. 3; S.I. 1995/3061, art. 3(c)(d)(i)(iv)
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