Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order brings into force on 1st January 1991 a number of provisions in the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. These provisions relate to the allocation of family proceedings in county courts (section 9); the Legal Services Ombudsman (sections 21 to 26 and Schedule 3); rights of audience (section 27); rights to conduct litigation (section 28); rights of audience for barristers and solicitors (sections 31 and (2) and 32 (1) and (2)); solicitors' rights to conduct litigation (section 33(1) and (2)); rights of Scottish and Northern Ireland lawyers to practise in England and Wales (section 60); the right of barristers to contract for their services (section 61); the immunity of advocates from actions in negligence and contract (section 62); multi-disciplinary and multi-national practices (section 66); solicitors' rights of audience in certain Crown Court centres (section 67); the preparation of documents by registered patent agents and trade mark agents (section 68); offences (section 70); qualifications for judicial and other appointments (section 71 and Schedule 10); district judges (section 74); restrictions on judges and others from providing certain legal services (section 75 and Schedule 11); judicial oaths (section 76); retirement age of certain Supreme Court officers (section 77); the merger of the offices of Registrar of Criminal Appeals and Queen’s Coroner and Attorney and Master of the Crown Office (section 78); provisions relating to judicial pensions (sections 83 and 84); an amendment to the Child Care Act 1980 (section 116(1) and schedule 16, paragraph 8); functions of the Treasury (section 118); and minor and consequential amendments, transitionals and savings and repeals.