County Courts Act 1984

8 [F1 Deputy district judges]. E+W

[F2 (1) If it appears to the [F3 Lord Chief Justice] that it is expedient to do so in order to facilitate the disposal of business in the county [F4 court or any other court or tribunal to which a person appointed under this subsection may be deployed], he may appoint a person to be a deputy district judge.

(1ZA) A person is qualified for appointment under subsection (1) only if the person—

(a) is qualified for appointment as a district judge, or

(b) holds, or has held, the office of district judge.]

F5 (1ZB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F5 (1ZC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F6 [F7 (1A) Any appointment of a person as a deputy district judge must not be such as to, or be extended so as to, extend beyond the day on which the person attains the age of 75.]

F8 [F9 (1B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(1C) A deputy district judge appointed under this section F10 ... has F11 ... the same powers as if he were a district judge [F12 other than a district judge's power to act in a district registry of the High Court].

F13 (1D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) The Lord Chancellor may pay to any person appointed under this section as [deputy district judge]such remuneration and allowances as he may, with the approval of the Treasury, determine.

[F14 (3A) A person appointed under this section may be removed from office as a deputy district judge—

(a) only by the Lord Chancellor with the agreement of the Lord Chief Justice, and

(b) only on—

(i) the ground of inability or misbehaviour, or

(ii) a ground specified in the person's terms of appointment.

(3B) Subject to subsections (1A) and (3C), the term of a person's appointment under this section (including a term already extended under this subsection) must be extended by the Lord Chancellor before its expiry.

(3C) Extension under subsection (3B)—

(a) requires the person's agreement,

(b) is to be for such term as the Lord Chancellor thinks fit, and

(c) may be refused on—

(i) the ground of inability or misbehaviour, or

(ii) a ground specified in the person's terms of appointment,

but only with any agreement of the Lord Chief Justice, or a nominee of the Lord Chief Justice, that may be required by those terms.

(3D) Subject to the preceding provisions of this section, a person appointed under this section is to hold and vacate office as a deputy district judge in accordance with the terms of the person's appointment, which are to be such as the Lord Chancellor may determine.

(3E) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a senior judge (as defined in section 109(5) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise the Lord Chief Justice's functions under subsection (1) or (3A)(a).]

[F15 (4) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under subsection F16 ... (1B).]]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF37), S. 125(3), Sch. 18 para. 42

F2 S. 8(1)-(1ZC) substituted (19.7.2007) for s. 8(1) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 56, 148(5), Sch. 11 para. 7(2) (with Sch. 11 para. 10)

F3 Words in s. 8(1) substituted (1.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 13 para. 37(2); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(e) (with savings in S.I. 2013/2192, regs. 48, 49)

F4 Words in s. 8(1) substituted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 6(2); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F5 S. 8(1ZB)(1ZC) omitted (10.3.2022 for specified purposes, 1.10.2022 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 (c. 7), s. 131(1)(4)(c), Sch. 4 para. 6(3); S.I. 2022/1014, reg. 2(d) (with reg. 3)

F6 S. 8(1A) substituted (10.3.2022) by Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 (c. 7), s. 131(1)(4)(a), Sch. 1 para. 19(2) (with Sch. 1 para. 43)

F7 S. 8(1A) inserted (31.3.1995) by 1993 c. 8, s. 26, Sch. 6 para. 17(1) (with Sch. 7 paras. 2(2), 3(2), 4); S.I. 1995/631, art.2

F8 S. 8(1B) omitted (22.4.2014) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 6(3); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F9 S. 8(1B)-(1D) inserted (19.7.2007) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 56, 148(5), Sch. 11 para. 7(4) (with Sch. 11 para. 10)

F10 Words in s. 8(1C) omitted (22.4.2014) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 6(4)(a); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F11 Words in s. 8(1C) omitted (22.4.2014) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 6(4)(b); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F12 Words in s. 8(1C) substituted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 6(4)(c); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F13 S. 8(1D) omitted (22.4.2014) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 6(3); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)

F14 S. 8(3A)-(3E) inserted (1.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 13 para. 37(5); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(e) (with savings in S.I. 2013/2192, regs. 48, 49)

F15 S. 8(4) inserted (19.7.2007) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), ss. 56, 148(5), Sch. 11 para. 7(5) (with Sch. 11 para. 10)

F16 Words in s. 8(4) omitted (1.10.2013) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 13 para. 37(6); S.I. 2013/2200, art. 3(e) (with savings in S.I. 2013/2192, regs. 48, 49)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Ss. 6-9 , 11, 12, amended by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 37), s. 125(3), Sch. 18 para. 42 which provides that: "(a) for the word "registrar" in each place where it occurs, except where it is in the context of assistant registrar or deputy registrar, there shall be substituted " district judge"; (b) for the words "assistant district judge"; and (c) for the words "deputy county court registrar" and "deputy registrar" in each place where they occur there shall be substituted "deputy district judge".

C2 S. 8 restricted (31.3.1995) by 1993 c. 8, s. 26(7)(g) (with Sch. 7 paras. 2(2), 3(2), 4); S.I. 1995/631, art.2