Abolition of preliminary investigation and mixed committals
Section 2: Abolition of mixed committals: evidence on oath not to be given at preliminary inquiry
This section abolishes mixed committals as a method for conducting committal proceedings by repealing Article 34(2) of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, which provides for witnesses to give evidence on oath at a preliminary inquiry. The combined effect of sections 1 and 2 is that, upon commencement, it is not possible to call upon witnesses to give evidence on oath at a committal hearing, to cases to which the provisions apply.
