Section 17: Secretaries to Lord Chief Justice
36.This section removes the offices of Principal Secretary and Legal Secretary from Schedule 3 to the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 (i.e. the list of statutory offices). As a consequence, appointment to these offices will not fall within the Commission's remit and the post-holders will not be required to take the judicial oath. It also provides for the Principal Secretary to the Lord Chief Justice and a person designated by the Lord Chancellor to be joint secretaries to certain court Rules Committees.