Explanatory Notes

Coroners and Justice Act 2009

2009 CHAPTER 25

12 November 2009

The Act

Commentary on Sections

Part 3 - Criminal evidence, investigations and procedure
Chapter 2: Anonymity of witnesses
Section 97: Interpretation of this Chapter

489.This section defines terms which are used in this Chapter of the Act. Subsection (2) ensures that where the court that makes a witness anonymity order is a magistrates’ court, it will be open to any magistrates’ court in the same local justice area (or the same petty sessions district in Northern Ireland) to discharge or vary the order, not only the court that originally made the order. There might otherwise be difficulties if, for example, a member of the court that made the order were to retire.