Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

120 Forfeiture of recognizance. E+W

F1 [(1) This section applies where—

(a) a recognizance to keep the peace or to be of good behaviour has been entered into before a magistrates’ court; or

(b) any recognizance is conditioned for the appearance of a person before a magistrates’ court, or for his doing any other thing connected with a proceeding before a magistrates’ court.

(1A) If, in the case of a recognizance which is conditioned for the appearance of an accused before a magistrates’ court, the accused fails to appear in accordance with the condition, the court shall—

(a) declare the recognizance to be forfeited;

(b) issue a summons directed to each person bound by the recognizance as surety, requiring him to appear before the court on a date specified in the summons to show cause why he should not be adjudged to pay the sum in which he is bound;

and on that date the court may proceed in the absence of any surety if it is satisfied that he has been served with the summons.

(2) If, in any other case falling within subsection (1) above, the recognizance appears to the magistrates’ court to be forfeited, the court may—

(a) declare the recognizance to be forfeited; and

(b) adjudge each person bound by it, whether as principal or surety, to pay the sum in which he is bound;

but in a case falling within subsection (1)(a) above, the court shall not declare the recognizance to be forfeited except by order made on complaint.]

(3) The court which declares the recognizance to be forfeited may, instead of adjudging any person to pay the whole sum in which he is bound, adjudge him to pay part only of the sum or remit the sum.

(4) Payment of any sum adjudged to be paid under this section, including any costs awarded against the defendant, may be enforced, and any such sum shall be applied, as if it were a fine and as if the adjudication were a summary conviction of an offence not punishable with imprisonment and so much of section 85(1) above as empowers a court to remit fines shall not apply to the sum but so much thereof as relates to remission after a term of imprisonment has been imposed shall so apply; but at any time before the issue of a warrant of commitment to enforce payment of the sum, or before the sale of goods under a [F2 warrant of control] to satisfy the sum, the court may remit the whole or any part of the sum either absolutely or on such conditions as the court thinks just.

(5) A recognizance such as is mentioned in this section shall not be enforced otherwise than in accordance with this section, and accordingly shall not be transmitted to the Crown Court nor shall its forfeiture be certified to that Court.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 120(1)(1A)(2) substituted (30.9.1998) for s. 120(1)(2) by 1998 c. 37, s.55; S.I. 1998/2327, art.2

F2 Words in s. 120(4) substituted (6.4.2014) by Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (c. 15), s. 148, Sch. 13 para. 56 (with s. 89); S.I. 2014/768, art. 2(1)(b)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 120 extended (1.10.1992) by Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), ss. 58(3), 101(1), Sch. 12 para. 14; S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2

S. 120 applied (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 150(5), 168(1)

S. 120 restricted (25.8.2000) by 2000 c. 6, ss. 140(5), 168(1)

C2 S. 120 applied (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), ss. 376(10), 416(1) (with ss. 2, 398(1), 406, Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2