PART VN.I.SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS RESPECTING JURISDICTION OF COUNTY COURTS

(iii) N.I.PROVISIONS SUPPLEMENTAL TO BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JURISDICTION

Practice and ProcedureN.I.

Making of county court rulesN.I.

47.—(1) For the purposes of or in relation to any jurisdiction exercisable by county courts, any such rules as are referred to in section 21(1) and (2) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 [1954 c.33] or Article 48 may—

(a)be made by the Rules Committee in accordance with Article 46 and the following provisions of this Article; and

(b)be known as “county court rules”.

[F1(1A) For the purposes of this Article, “relevant authority” means—

(a)in relation to county court rules which deal (or would deal) with an excepted matter, the Lord Chancellor; and

(b)otherwise, the Department of Justice;

and for the purposes of this paragraph “deal with” and “excepted matter” have the same meanings as in the Northern Ireland Act 1998.]

[F2(2) County court rules must be certified under the hand of the members of the Rule Committee, or any three or more of them.

(3) After making and certifying county court rules the Rules Committee must submit them to the [F3relevant authority].

(4) The [F3relevant authority] must, after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice, allow or disallow county court rules submitted to [F4it].

(5) County court rules have effect only if the [F3relevant authority] allows them.

(6) If the [F3relevant authority] disallows county court rules, the [F3relevant authority] must give the Rules Committee written reasons why [F5it] has disallowed them.

(7) County court rules allowed by the [F3relevant authority] shall come into operation on such day as the [F3relevant authority] shall direct.

(8) Paragraph (9) applies if the [F3relevant authority] gives the Rules Committee written notice that [F6it] thinks it is expedient for county court rules to include provision that would achieve a purpose specified in the notice.

(9) The Rules Committee must make such county court rules as it considers necessary to achieve the specified purpose.

(10) Those rules must be—

(a)made within a reasonable period after the [F3relevant authority] gives notice under paragraph (8);

(b)made in accordance with this Article.]