Courts and Legal Services Act 1990

119 Interpretation. E+W

(1) In this Act—

• “administration”, in relation to letters of administration, has the same meaning as in section 128 of the M1 Supreme Court Act 1981;

• “advocacy services” means any services which it would be reasonable to expect a person who is exercising, or contemplating exercising, a right of audience in relation to any proceedings, or contemplated proceedings, to provide;

• “authorised advocate” means any person (including a barrister or solicitor) who has a right of audience granted by an authorised body in accordance with the provisions of this Act;

• “authorised body” and “appropriate authorised body”—

  (a)

  in relation to any right of audience or proposed right of audience, have the meanings given in section 27; and

  (b)

  in relation to any right to conduct litigation or proposed right to conduct litigation, have the meanings given in section 28;

• “authorised litigator” means any person (including a solicitor) who has a right to conduct litigation granted by an authorised body in accordance with the provisions of this Act;

• “authorised practitioner” has the same meaning as in section 37;

• [F1 “Consultative Panel” means the Legal Services Consultative Panel;]

• “conveyancing services” means the preparation of transfers, conveyances, contracts and other documents in connection with, and other services ancillary to, the disposition or acquisition of estates or interests in land;

• “court” includes—

  (a)

  any tribunal which the Council on Tribunals is under a duty to keep under review;

  (b)

  any court-martial; and

  (c)

  a statutory inquiry within the meaning of [F2 section 16(1) of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992];

• “designated judge” means the Lord Chief Justice, the Master of the Rolls, the President of the Family Division or the Vice-Chancellor;

• F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• “duly certificated notary public” has the same meaning as it has in the M2 Solicitors Act 1974 by virtue of section 87(1) of that Act;

• “the general principle” has the meaning given in section 17(4);

• “licensed conveyancer” has the same meaning as it has in the M3 Administration of Justice Act 1985 by virtue of section 11 of that Act;

• “litigation services” means any services which it would be reasonable to expect a person who is exercising, or contemplating exercising, a right to conduct litigation in relation to any proceedings, or contemplated proceedings, to provide;

• “member”, in relation to any professional or other body (other than any body established by this Act), includes any person who is not a member of that body but who may be subject to disciplinary sanctions for failure to comply with any of that body’s rules;

• “multi-national partnership” has the meaning given by section 89(9);

• [F4 “officer”, in relation to a limited liability partnership, means a member of the limited liability partnership;]

• [F5 “the OFT” means the Office of Fair Trading;]

• “probate services” means the drawing or preparation of any papers on which to found or oppose a grant of probate or a grant of letters of administration and the administration of the estate of a deceased person;

• “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations under this Act;

• “proceedings” means proceedings in any court;

• “qualification regulations” and “rules of conduct”—

  (a)

  in relation to any right of audience or proposed right of audience, have the meanings given in section 27; and

  (b)

  in relation to any right to conduct litigation or proposed right to conduct litigation, have the meanings given in section 28;

• “qualified person” has the meaning given in section 36(6);

• “registered foreign lawyer” has the meaning given by section 89(9);

• “right of audience” means the right to [F6 appear before and address a court including the right to call and examine] witnesses;

• “right to conduct litigation” means the right—

  (a)

  to [F7 issue] proceedings before any court; and

  (b)

  to perform any ancillary functions in relation to proceedings (such as entering appearances to actions);

• “solicitor” means solicitor of the Supreme Court; and

• “the statutory objective” has the meaning given in section 17(2).

(2) For the purposes of the definition of “conveyancing services” in subsection (1)—

• “disposition”—

  (i)

  does not include a testamentary disposition or any disposition in the case of such a lease as is referred to in section 54(2) of the M4 Law of Property Act 1925 (short leases); but

  (ii)

  subject to that, includes in the case of leases both their grant and their assignment; and

• “acquisition” has a corresponding meaning.

(3) In this Act any reference (including those in sections 27(9) and 28(5)) to rules of conduct includes a reference to rules of practice.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 119(1): definition of “Consultative Panel" inserted (1.1.2000) by 1999 c.22, s. 35(3) (with Sch. 14 para. 7(2)); S.I. 1999/3344, art. 2(a)

F2 Words in para. (c) in the definition of "court" in s. 119(1) substituted (1.10.1992) by Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 (c. 53, SIF 127), ss. 18(1), 19(2), Sch. 3 para. 35

F3 S. 119(1): definition of "the Director" repealed (1.4.2003) by 2002 c. 40, ss. 278, 279, Sch. 25 para. 23(9)(a), Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)

F4 S. 119(1): definition of "officer" inserted (6.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1090, reg. 9(1), Sch. 5 para. 17

F5 S. 119(1): definition of "the OFT" inserted (1.4.2003) by 2002 c. 40, ss. 278, 279, Sch. 25 para. 23(9)(b); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)

F6 S. 119(1): words in definition of “right of audience" substituted (27.9.1999) by 1999 c. 22, s. 43, Sch. 6 para. 10(1)(2) (with Sch. 14 para. 7(2)); S.I. 1999/2657, art. 2(a)

F7 S. 119(1): word in para. (a) in definition of “right to conduct litigation" substituted (27.9.1999) by 1999 c.22, s. 43, Sch. 6 para. 10(1)(3) (with Sch. 14 para. 7(2)); S.I. 1999/2657, art. 2(a)

Marginal Citations

M1 1981 c. 54.

M2 1974 c. 47.

M3 1985 c. 61.

M4 1925 c. 20.