The Magistrates’ Courts (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Rules)

These Rules amend the Magistrates’ Courts Rules 1981 (the 1981 Rules) to include:

(a) a material new definition;

(b) a new rule about live link directions;

(c) a new rule about custody of documents submitted to the court; and

(d) new rules about supplying information and documents from court records.

In addition, these Rules:

(a) amend the 1981 Rules to omit superseded references to justices’ clerks and to omit rules superseded by Criminal Procedure Rules; and

(b) consequent on amendments to the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (c. 24) and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (c. 29) made by Schedule 12 to the Financial Services Act 2021 (c. 22), amend (i) the Magistrates’ Courts (Freezing and Forfeiture of Terrorist Money in Bank and Building Society Accounts) Rules 2017, (ii) the Magistrates’ Courts (Freezing and Forfeiture of Money in Bank and Building Society Accounts) Rules 2017 and (iii) the Magistrates’ Courts (Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005, Part 5B) Rules 2019 to substitute for superseded references to banks and building societies references instead to relevant financial institutions.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

These Rules come into force on 28th June 2021.