Local justice area

Local justice areas are units in England and Wales established by the Courts Act 2003,[1] replacing[1] and directly based on[citation needed] the previous petty sessional divisions. They have been in existence since 2005.[2]

Whilst previously, local justice areas were used to determine which magistrates' courts may hear a particular case, since 1 April 2015, any magistrates' court in England and Wales may hear any case from anywhere in England and Wales. [3][4]

The areas established were identical to the petty sessional divisions. They have since been amended by the merger of South Pembrokeshire and North Pembrokeshire to a single Pembrokeshire local justice area,[5] and the merger of De Maldwyn and Welshpool to a single Montgomeryshire local justice area[5] – this change came into force in 2006, although the magistrates already shared the same courtroom.

A further amendment occurred in 2006 when the areas of Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Drayton were combined to become a new area named Shrewsbury and North Shropshire.[6] The areas of Telford and Bridgnorth and South Shropshire were also combined to become a new area named Telford and South Shropshire.[6]

A major rearrangement culminated in April 2017, when many local justice areas were amalgamated to leave 75 across England and Wales. [7][8][9][10][11]

Each local justice area was part of a larger courts board area, which replaced the magistrates' courts committee areas with the inauguration of Her Majesty's Courts Service in 2005.[12] Courts boards were abolished in 2012. [13]

Local Justice Areas will be abolished once Section 45 of the Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 is brought into force. [14]

  1. ^ a b "Courts Act 2003: Section 8", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 2003 c. 39 (s. 8)
  2. ^ "Local Justice Areas Order 2005", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2005/554
  3. ^ "Memorandum by the Magistrates' Association, Judicial Policy & Practice Committee". UK Parliament Publications and Records. House of Commons. 17 March 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2023. Our suggested solution, based upon the fact that from 1 April 2005 magistrates have the capability to hear cases anywhere within the jurisdiction of their National Commission, and not just within their local area...
  4. ^ "Courts Act 2003 Explanatory Notes". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 20 November 2003. 95. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b "The Local Justice Areas (No.2) Order 2005", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2005/2949
  6. ^ a b "The Local Justice Areas (No.1) Order 2006", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2006/1839
  7. ^ "Local Justice Areas 2021" (PDF). What Do They Know. HMCTS. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  8. ^ "The Local Justice Areas Order 2016", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 15 September 2016, SI 2016/941, retrieved 15 February 2023
  9. ^ "The Local Justice Areas (No. 2) Order 2015", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 15 September 2015, SI 2015/1870, retrieved 3 March 2023
  10. ^ "The Local Justice Areas Order 2015", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 9 July 2015, SI 2015/1506, retrieved 3 March 2023
  11. ^ "The Local Justice Areas (No. 3) Order 2014", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 25 October 2014, SI 2014/2867, retrieved 3 March 2023
  12. ^ "The Courts Boards Areas (Amendment) Order 2004", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2004/1303
  13. ^ The Public Bodies (Abolition of Courts Boards) Order 2012, UK Statutory Instruments 2012, 2012, Wikidata Q99682324
  14. ^ "Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022: Section 45", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 2022 c. 35 (s. 45)