Changes to legislation: County Courts Act 1984 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 22 May 2021. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) View outstanding changes County Courts Act 1984 1984 CHAPTER 28 An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to county courts. [26th June 1984] Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:— Editorial Information X1 A Table showing the derivation of the provisions of this consolidation Act will be found at the end of the Act. The Table has no official status. Modifications etc. (not altering text) C1 Power to modify or exclude conferred by Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 (c. 42, SIF 49:3), s. 40(4) C2 Act (except ss. 9, 10, 13(1)(2), 60(1), 61, 75(7), 147) amended (1.1.1992) by S.I. 1991/2684, arts. 2(1), 4, Sch.1 C3 By Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), s. 101(1), Sch. 12 para. 23; S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 it is provided (14.10.1991) that in relation to any time before the commencement of s. 70 of that 1991 Act (which came into force on 1.10.1992 by S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2) references to youth courts in any enactment amended by that 1991 Act shall be construed as references to juvenile courts Commencement Information I1 Act wholly in force on 1. 8. 1984, see s. 150. 2 County Courts Act 1984 (c. 28) Part I – Constitution and Administration Document Generated: 2021-05-22 Changes to legislation: County Courts Act 1984 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 22 May 2021. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) View outstanding changes PART I CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION [F1The county court Textual Amendments F1 S. A1 and cross-heading inserted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), ss. 17(1), 61(3); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(a) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) A1 Establishment of a single county court (1) There is to be a court in England and Wales, called the county court, for the purpose of exercising the jurisdiction and powers conferred on it— (a) by or under this or any other Act, or (b) by or under any Act, or Measure, of the National Assembly for Wales. (2) The county court is to be a court of record and have a seal.] County courts and districts F21 County courts to be held for districts. Textual Amendments F2 S. 1 repealed (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), ss. 17(2), 61(3); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(a) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) F32 County court districts etc. Textual Amendments F3 S. 2 repealed (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), ss. 17(2), 61(3); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(a) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) Places and times of sittings of courts 3 Places and times of sittings. [F4(1) Sittings of the county court may be held, and any other business of the county court may be conducted, anywhere in England and Wales. County Courts Act 1984 (c. 28) 3 Part I – Constitution and Administration Document Generated: 2021-05-22 Changes to legislation: County Courts Act 1984 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 22 May 2021. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) View outstanding changes (1A) Sittings of the county court at any place may be continuous or intermittent or occasional. (2) Sittings of the county court may be held simultaneously to take any number of different cases in the same place or different places, and the court may adjourn cases from place to place at any time. (2A) The places at which the county court sits, and the days and times at which it sits in any place, are to be determined in accordance with directions given by the Lord Chancellor after consulting the Lord Chief Justice.] F5(3) . F6(4) . [F7(5) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under [F8this section].] Textual Amendments F4 S. 3(1)-(2A) substituted for s. 3(1) (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 2(2); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) F5 S. 3(3) omitted (27.4.1997) by 1997 c. 12, s. 10, Sch. 2 para. 2(5); S.I. 1997/841, art. 3(b), 4(e) F6 S. 3(4) omitted (22.4.2014) by virtue of Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 2(3); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) F7 S. 3(5) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(1), 148(1), Sch. 4 para. 162(3); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(r) F8 Words in s. 3(5) substituted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 2(4); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) 4 Use of public buildings for courts. (1) Where, in any place in which a [F9sitting of the county court is to be] held [F10or a sitting of the family court is held], there is a building, being a town hall, court-house or other public building belonging to any local or other public authority, that building shall, with all necessary rooms, furniture and fittings in it, be used for the purpose of holding [F11the sitting of] the court, without any charge for rent or other payment, except the reasonable and necessary charges for lighting, heating and cleaning the building when used for that purpose. (2) Where any such building is used for the purpose of holding [F12sittings of the county court,] the sittings of the court shall be so arranged as not to interfere with the business of the local or other public authority usually transacted in the building or with any purpose for which the building may be used by virtue of any local Act. (3) This section shall not apply to any place in which a building was erected before 1st January 1889 for the purpose of holding and carrying on the business of a county court. 4 County Courts Act 1984 (c. 28) Part I – Constitution and Administration Document Generated: 2021-05-22 Changes to legislation: County Courts Act 1984 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 22 May 2021. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. (See end of Document for details) View outstanding changes Textual Amendments F9 Words in s. 4(1) substituted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 3(a); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) F10 Words in s. 4(1) inserted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 10 para. 65; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(d) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) F11 Words in s. 4(1) inserted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 3(b); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) F12 Words in s. 4(2) substituted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 3(c); S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11) Judges [F135 Judges of the county court (1) A person is a judge of the county court if the person— (a) is a Circuit judge, (b) is a district judge (which, by virtue of section 8(1C), here includes a deputy district judge appointed under section 8), or (c) is within subsection (2), but see also section 9 of the Senior Courts Act 1981 (certain ex-judges may act as judges of the county court).