Statutory Instruments
2012 No. 643

Senior Courts Of England And Wales
County Courts, England And Wales
The Civil Courts (Amendment) Order 2012

Made
1st March 2012

Laid before Parliament
5th March 2012

Coming into force
2nd April 2012

The Lord Chancellor makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(1) of the County Courts Act 1984(1), section 33(1) of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984(2) and section 99(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981(3).
In accordance with section 2(1) of the County Courts Act 1984 and section 99(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981, the Lord Chancellor has consulted the Lord Chief Justice before making this Order.

In accordance with section 33(1) of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984, the Lord Chief Justice concurs in the making of this Order.

Citation and Commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Civil Courts (Amendment) Order 2012 and shall come into force on 2nd April 2012.

Closure of county courts

2.  Dewsbury County Court, Ilford County Court and Keighley County Court are discontinued.

Establishment of a District Registry of the High Court

3.  A district registry of the High Court shall be established at Skipton.

Transitional Provisions

4.  The county courts listed in Table 1 in the column headed ‘receiving court’ shall have jurisdiction in proceedings pending at the county court in the column headed ‘closing court’ before this Order comes into force in accordance with directions made under section 2 of the County Courts Act 1984.

Table 1

Closing Court
Receiving Court

Dewsbury County Court
Bradford County Court, Halifax County Court, Huddersfield County Court, Leeds County Court and Wakefield County Court

Ilford County Court
Romford County Court

Keighley County Court
Bradford County Court and Skipton County Court

5.  No process shall be invalid only because the holding of any court named in the process has been discontinued by this Order.

Amendments to the Civil Courts Order 1983

6.—(1) The Civil Courts Order 1983(4) is amended as follows.

(2) In Schedule 1, omit —

(a)“Dewsbury” from its position in the first column and the corresponding entry for “Dewsbury” in the second column;

(b)“Ilford” from its position in the second column opposite the entry for “Romford” in the first column;

(c)“Keighley” from its position in the first column and the corresponding entry for “Keighley” in the second column;

(d)“Skipton” from its position in the second column opposite the entry for “Keighley” in the first column.

(3) In Schedule 1, insert “Skipton” in the appropriate alphabetical position in the first column and insert “Skipton” in the corresponding entry in the second column.

(4) In Schedule 3, omit the entry relating to—

(a)Dewsbury County Court;

(b)Ilford County Court;

(c)Keighley County Court.

(5) In Schedule 3 at the entry for “Skipton”, in column 1 (name of place), after “Skipton” insert “(D.R.)”.

Signed by authority of the Lord Chancellor

J Djanogly
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Ministry of Justice
28th February 2012

I concur

Judge, C.J.
Lord Chief Justice
1st March 2012

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Civil Courts Order 1983 (S.I. 1983/713). Dewsbury County Court, Ilford County Court and Keighley County Court are to be closed.

Jurisdiction in respect of existing cases in closing courts is to be transferred to courts named in directions made by the Lord Chancellor. These directions are available at http://www.justice.gov.uk/legislation/bills-and-acts/directions.

This Order establishes a district registry of the High Court at Skipton.

(1)
1984 c.28. Section 2(1) was amended by paragraphs 160 and 161 of Schedule 4 to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4).

(2)
1984 c.42. Section 33(1) was amended by paragraphs 171 and 172 of Schedule 4 to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4).

(3)
1981 c.54. Section 99(1) was amended by paragraphs 114 and 143(1) and (2) of Schedule 4 to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c.4).

(4)
S.I. 1983/713. There have been numerous amendments none of which is relevant.