Crown Court Rule Committee
Annual Report April 2003 - March 2004
Terms of Reference
The Crown Court Rule Committee is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body. It was created by virtue of section 86 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 which confers the power to make Crown Court Rules for the purpose of regulating and prescribing the practice and procedure to be followed by the Crown Court. The function of the Crown Court Rule Committee is to examine any proposed amendments to those Rules.
Rules considered during April 2003 / March 2004
- The Magistrate's Courts (Parenting Orders) Rules 2004 (S.I 2004/247). These Rules set out the procedure in relation to parenting orders under sections 20 and 21, and sections 26 and 27 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, and provide forms in relation to these parenting orders.
- The Crown Court (Special Measures Directions and Directions Prohibiting Cross-examination (Amendment) Rules 2004 (S.I 2004/185). These Rules amend the Crown Court (Special Measures Directions and Directions Prohibiting Cross-examination) Rules 2002 so as to make provision for the use by witnesses at trials of intermediaries and also of devices as an aid to communication.
- The Magistrates' Courts (Special Measures Directions) (Amendment) Rules 2004 (S.I 2004/184). These Rules amend the Magistrates' Courts (Special Measures Directions) Rules 2002 so as to make provision for the use by witnesses at trials of intermediaries and also of devices as an aid to communications.
- Crown Court (Amendment) (No 3) Rules 2003 (SI 2003/1664). These Rules prescribe a new form for use in cases where persons are sentenced by way of section 35 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 or sections 37 and 36B of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 to a curfew order with an electronic monitoring requirement or, alternatively, under section 41 of and paragraph 7 of Schedule 2 to that Act, to a community rehabilitation order with curfew and monitoring requirements.
Further Information
- The Committee does not hold a budget. Appointments to it do not attract remuneration and are undertaken on a voluntary basis. The Committee does not meet in person and is consulted by post. Administrative overheads are therefore limited to routine mail and telephone charges which are absorbed into departmental running costs.
- All executive non-departmental public bodies have in place codes of conduct for their members, including publicly available registers of interest.
Membership
The Committee is usually made up of three ex officio members, two judges of the Supreme Court, two circuit judges, a justice of the peace, two practising barristers and two practising solicitors. Members can serve a maximum of two, three-year terms.
Ex Officio Members
The Lord Chancellor
The Lord Chief Justice
The Registrar of Criminal Appeals
Supreme Court Judge
Lord Justice Potter, Royal Courts of Justice (appointment expires 27th February 2007)
A second Supreme Court Judge will be appointed in due course.
Circuit Judge
His Honour Judge Duncan Matheson QC (appointment expires 20th January 2006)
Her Honour Judge Carol Hagen (appointment expires 26th July 2005)
Justice of the Peace
Mrs Elizabeth Barnett (appointment expires 27th February 2007)
Barrister
Mr Peter Carter (appointment expires 27th February 2007)
Mr Jeffrey Pegden (appointment expires 26th July 2005)
Solicitors
Mr Ewen Smith (appointment expires 20 January 2006)
Mr Graham White (appointment expires 27th February 2007)