Subordinate Courts Act

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3 Subordinate courts

6A Sittings of subordinate courts

7 Sittings in camera, etc.

9 Appointments and qualifications of District Judges

10 Appointments and qualifications of Magistrates and Coroners

11 Justices of the Peace

12 Appointments and qualifications of registrar and deputy registrars of subordinate courts

13 Powers and duties of deputy registrars

14 Subordinate court officers

15 Powers and duties of certain subordinate court officers

15A Solicitor, etc., authorised to act as bailiff

16 Special powers of bailiffs

17 Oaths of judicial officers and certain other officers

18 Appointments and revocations to be gazetted

19 General civil jurisdiction

20 Jurisdiction in actions of contract and tort

21 Jurisdiction in actions for recovery of money under any written law

22 Abandonment of part of claim to give District Court jurisdiction

23 Jurisdiction by agreement in certain actions

25 Jurisdiction in actions for recovery of immovable property

26 Equity jurisdiction

27 Jurisdiction to grant probates

28 Jurisdiction to issue writ of distress

29 Jurisdiction to grant relief by interpleader

30 Variation of District Court limit

31 Powers of District Court same as High Court

32 Powers of District Judge in chambers

34 Jurisdiction of registrar

35 Division of causes of action

36 Examination of witnesses abroad in District Court cases

39 Costs of certain actions commenced in High Court which could have been commenced in a subordinate court

41 Allocation of proceedings to High Court

42 Finality of judgments and orders of District Court

43 Satisfaction of judgments and orders for payment of money

44 Enforcement of judgments of District Courts

45 Execution of deed or indorsement of negotiable instrument

47 General provision relating to civil appeals

48 Agreement not to appeal

49 Appeal not to operate as stay of execution

50 Jurisdiction of District Courts exercising criminal jurisdiction

51 Criminal jurisdiction of Magistrates’ Courts

52 Civil jurisdiction of Magistrates’ Courts

54 Judgments and orders of Magistrates’ Courts

54A General power to transfer from Magistrate’s Court to District Court

54B General power to transfer from subordinate courts to High Court

54C General power to transfer from High Court to subordinate courts

54D General power to transfer from District Court to Magistrate’s Court

54E Transfer of counterclaim from subordinate courts to High Court

54F Transfer of counterclaim from Magistrate’s Court to District Court

54G Costs in cases transferred from one court to another

55 Jurisdiction of Juvenile Courts

56 Jurisdiction of Coroners’ Courts

56A Reference of constitutional question to High Court

57 Registry of subordinate courts

58 Nature of business at any sitting

59 Distribution of business

60 Office of a court

61 Vacations for District and Magistrates’ Courts

63 Impounding documents

64 Disqualification of judicial officers

65 Judicial officers not to act where interested

66 Officers of court not to bid at sales under any written law

67 Misconduct of officers

68 Protection of judicial and other officers

70 Conversion of pending petitions to writs of summons and originating summonses

Subordinate Courts Act

(CHAPTER 321)

(Original Enactment: Act 19 of 1970)

REVISED EDITION 2007

(31st July 2007)

An Act relating to the constitution, jurisdiction and powers of the subordinate courts and the administration of justice therein.

[1st January 1971]

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Subordinate Courts Act.

Interpretation

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“action” means a civil proceeding commenced by summons or in such other manner as may be prescribed by Rules of Court;

“commissioner for oaths” means a commissioner for oaths appointed under section 68 of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Cap. 322);

“District Court limit” means —

(a)	in sections 26(a) and 27, $3 million or such other amount as may be specified by an order under section 30; and
(b)	in any other section, $250,000¹ or such other amount as may be specified by an order under section 30;

¹O1 (S 333/97) — Subordinate Courts (Variation of District Court Limit) Order.

“judicial officer” means a District Judge, Magistrate, Coroner or registrar;

“Magistrate’s Court limit” means $60,000² or such other amount as may be specified by an order under section 52(3);

²O 2 (S 263/99) — Subordinate Courts (Variation of Magistrate’s Court Limit) Order

“prescribed” means prescribed by Rules of Court;

“Public Prosecutor” includes a Deputy Public Prosecutor;

“registrar” means the registrar of the subordinate courts and includes a deputy registrar;

“Rules of Court” means Rules of Court made under this Act and includes forms;

“seal” includes stamp.

[34/73; 15/93]

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