Page:Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980.pdf/62

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54c. 43
Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

Part III

(b) to enable a hearing required by subsection (5) of the said section 82 to be held.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) below, the power to fix a day under this section shall be exercisable only in the presence of the offender.

(3) Where a day has been fixed under this section, the court may fix a later day in substitution for the day previously fixed, and may do so—

(a) when composed of a single justice; and
(b) whether the offender is present or not.

(4) Subject to subsection (5) below, if on the day fixed under this section—

(a) any part of the adjudged sum remains unpaid; and.
(b) the offender fails to appear in person before the court,

the court may issue a warrant to arrest him and bring him before the court; and subsections (3) and (4) of section 83 above shall apply in relation to a warrant issued under this section.

(5) Where under subsection (3) above a later day has in the absence of the offender been fixed in substitution for a day previously fixed under this section, the court shall not issue a warrant under this section unless it is proved to the satisfaction of the court, on oath or in such other manner as may be prescribed, that notice in writing of the substituted day was served on the offender not less than what appears to the court to be a reasonable time before that day.

Enforcement of payment of fines by High Court and county court. 87.—(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) below, payment of a sum adjudged to be paid by a conviction of a magistrates’ court may be enforced by the High Court or a county court (otherwise than by issue of a writ of fieri facias or other process against goods or by imprisonment or attachment of earnings) as if the sum were due to the clerk of the magistrates’ court in pursuance of a judgment or order of the High Court or county court, as the case may be.

(2) Subsection (1) above shall not be construed as authorising the enforcement by a county court of payment of a fine exceeding the limit for the time being in force under section 40 of the 1959 c. 22.County Courts Act 1959 on the amount of any penalty recoverable by statute in a county court.

(3) The clerk of the magistrates’ court shall not take proceedings by virtue of subsection (1) above to recover any sum adjudged to be paid by a conviction of the court from any person unless authorised to do so by the court after an inquiry under section 82 above into that person’s means.