Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1997

Amendment of Courts Act, 1971 .

20.—The Courts Act, 1971 , is hereby amended by—

(a) the insertion of the following section:

“District Court seal.

13A. (1) The District Court shall, as soon as may be after the passing of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1997, provide itself with one or, as may be appropriate, more than one seal—

(a) in respect of each District Court Area, and

(b) in respect of the Dublin Metropolitan District,

for use in the District Court Area concerned or the Dublin Metropolitan District, as the case may be.

(2) A seal under this section shall be inscribed with the number of the District Court District and the name of the District Court Area to which it relates or, in the case of the Dublin Metropolitan District, with the name of that District.

(3) Where there is more than one seal in respect of a District Court Area each such seal shall, in addition to the number it is required to bear under subsection (2), bear a number distinguishing it from all other seals in respect of that District Court Area.

(4) Each seal in respect of the Dublin Metropolitan District shall, in addition to the name it is required to bear under subsection (2), bear a number distinguishing it from all other seals in respect of that District.

(5) Rules of court may make provision for the custody of a seal under this section.”,

and

(b) the substitution of the following section for section 14:

“14. (1) In any legal proceedings regard shall not be had to any record, relating to a decision of a judge of the District Court in any case of summary jurisdiction, other than an order which, when an order is required, shall be drawn up by the District Court clerk and either—

(a) signed by the judge who made the order, or

(b) affixed with the seal of the District Court in respect of the District Court Area in which the order was made or, where the order was made by a judge of the District Court sitting in the Dublin Metropolitan District, affixed with the seal of that District,

or a copy thereof certified in accordance with rules of court.

(2) A seal of the District Court when affixed to an order drawn up in accordance with this section shall be authenticated by the signature of the judge who made the order or the District Court clerk who drew up the order.”.