Courts Act, 1991

Extension of jurisdiction of District Court.

4.—Section 77 of the Act of 1924 is hereby amended in paragraph A—

(a) by the substitution of the following clauses for clauses (i) to (iii) (inserted by the Act of 1981):

“(i) in contract, breach of contract, tort (except slander, libel, seduction, slander of title, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment) and claims for damages unconnected with contract, where the claim does not exceed £5,000:

Provided that the decision of a justice of the District Court in a case in which a question of title to land is in issue shall not operate as an estoppel in or bar to a suit in any court in relation to such land;

(ii) in ejectment for non-payment of rent or over-holding in any class of tenancy where the rent does not exceed such sum as amounts or might amount to £5,000 per annum;

(iii) in proceedings at the suit of the State or any State authority (within the meaning of the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act, 1961 ) or any officer thereof to recover any sum not exceeding £5,000 due to or recoverable by or on behalf of the State whether by way of penalty, debt or otherwise, and notwithstanding any enactment now in force requiring such sum to be sued for in the High Court or other superior court;”,

(b) by the substitution of “£5,000” for “£2,500” (inserted by the Act of 1981) in clause (v) (inserted by the Act of 1936),

and

(c) by the insertion of the following proviso at the end of the said paragraph A:

“Provided that a judge of the District Court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any proceedings of the kind mentioned in this paragraph, notwithstanding any monetary limit that may for the time being apply under this section where the necessary parties to the proceedings sign, either before or at any time during the hearing, the form of consent prescribed by rules made under section 91 of this Act.”.