Page:Contempt of Court Act 1981.pdf/11

Rh 17.—(1) The powers of a magistrates’ court under subsection (3) of section 63 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (punishment by fine or committal for disobeying an order to do anything other than the payment of money or to abstain from doing anything) may be exercised either of the court’s own motion or by order on complaint.

(2) In relation to the exercise of those powers the provisions of the Magistrates’ Court Act 1980 shall apply subject to the modifications set out in Schedule 3 to this Act. Supplemental

18.—(1) In the application of this Act to Northern Ireland references to the Attorney General shall be construed as references to the Attorney General for Northern Ireland.

(2) In their application to Northern Ireland, sections 12, 13, 14 and 16 of this Act shall have effect as set out in Schedule 4.

19. In this Act—
 * “court” includes any tribunal or body exercising the judicial power of the State, and "legal proceedings" shall be construed accordingly;
 * “publication” has the meaning assigned by subsection (1) of section 2, and “publish” (except in section 9) shall be construed accordingly;
 * “Scottish proceedings” means proceedings before any court, including the Courts-Martial Appeal Court, the Restrictive Practices Court and the Employment Appeal Tribunal, sitting in Scotland, and includes proceedings before the House of Lords in the exercise of any appellate jurisdiction over proceedings in such a court;
 * “the strict liability rule” has the meaning assigned by section 1;
 * “superior court” means the Court of Appeal, the High Court, the Crown Court, the Courts-Martial Appeal Court, the Restrictive Practices Court, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and any other court exercising in relation to its proceedings powers equivalent to those of the High Court, and includes the House of Lords in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction.

20.—(1) In relation to any tribunal to which the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 applies, and the proceedings of such a tribunal, the provisions of this Act (except subsection (3) of section 9) apply as they apply in relation to courts and legal