Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1976/582/part/III/crossheading/disciplinary-proceedings-before-the-disciplinary-committee
Timestamp: 2018-01-18 07:40:28
Document Index: 231128795

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 44', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'art. 44', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'art. 44', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'art. 44', 'art. 2', 'Art. 51', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'Art. 51', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'art. 51', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'Art. 51', 'art. 51', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'art. 51', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'art. 51', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'art. 51', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'Art. 51', 'art. 1', 'art. 2', 'art. 3', 'art. 52', 'art. 2', 'art. 52', 'art. 2', 'art. 52', 'art. 2']

Disciplinary proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee
Solicitors (Northern Ireland) Order 1976, Cross Heading: Disciplinary proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 18 January 2018. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
[F1The Solicitors Disciplinary TribunalN.I.
(d)an application by a solicitor who is [F2prohibited from providing civil legal services or criminal defence services funded by the Department of Justice] by an order made under Article 51B for an order [F3lifting the prohibition on his providing such services];
(g)a complaint by the Society relating to the conduct of a solicitor in connection with [F4the provision of civil legal services or criminal defence services funded by the Department of Justice; or]
(3) Where a judge of the[F5Court of Judicature], a county court judge or a resident magistrate reports to the Society any case where it appears to him that a solicitor is prima facie guilty of professional misconduct, the Society shall make a complaint to the Tribunal under paragraph (1) with respect to the solicitor.
F2Words in art. 44(1)(d) substituted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(3)(a)(i) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii)); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F3Words in art. 44(1)(d) substituted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(3)(a)(ii) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii)); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F4Words in art. 44(1)(g)(i)(ii) substituted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(3)(b) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii)); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F5Words in art. 44(3) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 59(5), 148(1), Sch. 11 para. 6; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)
Powers of[F6 Tribunal] on inquiry being heldN.I.
48.—(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (2) with respect to the exercise of certain of the powers conferred by this paragraph, the[F6 Tribunal] shall, on an inquiry being held by them, have the like powers, rights and privileges as are vested in the High Court in respect of—
and a summons signed by a member of the[F6 Tribunal] may be issued and served on any person for the purposes of securing his attendance as a witness at, or the production by him of any document necessary for the purposes of, any such inquiry.
(a)on being duly summoned as a witness before the[F6 Tribunal] makes default in attending;
(b)being in attendance as a witness before the[F6 Tribunal] refuses to take an oath lawfully required by the[F6 Tribunal] to be taken, or to produce any document in his power or control lawfully required by the[F6 Tribunal] to be produced by him, or to answer any question to which the[F6 Tribunal] may lawfully require an answer; or
(c)does any other act which, if the[F6 Tribunal] were a court of law having power to commit for contempt, would be contempt of court;
the[F6 Tribunal] may, by certificate signed by any two members thereof, certify such default, refusal or act (as the case may be) to the High Court, and the High Court may thereupon inquire into the matter so certified and, after hearing any witness who may be produced against or on behalf of the person aforesaid and any statement that may be offered in his defence, may punish or take steps for the punishment of that person in like manner as if he had been guilty of contempt of the High Court.
(3) A witness at an inquiry held by the[F6 Tribunal] shall be entitled to the same immunities and privileges as if he were a witness before the High Court.
Representation before[F7 Tribunal]N.I.
49.—(1) A party to any proceedings before the[F7 Tribunal] shall be entitled to appear and be heard by that[F7 Tribunal] either in person or by counsel or solicitor.
(2) The Society may appear and be heard upon any application or complaint made to the[F7 Tribunal].
(3) Any counsel or solicitor appearing in proceedings before the[F7 Tribunal] shall have the same rights, privileges, immunities and duties as if he were appearing in an action in the High Court.
F71989 NI 14
50. An application to or an inquiry or other proceeding before the[F8 Tribunal] shall be a legal proceeding within the meaning of section 10 of the Bankers' Books Evidence Act 1879 [1879 c.11] .
[F1Orders of Tribunal on inquiryN.I.
[F9(i)the lifting of a prohibition on the solicitor providing civil legal services or criminal defence services funded by the Department of Justice;]
F9Art. 51(1)(i) substituted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(4) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii)); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
[F10(a)make an order prohibiting the solicitor (either permanently or for a specified period) from providing civil legal services or criminal defence services funded by the Department of Justice;
[F11and the power of the Tribunal under this Article is without prejudice to any powers of the Department of Justice under any regulations made under Article 36 of the Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 or Article 36B of the Legal Aid, Advice and Assistance (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.]
[F12(a)the conduct of the solicitor in connection with the provision for any person of civil legal services or criminal defence services funded by the Department of Justice (including the provision of any such services in the capacity of agent for that person’s solicitor); or]
(3) Where the Tribunal make an order under paragraph (1)(a) in the case of a solicitor who is a member of a firm of solicitors, the Tribunal may, if they think fit, order that any other person who is for the time being a member of the firm [F13shall be prohibited (either permanently or for a specified period) from providing civil legal services or criminal defence services funded by the Department of Justice].
(4) The Tribunal shall not make an order under paragraph (3) [F14prohibiting any person from providing civil legal services or criminal defence services funded by the Department of Justice] unless an opportunity is given to him to show cause why the order should not be made.
(5) In so far as [F15Article 17 or 31 of the Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003] has effect in relation to any costs reduced or cancelled by an order under paragraph (1)(b), it shall so have effect subject to the provisions of that order.
F16(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F10Art. 51B(1)(a)(b) substituted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(5)(a) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii), (44)(b)); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F11Words in art. 51B(1) inserted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(5)(b) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii), (44)(b) ); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F12Art. 51B(2)(a) substituted for art. 51B(2)(a)(b) (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(6) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii)); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F13Words in art. 51B(3) substituted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(7) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii)); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F14Words in art. 51B(4) substituted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(8) (as amended (18.11.2014) by Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 11), Sch. 2 para 6(43)(b)(ii)); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F15Words in art. 51B(5) substituted (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 2(9); S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
F16Art. 51B(6) repealed (1.4.2015) by Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/435), art. 1(2), Sch. 5; S.R. 2015/194, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3)
52.—(1) [F17An order made by the Tribunal on an inquiry] shall contain a statement of their findings and shall be signed by at least two of their members and filed with the registrar but the Committee may in any case in which it appears to them to be desirable so to do, make an order not prefaced by a statement of the findings relative to the facts of the case, and in such case a statement of their findings shall be signed by the chairman or secretary of the Committee and shall, if the order is one required to be lodged with the Registrar of the[F18Court of Judicature] under paragraph (2) or paragraph (3) be lodged with such Registrar together with the order.
(2) [F17Where the Tribunal make an order—
, the registrar, if so required in writing by the Society or by any other party in whose favour the order was so made, shall lodge a duly authenticated copy of the order with the Registrar of the[F19Court of Judicature], who shall forthwith cause such copy to be filed; and thereupon the order shall be of the like effect as a judgment of the High Court and enforceable accordingly.
(3) Where the[F17 Tribunal] make an order suspending a solicitor from practice or removing from or striking off the roll the name of a solicitor, the registrar shall forthwith—
(a)lodge a duly authenticated copy of the order with the Registrar of the[F20Court of Judicature]; and
(b)cause to be published in the Belfast Gazette, and in such other manner as the[F17 Tribunal] may direct, a notice stating the effect of the order,F17. . . .
(4) The registrar shall maintain separate files on which all orders made by the[F17 Tribunal] shall be entered in the following manner—
(5) Where an order of the[F17 Tribunal] includes provision for any of the matters mentioned in[F17 Article 51(1)(c) or (e) or (4)], the registrar shall enter a note of the effect of that order on the roll against the name of the solicitor with respect to whom the application or complaint was made.
(6) On receipt under[F17 Article 53(5)] of a copy of an order the registrar shall enter the order as if it were an order of the[F17 Tribunal].
(b)application is made for a copy of an entry on File A or File B as respects which the[F17 Tribunal] have directed the insertion of a note that the furnishing of a copy thereof might cause injustice;
F18Words in art. 52(1) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 59(5), 148(1), Sch. 11 para. 6; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)
F19Words in art. 52(2) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 59(5), 148(1), Sch. 11 para. 6; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)
F20Words in art. 52(3)(a) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 59(5), 148(1), Sch. 11 para. 6; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)
[F21Appeals against orders of the TribunalN.I.
54.—(1) [F22A copy of every order made—
(3) Any document purporting to be certified by the registrar as a copy of an order made by the[F22 Tribunal] or of an entry made pursuant to Article 52 shall in any proceedings be received as evidence of the existence and content of that order or entry as the case may be.
F221989 NI 14