Local_justice_area
Local justice areas are units in England and Wales established by the Courts Act 2003,[1] replacing[1] and directly based on[citation needed] the previous petty sessional divisions. They have been in existence since 2005.[2]
Whilst previously, local justice areas were used to determine which magistrates' courts may hear a particular case, since 1 April 2015, any magistrates' court in England and Wales may hear any case from anywhere in England and Wales. [3][4]
The areas established were identical to the petty sessional divisions. They have since been amended by the merger of South Pembrokeshire and North Pembrokeshire to a single Pembrokeshire local justice area,[5] and the merger of De Maldwyn and Welshpool to a single Montgomeryshire local justice area[5] – this change came into force in 2006, although the magistrates already shared the same courtroom.
A further amendment occurred in 2006 when the areas of Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Drayton were combined to become a new area named Shrewsbury and North Shropshire.[6] The areas of Telford and Bridgnorth and South Shropshire were also combined to become a new area named Telford and South Shropshire.[6]
A major rearrangement culminated in April 2017, when many local justice areas were amalgamated to leave 75 across England and Wales. [7][8][9][10][11]
Each local justice area was part of a larger courts board area, which replaced the magistrates' courts committee areas with the inauguration of Her Majesty's Courts Service in 2005.[12] Courts boards were abolished in 2012. [13]
Local Justice Areas will be abolished once Section 45 of the Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 is brought into force. [14]
