Contempt of Court Act 1981

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Contempt of Court Act 1981
Act of Parliament
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title An Act to amend the law relating to contempt of court and related matters.
Citation 1981 c. 49
Territorial extent United Kingdom
Dates
Royal assent 27 July 1981
Status: Current legislation
Text of statute as originally enacted
Text of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The Contempt of Court Act 1981 (c. 49) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. [1] It codifies some aspects of the common law offence of contempt of court. [2]

Section 8 of the Act provides that it is an offence for a person to ask for or make public any opinions or arguments put forward by a jury member in the course of making a decision. [3] In Northern Ireland, the consent of the Attorney General is required to prosecute this offence. This section now extends only to Scotland and Northern Ireland; it was replaced in England and Wales by section 20D of the Juries Act 1974, [4] as amended by the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015. [5]

References

  1. ↑ "Contempt of Court Act 1981", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1981 c. 49
  2. ↑ "Contempt of Court and Reporting Restrictions". Crown Prosecution Service. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Alex Wade (17 September 2007). "The jurors who dare not speak their name". The Guardian . Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Juries Act 1974: Section 20D", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1974 c. 23 (s. 20D)
  5. ↑ "Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015: Section 74", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 2015 c. 2 (s. 74)
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