Part IV General provisions
105 Meaning of “the court”: jurisdiction of High Court and county court.
1
In this Act “the court” F3 in relation to England and Wales means the High Court or the county court and in relation to Northern Ireland means the High Court or a county court, subject to the following provisions.
2
The Lord Chancellor may by order make provision—
F4za
allocating proceedings under this Act in England and Wales to the High Court or the county court;
a
allocating proceedings under this Act F5 in Northern Ireland to the High Court or to county courts; or
b
specifying proceedings under this Act which may be commenced or taken only in the High Court or in F6 the county court or (as the case may be) a county court.
3
The Lord Chancellor may by order make provision requiring proceedings of any specified description under this Act in relation to which a county court F7 in Northern Ireland has jurisdiction to be commenced or taken in one or more specified county courts.
Any jurisdiction so exercisable by a specified county court is exercisable throughout F8... Northern Ireland.
F13A
The Lord Chancellor must consult the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales or the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland (as the case may be) before making an order under this section.
3B
The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under this section.
3C
The Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland may nominate any of the following to exercise his functions under this section—
a
the holder of one of the offices listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002;
b
a Lord Justice of Appeal (as defined in section 88 of that Act).
F14
An order under this section—
a
may differentiate between categories of proceedings by reference to such criteria as the Lord Chancellor sees fit to specify, and
b
may make such incidental or transitional provision as the Lord Chancellor considers necessary or expedient.
5
An order under this section for England and Wales shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.