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In force since 2026-10-01, as the publisher states.
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County Courts Act 1984 1984 c. 28 An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to county courts. [26th June 1984] Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Propose a change(1) There is to be a court in England and Wales, called the county court, for the purpose of exercising the jurisdiction and powers conferred on it— (a) by or under this or any other Act, or (b) by or under any Act, or Measure, of the National Assembly for Wales. (2) The county court is to be a court of record and have a seal.
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Propose a change(1) Sittings of the county court may be held, and any other business of the county court may be conducted, anywhere in England and Wales. (1A) Sittings of the county court at any place may be continuous or intermittent or occasional. (2) Sittings of the county court may be held simultaneously to take any number of different cases in the same place or different places, and the court may adjourn cases from place to place at any time. (2A) The places at which the county court sits, and the days and times at which it sits in any place, are to be determined in accordance with directions given by the Lord Chancellor after consulting the Lord Chief Justice. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) The Lord Chief Justice 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.
Propose a change(1) Where, in any place in which a sitting of the county court is to be held or a sitting of the family court is held, there is a building, being a town hall, court-house or other public building belonging to any local or other public authority, that building shall, with all necessary rooms, furniture and fittings in it, be used for the purpose of holding the sitting of the court, without any charge for rent or other payment, except the reasonable and necessary charges for lighting, heating and cleaning the building when used for that purpose. (2) Where any such building is used for the purpose of holding sittings of the county court, the sittings of the court shall be so arranged as not to interfere with the business of the local or other public authority usually transacted in the building or with any purpose for which the building may be used by virtue of any local Act. (3) This section shall not apply to any place in which a building was erected before 1st January 1889 for the purpose of holding and carrying on the business of a county court.
Propose a change(1) A person is a judge of the county court if the person— (a) is a Circuit judge, (b) is a district judge (which, by virtue of section 8(1C), here includes a deputy district judge appointed under section 8), or (c) is within subsection (2), ... (2) A person is within this subsection (and so, by virtue of subsection (1)(c), is a judge of the county court) if the person— (a) is the Lord Chief Justice, (b) is the Master of the Rolls, (c) is the President of the Queen's Bench Division, (d) is the President of the Family Division, (e) is the President of the Business and Property Division, (f) is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal (including the vice-president, if any, of either division of that court), (g) is the Senior President of Tribunals, (h) is a puisne judge of the High Court, (i) is a deputy judge of the High Court, (j) is the Judge Advocate General, (k) is a Recorder, (l) is a person who holds an office listed— (i) in the first column of the table in section 89(3C) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 (senior High Court masters etc), or (ii) in column 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 2 to that Act (High Court masters etc), (m) is a deputy district judge appointed under section 102 of that Act, (n) is a Chamber President, or a Deputy Chamber President, of a chamber of the Upper Tribunal or of a chamber of the First-tier Tribunal, (o) is a judge of the Upper Tribunal by virtue of appointment under paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 3 to the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, (p) is a transferred-in judge of the Upper Tribunal (see section 31(2) of that Act), (q) is a deputy judge of the Upper Tribunal (whether under paragraph 7 of Schedule 3 to, or section 31(2) of, that Act), (r) is a District Judge (Magistrates' Courts), (s) is a person appointed under section 30(1)(a) or (b) of the Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1951 (assistants to the Judge Advocate General), (t) is a judge of the First-tier Tribunal by virtue of appointment under paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 2 to the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, (u) is a transferred-in judge of the First-tier Tribunal (see section 31(2) of that Act), or (v) is a member of a panel of Employment Judges established for England and Wales or for Scotland.
Propose a change(1) Her Majesty may, on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor, appoint district judges. (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) A reference in any enactment or other instrument to the district judge for a district or of a county court is— (a) if the context permits, a reference to the county court, and (b) otherwise is a reference to a judge of the county court. (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) A district judge is to be paid such salary and such allowances as may be determined by the Lord Chancellor with the concurrence of the Treasury. (6) A salary payable under this section may be increased but not reduced by a determination or further determination under this section. (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change(1) If it appears to the Lord Chief Justice that it is expedient to do so in order to facilitate the disposal of business in the county court or any other court or tribunal to which a person appointed under this subsection may be deployed, he may appoint a person to be a deputy district judge. (1ZA) A person is qualified for appointment under subsection (1) only if the person— (a) is qualified for appointment as a district judge, or (b) holds, or has held, the office of district judge. (1ZB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1ZC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1A) Any appointment of a person as a deputy district judge must not be such as to, or be extended so as to, extend beyond the day on which the person attains the age of 75. (1B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1C) A deputy district judge appointed under this section ... has ... the same powers as if he were a district judge other than a district judge's power to act in a district registry of the High Court. (1D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) The Lord Chancellor may pay to any person appointed under this section as deputy district judgesuch remuneration and allowances as he may, with the approval of the Treasury, determine. (3A) A person appointed under this section may be removed from office as a deputy district judge— (a) only by the Lord Chancellor with the agreement of the Lord Chief Justice, and (b) only on— (i) the ground of inability or misbehaviour, or (ii) a ground specified in the person's terms of appointment. (3B) Subject to subsections (1A) and (3C), the term of a person's appointment under this section (including a term already extended under this subsection) must be extended by the Lord Chancellor before its expiry. (3C) Extension under subsection (3B)— (a) requires the person's agreement, (b) is to be for such term as the Lord Chancellor thinks fit, and (c) may be refused on— (i) the ground of inability or misbehaviour, or (ii) a ground specified in the person's terms of appointment, but only with any agreement of the Lord Chief Justice, or a nominee of the Lord Chief Justice, that may be required by those terms. (3D) Subject to the preceding provisions of this section, a person appointed under this section is to hold and vacate office as a deputy district judge in accordance with the terms of the person's appointment, which are to be such as the Lord Chancellor may determine. (3E) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a senior judge (as defined in section 109(5) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise the Lord Chief Justice's functions under subsection (1) or (3A)(a). (4) The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under subsection ... (1B).
Propose a changeNo person shall be appointed a district judge, . . . . . . unless he satisfies the judicial-appointment eligibility condition on a 5-year basis.
Propose a change(1) This subsection applies to the office of district judge. (2) Subject to the following provisions of this section ..., a person who holds an office to which subsection (1) applies shall vacate his office on the day on which he attains the age of 75. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) A person appointed to an office to which subsection (1) applies shall hold that office during good behaviour. (5) The power to remove such a person from his office on account of misbehaviour shall be exercisable by the Lord Chancellor , but only with the concurrence of the Lord Chief Justice. (6) The Lord Chancellor may , with the concurrence of the Lord Chief Justice, also remove such a person from his office on account of inability to perform the duties of his office.
Propose a change(1) The Lord Chancellor may by regulations made by statutory instrument provide for the keeping of records of and in relation to proceedings of the county court. (2) Any entry in a book or other document required by the said regulations to be kept for the purposes of this section, or a copy of any such entry or document purporting to be signed and certified as a true copy by a judge of the county court, shall at all times without further proof be admitted in any court or place whatsoever as evidence of the entry and of the proceeding referred to by it and of the regularity of that proceeding. (3) The Lord Chancellor must consult the Lord Chief Justice before making regulations under this section. (4) The Lord Chief Justice 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.
Propose a change(1) A fee-paid part-time judge of the county court may not act as a judge of the court in relation to any proceedings in the court in which— (a) the judge, (b) a partner or employer of the judge, (c) a body of which the judge is a member or officer, or (d) a body of whose governing body the judge is a member, is directly or indirectly engaged as legal representative or agent for any party .... (2) Every person who contravenes this section shall for each offence be liable on summary conviction to a fine of an amount not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change(1) If any person assaults an officer of the county court while in the execution of his duty, he shall be liable— (a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine of an amount not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or both; or (b) on an order made by the court in that behalf, to be committed for a specified period not exceeding 3 months to . . . prison . . . or to such a fine as aforesaid, or to be so committed and to such a fine, and an officer of the court may take the offender into custody, with or without warrant, and bring him before the court. (2) The judge may at any time revoke an order committing a person to prison under this section and, if he is already in custody, order his discharge. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change(1) Subject to subsection (2), the county court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any action founded on contract or tort .... (2) The county court shall not, except as in this Act provided, have jurisdiction to hear and determine— (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (b) any action in which the title to ... any toll, fair, market or franchise is in question; or (c) any action for libel or slander. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a changeThe county court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine an action for the recovery of a sum recoverable by virtue of any enactment for the time being in force, if— (a) it is not provided by that or any other enactment that such sums shall only be recoverable in the High Court or shall only be recoverable summarily; . . . (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change(1) Where a plaintiff has a cause of action for more than the county court limit in which, if it were not for more than the county court limit, the county court would have jurisdiction, the plaintiff may abandon the excess, and thereupon the county court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the action, but the plaintiff shall not recover in the action an amount exceeding the county court limit. (2) Where the court has jurisdiction to hear and determine an action by virtue of this section, the judgment of the court in the action shall be in full discharge of all demands in respect of the cause of action, and entry of the judgment shall be made accordingly.
Propose a changeIf the parties to any action, other than an action which, if commenced in the High Court, would have been assigned to the Business and Property Division or to the Family Division or have involved the exercise of the High Court’s Admiralty jurisdiction, agree, by a memorandum signed by them or by their respective legal representatives, that the county court ... shall have jurisdiction in the action, that court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the action accordingly.
Propose a change(1) The county court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any action for the recovery of land . . .. (2) The county court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any action in which the title to any hereditament comes in question, . . . (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) Where a mortgage of land consists of or includes a dwelling-house and no part of the land is situated in Greater London then, subject to subsection (4), if the county court has jurisdiction by virtue of this section to hear and determine an action in which the mortgagee under that mortgage claims possession of the mortgaged property, no court other than the county court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine that action. (4) Subsection (3) shall not apply to an action for foreclosure or sale in which a claim for possession of the mortgaged property is also made. (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (7) In this section— “dwelling-house” includes any building or part of a building which is used as a dwelling; “mortgage” includes a charge and “mortgagor” and “mortgagee” shall be construed accordingly; “mortgagor” and “mortgagee” includes any person deriving title under the original mortgagor or mortgagee. (8) The fact that part of the premises comprised in a dwelling-house is used as a shop or office or for business, trade or professional purposes shall not prevent the dwelling-house from being a dwelling-house for the purposes of this section. (9) This section does not apply to a mortgage securing an agreement which is a regulated agreement within the meaning of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Propose a changeThe county court shall have all the jurisdiction of the High Court to hear and determine— (a) proceedings for the administration of the estate of a deceased person, where the estate does not exceed in amount or value the county court limit; (b) proceedings— (i) for the execution of any trust, or (ii) for a declaration that a trust subsists, ... (iii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . where the estate or fund subject, or alleged to be subject, to the trust does not exceed in amount or value the county court limit; (c) proceedings for foreclosure or redemption of any mortgage or for enforcing any charge or lien, where the amount owing in respect of the mortgage, charge or lien does not exceed the county court limit; (d) proceedings for the specific performance, or for the rectification, delivery up or cancellation, of any agreement for the sale, purchase or lease of any property, where, in the case of a sale or purchase, the purchase money, or in the case of a lease, the value of the property, does not exceed the county court limit; (e) proceedings relating to the maintenance or advancement of a minor, where the property of the minor does not exceed in amount or value the county court limit; (f) proceedings for the dissolution or winding-up of any partnership (whether or not the existence of the partnerships is in dispute), where the whole assets of the partnership do not exceed in amount or value the county court limit; (g) proceedings for relief against fraud or mistake, where the damage sustained or the estate or fund in respect of which relief is sought does not exceed in amount or value the county court limit.
Propose a change(1) If, as respects any proceedings to which this section applies, the parties agree, by a memorandum signed by them or by their respective legal representatives or agents, that the county court ... shall have jurisdiction in the proceedings, that court shall, notwithstanding anything in any enactment, have jurisdiction to hear and determine the proceedings accordingly. (2) Subject to subsection (3), this section applies to any proceedings in which the county court would have jurisdiction by virtue of— (a) section 113(3) of the Settled Land Act 1925, (b) section 63A of the Trustee Act 1925, (c) sections 3(7), . . .49(4), 66(4), 89(7), 90(3), 91(8), 92(2), 136(3), . . .181(2), 188(2) of, and paragraph 3A of Part III and paragraph 1(3A) and (4A) of Part IV of Schedule 1 to, the Law of Property Act 1925, (d) sections 17(2), 38(4), 41(1A), and 43(4) of the Administration of Estates Act 1925, (e) section 6(1) of the Leasehold Property (Repairs) Act 1938, (f) sections 1(6A) and 5(11) of the Land Charges Act 1972, and (g) sections 23 . . . of this Act, but for the limits of the jurisdiction of the court provided in those enactments. (3) This section does not apply to proceedings under section 1 of the Variation of Trusts Act 1958.
Propose a changeThe county court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine any application for an order under section 2 of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (including any application for permission to apply for such an order and any application made, in the proceedings on an application for such an order, for an order under any other provision of that Act) . . ..
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Propose a change(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (9) The county court does not have jurisdiction to determine any claim or question certified by the Secretary of State to be a claim or question which, under the Rhine Navigation Convention, falls to be determined in accordance with the provisions of that Convention; and any proceedings to enforce such a claim which are commenced in the county court shall be set aside. (10) In subsection (9) “the Rhine Navigation Convention” means the Convention of the 7th October 1868 as revised by any subsequent Convention. (11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Propose a change(1) The claims to which this section applies are claims for damage, loss of life or personal injury arising— (a) out of a collision between ships; (b) out of the carrying out of or omission to carry out a manoeuvre in the case of one or more of two or more ships; or (c) out of the non-compliance, on the part of one or more of two or more ships with safety regulations under section 85 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (2) The county court may not entertain an action in personam to enforce a claim to which this section applies unless— (a) the defendant has his habitual residence or a place of business within England and Wales; or (b) the cause of action arose within inland waters of England and Wales or within the limits of a port of England and Wales; or (c) an action arising out of the same incident or series of incidents is proceeding in the court or has been heard and determined in the court. (3) In subsection (2)— “inland waters” includes any part of the sea adjacent to the coast of the United Kingdom certified by the Secretary of State to be waters falling by international law to be treated as within the territorial sovereignty of Her Majesty apart from the operation of that law in relation to territorial waters; and “port” means any port, harbour, river, estuary, haven, dock, canal or other place so long as a person or body of persons is empowered by or under an Act to make charges in respect of ships entering it or using the facilities in it, and “limits of a port” means the limits thereof as fixed by or under the Act in question or, as the case may be, by the relevant charter or custom; “charges” means any charges with the exception of light dues, local light dues and any other charges in respect of lighthouses, buoys or beacons and of charges in respect of pilotage. (4) The county court may not entertain an action in personam to enforce a claim to which this section applies until any proceedings previously brought by the plaintiff in any court outside England and Wales against the same defendant in respect of the same incident or series of incidents have been discontinued or otherwise come to an end. (5) Subsections (1) to (4) shall apply to counterclaims (except counterclaims in proceedings arising out of the same incident or series of incidents) as they apply to actions in personam, but as if the references to the plaintiff and the defendant were respectively references to the plaintiff on the counterclaim and the defendant to the counterclaim. (6) Subsections (1) to (5) shall not apply to any action or counterclaim if the defendant submits or has agreed to submit to the jurisdiction of the court. (7) Nothing in this section shall prevent an action or counterclaim which is brought in accordance with the provisions of this section in the county court being transferred, in accordance with the enactments in that behalf, to some other court .... (8) This section applies generally in relation to the jurisdiction of the county court (and not only in relation to any jurisdiction that may be conferred on the county court in relation to Admiralty proceedings).
Propose a change(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) Nothing in section 31 or any provisions made for the purpose of, or in connection with, conferring jurisdiction on the county court in relation to Admiralty proceedings authorises proceedings in rem in respect of any claim against the Crown, or the arrest, detention or sale of any of Her Majesty’s ships or Her Majesty’s aircraft, or of any cargo or other property belonging to the Crown. (3) In subsection (2) “Her Majesty’s ships” and “Her Majesty’s aircraft” have the meanings given by section 38(2) of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947.
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Propose a changeIt shall not be lawful for any plaintiff to divide any cause of action for the purpose of bringing two or more actions the county court.
Propose a changeNo action shall be brought in the county court on any judgment of the High Court.
Propose a change(1) Any jurisdiction and powers conferred by this or any other Act on the county court may be exercised by any judge of the county court. (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change(1) Subject to what follows, in any proceedings in the county court the court may make any order which could be made by the High Court if the proceedings were in the High Court. (2) Any order made by the county court may be – (a) absolute or conditional; (b) final or interlocutory. (3) Neither the county court nor the family court has power – (a) to order mandamus, certiorari or prohibition; or (b) to make any order of a prescribed kind. (4) Regulations under subsection (3) – (a) may provide for any of their provisions not to apply in such circumstances or descriptions of case as may be specified in the regulations; (b) may provide for the transfer of the proceedings to the High Court for the purpose of enabling an order of a kind prescribed under subsection (3) to be made; (c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (d) may make provision amending or repealing any provision made by or under any enactment, so far as may be necessary or expedient in consequence of the regulations; and (e) may make different provision for different purposes. (4A) If regulations are made under subsection (3), rules may be made in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 about procedure relevant to the matters prescribed in the regulations. (5) In this section “ prescribed ” means prescribed by regulations made under this section by the Lord Chancellor after consulting the Lord Chief Justice . (6) The power to make regulations under this section shall be exercised by statutory instrument. (7) No such statutory instrument shall be made unless a draft of the instrument has been approved by both Houses of Parliament.
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