Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851

Place for hearing.

In summary proceedings complaint not to be heard or determined out of petty-sessions, except in certaiu cases.

8. The places where justices shall sit in the discharge of their duties shall be subject to the following provisions:

1. Whenever a public court house shall be maintained by county presentment at any place fixed for the holding of petty sessions, the petty sessions shall be held therein, if not inconvenient to the public; but whenever no such public court house shall be so maintained, or the holding of petty sessions therein would be inconvenient to the public, it shall be lawful for the grand jury of the county to present an annual sum not exceeding ten pounds for the rent of a public justice room in which the petty sessions shall be held, and of a lock-up; provided that such room shall not be in a house where spirituous or fermented liquors are sold, or in a constabulary barrack, or in any building maintained in the whole or in part at the public expence; and that it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the county presentment sessions where application shall be made for such rent that at least four meetings of justices shall have been held in such room during the four months next preceding such application:

2. It shall not be lawful for any justice or justices to hear and determine any cases of summary jurisdiction out of petty sessions, except cases of drunkenness or vagrancy, or fraud in the sale of goods, or disputes as to sales in fairs or markets; but it shall be lawful for two justices, if they shall see fit, to hear and determine out of petty sessions any complaint as to any offence when the offender shall be unable to give bail for his appearance at petty sessions:

Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent any justice or justices acting out of petty sessions from making any order (not being in the nature of a conviction, or of an adjudication upon a complaint), which a justice or justices may be authorized or required by law to make.