Northern Ireland law

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Northern Ireland law refers to the legal system of statute and common law operating in Northern Ireland since Northern Ireland was established as a separate jurisdiction within the United Kingdom in 1921.

[edit] Background

For the purposes of private international law the United Kingdom is divided into three distinct legal jurisdictions:

English law in England and Wales;
Northern Ireland law in Northern Ireland;
Scots law in Scotland.

Northern Ireland is a common law jurisdiction. Although its common law is similar to that in England, and partially derives from the same sources, there are some important differences in law and procedure between Northern Ireland and England and Wales.

The current statute law of Northern Ireland comprises those Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that apply to Northern Ireland and Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly , as well as statutory instruments made by departments of the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK Government. Also remaining on the statute books are many Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland passed between 1921 and 1972, certain Acts of the Parliament of Ireland made before the Act of Union 1800, and Acts of the Parliament of England, and of the Parliament of Great Britain, extended to Ireland under Poynings' Law between 1494 and 1782.

[edit] Criminal law

[edit] Criminal offences

[edit] Offences against the person

Main article: Offence against the person

Child destruction^[1]

[edit] Fatal offences

Main articles: Murder and Manslaughter

[edit] Sexual Offences

Main article: Sexual offences in the United Kingdom

[edit] Non-fatal non-sexual offences

[edit] Offences against property

Main article: Property crime

[edit] Firearms and offensive weapons

[edit] Forgery, personation and cheating

See forgery: See personation: See cheating:

[edit] Offences against the State or Crown or Government and political offences

High treason
Misprision of treason
Compounding treason
Treason felony
Attempting to injure or alarm the Sovereign, contrary to section 2 of the Treason Act 1842
Offences under the Official Secrets Acts 1911 to 1989
Offences under the Incitement to Disaffection Act 1934
Causing disaffection, contrary to section 68 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998
Incitement to sedition or disaffection or promoting industrial unrest, contrary to section 3 of the Aliens Restriction (Amendment) Act 1919
Offences relating to terrorism
Offences under section 1 of the Unlawful Drilling Act 1819
Piracy iure gentium
Piracy with violence, contrary to the Piracy Act 1837
Offences under the Slave Trade Act 1824
Offences under the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870
Offences under the Immigration Act 1971
Coinage offences under Part II of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981
Offences relating to public stores under the Public Stores Act 1875
Offences against postal and electronic communication services
Misconduct in public office
Refusal to execute public office
Offences of selling public offices under the Sale of Offices Act 1551 and Sale of Offices Act 1809 (see section 1 thereof)
Cheating the public revenue
Offences under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979
Tax evasion and money laundering offences

[edit] Abolished offences

[edit] Harmful or dangerous drugs

[edit] Offences against religion and public worship

[edit] Offences against the administration of public justice

[edit] Public order offences

[edit] Offences against public morals and public policy

Bigamy^[2]

[edit] Protection of children and vulnerable adults

[edit] Protection of animals and the environment

[edit] Road traffic and motor vehicle offences

[edit] Participatory offences

See also: Accomplice, Aid and abet, and Inchoate offenses

Participatory offences include aiding, abetting, counseling, or procuring the act of some crime or conspiracy. It also includes being an accomplice to criminal behavior.

[edit] Defences to crime

marital coercion

[edit] See also

[edit] Legislatures

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Northern Ireland Assembly (current)
Northern Ireland Assembly (1973–1974) (legislative power in 1974 only)
Parliament of Northern Ireland (1921–1973) (prorogued 1972-73)

[edit] Legal system

[edit] Policing

[edit] Legislation

[edit] Other

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

[edit] References

^ Archbold Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice lists child destruction as an offence against the person
^ Again this is the label adopted by Archbold

[edit] Further reading

Britain's Legal Systems, Central Office of Information, 1997, ISBN 0117017132
Criminal Justice Systems in Europe, Bo Svensson, 1995, ISBN 9138304821
Law and State: The Case of Northern Ireland, Kevin Boyle, Tom Hadden and Paddy Hillyard, 1975
The Legal System of Northern Ireland, Brice Dickson, (5th edition) 2005, Belfast: SLS Legal Publications, ISBN 0853898847

[edit] External links

[0] Archbold Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice lists child destruction as an offence against the person

[1] Again this is the label adopted by Archbold

[1]

[2]