After submitting a freedom of information request through What do they know?, a site which monitors FOI requests the following questions were submitted toThe Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (which will become the highest court by surpassing the House of Lords) Subsequently, Ministry of Justice also failed to answer the following questions:

Is it permissable for any organistaion to issue its own summons to
a person to attend a Magistrates Court except the court itself?

Is it an offence to issue such a document bearing the Queens seal
if it is not issued by the court?

What action could be taken against such an organisation should the
above situation arise?

Do Civil Enforcement Officers have powers that can be granted by
courts to become Bailiffs or have powers of arrest?

Are local authority parking wardens included in the above as they
are now CEOs as displayed on their uniforms?

The reply from the Supreme Court stated that court records were exempt from release under the FOI act. This was followed up with a suggestion that the statute roll was surely available to the court but it was stated that "We do not provide a library facility to the public".The librarys reference information is exempt from release under section 21 of the freedom of information act".

Although it was a simple request the Ministry of Justice passed on the information to another department, then simply ignored it.

These corporations must have the information but use the sidelining and doublespeak that is prevalent within the public sector and courts. The FOI request was merely to prove conclusively that these corporations have no responsibility to the public whatsoever.

The reason they wont answer the first question however is because they cant. If they did, then every Council Tax summons issued in recent years would be invalid. As we found out councils print their own summons, hire a room in the court then state that a liability order is issued. This is of course impossible as there was no court!

It IS an offence for any organisation or individual to issue a document which  looks like it comes from a court. It is an offence under the administration of justice act. It is also fraud and perjury under the 1911 perjury act.

Fines officers and Civilian Enforcement Officers CAN be  employed by Magistrates Courts to execute a range of warrants including distress, arrest,and committment for non payment of fines. They can also execute warrants of arrest for community sentences.

Parking Wardens have now become Civil Enforcement Officers in many areas. The name change is obviously significant for these new powers.

The Supreme Court and Ministry of Justice avoided the issues raised and obviously cannot and will not answer the question about council tax summonses because if they do several million council tax liability summonses will have to be cancelled and the so called liability orders void!

The thought of having traffic wardens with the powers stated above will doubtless create shockwaves throughout the country.

See article below "How to not get summonsed for non payment of council tax" for more information on the printing of summonses.

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