9ASuspension
(1)
The Minister may at any time suspend a justice of
the peace from office.
(2)
Without limiting subsection (1), the Minister may
at any time suspend a justice of the peace from office—
(a)
if the person is charged with an offence referred
to in section 9 (3) (c), or
(b)
in any of the circumstances set out in section 9
(3) (a)–(d), or
(c)
in any other circumstances prescribed by the
regulations.
(3)
A suspension takes effect on the day on which
written notice of the suspension is given to the justice of the peace
concerned or at such later time as may be specified in the
notice.
(4)
A person who is suspended under this section is
taken not to be a justice of the peace and cannot exercise any function of a
justice of the peace during that suspension.
(5)
The purported exercise of any function by a
justice of the peace during any period that the justice of the peace is
suspended cannot be used to challenge or call into question any document or
other thing unless the person relying on the document or other thing knew, or
ought reasonably to have known, that the justice of the peace was suspended
when purporting to exercise the relevant function.
(6)
A suspension ceases to have effect when it is
withdrawn by the Minister by notice in writing given to the person who is
suspended.
s 9A: Ins 2014 No 14,
Sch 2.1 [4].