Enforcement of Court Orders Act

CHAPTER 40

OF THE

ACTS OF 2005

amended 2006, c. 15, ss. 7, 8; 2008, c. 55

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An Act to Assist in the
Enforcement of Court Orders

Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Enforcement of Court Orders Act. 2005, c. 40, s. 1.

Interpretation

2 In this Act,

(a) "administrator" means the administrator of the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia appointed pursuant to the Provincial Court Act;

(b) "driver's licence" means a driver's licence as defined in the Motor Vehicle Act;

(c) "owner's permit" means an owner's permit as defined in the Motor Vehicle Act;

(d) "Registrar" means the Registrar of Motor Vehicles appointed under the Motor Vehicle Act and includes the Deputy Registrar of Motor Vehicles appointed under that Act;

(e) "vehicle" means a vehicle as defined in the Motor Vehicle Act. 2005, c. 40, s. 2.

Certificate of default and suspension

3 (1) Where a person is in default of payment of all or part of a fine or costs imposed upon conviction for an offence under any enactment of the Parliament of Canada and payable to Her Majesty in right of the Province, the justice, judge or clerk of the court in which the fine or costs were imposed or the administrator may

(a) prepare and forward to the Registrar a certificate of default in the form and within the time prescribed by the Attorney General; and

(b) provide to Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations the information required to facilitate recovery of the fine, surcharge or costs.

(2) Upon receipt of a certificate of default pursuant to sub-section (1), the Registrar shall, pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Act and subject to the regulations, refuse to renew a driver's licence or owner's permit or transfer or register a vehicle of that person and refuse to issue a document to that person or provide any other service.

(2A) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the Registrar may transfer a vehicle to a bona fide purchaser of the vehicle for value without notice of the default.

(3) Where the default continues for at least thirty days, the justice, judge or clerk of the court in which the fine or costs were imposed, the administrator or Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations may, subject to the regulations, issue to the Registrar a certificate of continuing default in the form and within the time prescribed by the Attorney General.

(4) Upon receipt of a certificate of continuing default pursuant to subsection (3), the Registrar shall, pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Act and subject to the regulations, suspend the person's driver's licence or privilege of obtaining a driver's licence.

(5) Upon payment of the outstanding fine or costs, or in the circumstances prescribed in the regulations, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations or the justice, judge or clerk of the court or the administrator shall provide the Registrar with a confirmation of payment in the form and within the time prescribed by the Attorney General.

(6) Upon receipt of a confirmation of payment, and payment by the person of any re-instatement and other applicable fees imposed by the Registrar, the Registrar shall, pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Act, lift the suspension and re-instate the person's driver's licence or privilege of obtaining a driver's licence and provide any other service to the person that was affected by actions taken by the Registrar pursuant to this Act.

(7) Notwithstanding subsection (6), the Registrar shall only re-instate the person's driver's licence or privilege of obtaining a driver's licence if there are no other suspensions or revocations of the person's driver's licence or privilege of obtaining a driver's licence outstanding against the person. 2005, c. 40, s. 3; 2006, c. 15, s. 7; 2008, c. 55, s. 1.

Regulations

4 (1) The Governor in Council may make regulations

(a) for the purpose of subsections 3(2), (3), (4) and (5);

(b) providing for the filing and enforcement of orders to pay restitution and the application of this Act to assist in the recovery of amounts owing under such orders;

(c) defining any word or expression used but not defined in this Act;

(d) deemed necessary or advisable by the Governor in Council to carry out effectively the intent and purpose of this Act.

(2) The exercise by the Governor in Council of the authority contained in subsection (1) is regulations within the meaning of the Regulations Act. 2005, c. 40, s. 4; 2006, c. 15, s. 8.

Proclamation

5 This Act comes into force on such day as the Governor in Council orders and declares by proclamation. 2005, c. 40, s. 5.

Proclaimed - February 10, 2006
In force - July 1, 2006

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