Legislation – Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007
Changes to legislation:
Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, Section 102 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 04 April 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.![]()
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 102:
- s. 13(8)(bza) inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 23(2)
- s. 13(8)(bzb) inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 24(9)
- s. 16(3)(a) word inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 85(3)(a)
- s. 16(3)(b) and word inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 85(3)(b)
- s. 16(3A)(3B) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 85(4)
- s. 22(6) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 4 para. 4(2)
- s. 23(8) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 4 para. 4(3)
- s. 25A inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 80(1)
- s. 29(3A) inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 81(6)
- Sch. 5 para. 11A and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 80(2)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 13(8)(bza) inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 23(2)
- s. 13(8)(bzb) inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 24(9)
- s. 16(3)(a) word inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 85(3)(a)
- s. 16(3)(b) and word inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 85(3)(b)
- s. 16(3A)(3B) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 85(4)
- s. 22(6) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 4 para. 4(2)
- s. 23(8) inserted by 2022 c. 35 Sch. 4 para. 4(3)
- s. 25A inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 80(1)
- s. 29(3A) inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 81(6)
- Sch. 5 para. 11A and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 36 s. 80(2)
Part 4Enforcement of judgments and orders
Information requests and orders
102Offence of unauthorised use or disclosure
(1)
This section applies if—
(a)
an application is made under section 95 in relation to recovery of a judgment debt (“the relevant judgment debt”),
(b)
a departmental information request or an information order is made in consequence of that application, and
(c)
information (“debtor information”) is disclosed in accordance with the request or order.
(2)
A person to whom the debtor information is disclosed commits an offence if he—
(a)
uses or discloses the debtor information, and
(b)
the use or disclosure is not authorised by any of subsections (3) to (6).
(3)
The use or disclosure of the debtor information is authorised if it is in accordance with section 101.
(4)
The use or disclosure of the debtor information is authorised if it is—
(a)
in accordance with an enactment or order of court, or
(b)
for the purposes of any proceedings before a court,
and it is in accordance with regulations.
(5)
The use or disclosure of the debtor information is authorised if the information has previously been lawfully disclosed to the public.
(6)
The use or disclosure of the debtor information is authorised if it is in accordance with rules of court that comply with regulations under subsection (7).
(7)
Regulations may make provision about the circumstances, if any, in which rules of court may allow access to, or the supply of, information disclosed in accordance with a department information request or an information order.
(8)
It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (2) to prove that he reasonably believed that the use or disclosure was lawful.
(9)
A person guilty of an offence under subsection (2) is liable—
(a)
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both;
(b)
on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding F1the general limit in a magistrates’ court, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both.