The single justice procedure (SJP)
The single justice procedure lets one magistrate decide minor, non-imprisonable offences for adults on the papers, such as TV licence evasion, fare evasion or speeding. You get a notice and must respond by its deadline by pleading guilty, guilty with a hearing, or not guilty.
What it is
The single justice procedure (SJP) lets one magistrate, with a legal adviser, decide minor cases on the papers, without a hearing in open court (Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 ss.16A to 16F, added by the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015).
Which cases
- Only defendants aged 18 or over (or companies).
- Only summary-only offences that cannot be punished with prison (s.16A(1)), for example TV licence evasion, many rail fare evasion cases, speeding, driving without insurance and other minor motoring offences.
- Prosecutors include the police, CPS, TV Licensing, train operators, the DVLA and councils.
The notice and deadline
You receive a single justice procedure notice with the charge and evidence. Respond by the date on the notice. GOV.UK describes this as 21 days; the Criminal Procedure Rules 2025 r.24.9 set 15 business days from service. You can usually reply online or by post.
Your options
- Plead guilty on the papers: send any explanation (mitigation) and your financial details, and the magistrate decides.
- Plead guilty but ask for a hearing to explain in person.
- Plead not guilty: the case is sent to an ordinary magistrates' court for trial, which you attend.
- For a few offences the notice may offer an automatic online conviction option with a fixed penalty.
Pleading guilty promptly earns a reduction of up to a third.
If you ignore it
The magistrate can decide the case without you. You lose the guilty plea reduction and, without financial details, the court may assume a weekly income of £440 when setting the fine (Sentencing Council). Fines can be taken from wages or benefits. If a driving ban is proposed, you can ask to make representations at a hearing (s.16C).
If you never knew about it
If the case went ahead without your knowledge, for example because the notice went to an old address, you can make a statutory declaration that you did not know. It must reach the court within 21 days of finding out, with your response to the charge (s.16E). The court can accept it late if it was not reasonable to expect you to meet that deadline. The case then starts again. If you knew but missed the deadline, you can ask the court to reopen it in the interests of justice (s.142).
Fines and the means form
Fines depend on your income. Fill in the means form fully, including benefits and essential outgoings. Costs and a victim surcharge are usually added. An SJP conviction is a criminal conviction.
Getting advice
If you have a defence or face a driving ban, get advice before pleading.
Authorities: Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 ss.16A, 16C, 16E, 142 (ss.16A to 16F inserted by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 s.48); Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (automatic online conviction option); Criminal Procedure Rules 2025 r.24.9; GOV.UK, Single justice procedure notices; Sentencing Council, Approach to fines