The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 is an
Act of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provides for several diverse matters relating to the law, some of them being significant changes to the structure of the courts and fundamental legal procedures. Part 1 provides a scheme for radical overhaul of the
tribunal system in the UK, creating a new unified structure with two new tribunals to embrace the former fragmented scheme, along with a
Senior President of Tribunals. Part 2 defines new criteria for appointment as a
judge, generally reducing the length of experience required with the aim of increasing
diversity in the
judiciary. Part 3 creates a new system of
taking control of goods in order to enforce
judgments and abolishes ancient
common law writs and
remedies such as
fieri facias,
replevin and
distress for rent. It introduces a modern system of 'certified enforcement agents' and 'exempted enforcement agents' which includes civil servants such as court officers and County Court Bailiffs, civilian enforcement officers and police officers. Part 4 makes some changes to
attachment of earnings and
charging orders to make recovery of debts more straightforward. Part 5 makes some changes to
insolvency practice in order to provide low-cost protection for people who have previously been
excluded owing to their small debts and lack of assets. Part 6 provides protection from seizure for foreign
antiquities and artefacts on display in the UK and whose
provenance is alleged to be broken by misappropriation. Such artefacts can only be seized on a
court order that was compelled by a
Community obligation or a
treaty obligation.