Nightingale Courts are now up and running – the Nightingale programme has provided 50 courtrooms across the estate which enables more crime work to be dealt with. The Lady Chief Justice is pleased to announce the appointment of three new leadership judges. These roles are the Deputy Senior Presiding Judge, Vice President of the King’s Bench Division and Lead Judge for Diversity & Inclusion, Leadership Development and Wellbeing. Deputy Senior Presiding Judge Every HM Courts & Tribunals building – including Nightingale Courts - meets the government’s COVID-secure guidelines, and public health experts have confirmed the arrangements remain sufficient to deal with the current strains of the virus. The Queen is pleased to approve the appointment of a Justice of the High Court. This appointment will take effect from 1 October 2021. It is anticipated that further appointments will be announced in the coming months. There is no upper or lower age limit for candidates apart from the statutory retirement age. The Mandatory Retirement Age (as of 10 March 2022) is 75 and therefore we will consider applications from candidates who can offer a reasonable length of service before reaching the retirement age of 75 following recommendation

Julia Dias KC will be known as The Honourable Mrs Justice Dias. She was Called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1982 and took Silk in 2008. She was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2018, assigned to the Chancery Division. We have no evidence that an increase in the MRA would impact adversely on public confidence in the judiciary. Public trust in the judiciary remains very high at 84%, with the Ipsos Mori Veracity Index (2020) placing judges in the top five most trusted professions This has remained consistently high since the index was first published in 1983. hearings using remote technology are taking place each week – compared to around 550 in March 2020 – a 4000% rise. Over 290 courtrooms have been assessed as being routinely available to hold jury trials – more than before the pandemic.

Number of Judges in each Jurisdiction

In applying for any exercise, you should consider whether you can provide the full years’ service before retirement. The JAC Selection and Character Committee will decide whether a candidate will be able to provide a reasonable length of service. In doing this they will take into account the number of vacancies, application numbers and the business need for the role. Mr Justice Hilliard has been appointed to the North Eastern Circuit where he will succeed Mr Justice Lavender. Lord Justice Dingemans was called to the Bar in 1987 and took silk in 2002. He was leading counsel to the Hutton Inquiry (into the death of biological warfare expert and former UN weapons inspector, David Kelly, in Iraq) in 2003 and acted for the Express and Star newspapers in the Leveson Inquiry in 2011-2012.

He will take up appointment on 1 October 2020 consequential to the elevation of Lord Justice Arnold. The King is pleased to approve the appointment of a Justice of the High Court. This appointment will take effect from 20 February 2023. It is anticipated that further appointments will be announced. Lord Justice Green has been appointed as Deputy Senior Presiding Judge of England and Wales. The appointment starts in January 2024 and runs until 30 September 2024.Peach – An Independent Scrutiny of the Appointment Process of Judges and Queen’s Counsel in England and Wales (London, 1999) Raising the retirement age will mean we can retain their invaluable experience, while ensuring that judicial roles are open to a wider pool of talent. The age at which someone is appointed should allow for a reasonable length of service, which is usually between three and five years before retirement. Malleson & Russell (ed), Appointing Judges in an Age of Judicial Power: Critical Perspectives from around the World, (University of Toronto Press) (2006)

The Lord Chief Justice, with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor, has announced the appointment of three Presiding Judges. Andrew Ritchie QC, aged 61 will be known as The Honourable Mr Justice Ritchie. He was Called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1985 and took Silk in 2009. The majority view of those that responded to the consultation felt that raising the MRA to 75 would not lead to the public having less confidence in the judiciary. With improvements in average life expectancy in the UK and the tendency for individuals to now work for longer, a higher MRA of 75 reflects these societal changes. Additionally, the benefit for judicial resource from retention of experienced JOHs supports the effective operation of our courts and tribunals, which could help to maintain and promote public confidence in the justice system. He will take up appointment on 1 October 2020 consequential to the elevation of Lord Justice Baker.

About gov.ie

Lady Justice Whipple takes on a new expanded role as Lead Judge for Diversity & Inclusion, Leadership Development and Wellbeing, following the appointment of Lady Justice Simler to the Supreme Court. She will build on the existing work to encourage greater diversity of people joining the judiciary, improving leadership practices and ensure that judges receive the wellbeing support they need. This role starts with immediate effect. The King is pleased to approve the appointment of a Justice of the High Court. This appointment will take effect from 20 March 2023. The Queen is pleased to approve the appointment of a Justice of the High Court. This appointment will take effect from 1 February 2021. It is anticipated that further announcements will be made.