List of High Court judges of England and Wales
This article is part of the series: Courts of England and Wales |
Law of England and Wales |
---|
![]() |
This is a list of Justices of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, the puisne judges of the court. They serve in addition to the High Court's ex officio members:[1]
- Lord Chief Justice
- President of the Queen's Bench Division
- President of the Family Division
- Chancellor of the High Court
- Senior Presiding Judge
- Vice-President of the Queen's Bench Division
In addition to the justices, Masters of the High Court (Queen's Bench Masters, Chancery Masters, Taxing Masters/Costs Judges) and Insolvency and Companies Court Judges also form part of the judiciary of the High Court. Decisions of justices, masters and of Insolvency and Companies Court Judges are of equal standing, both types being judges of the High Court sitting at first instance.[2]
Within months of appointment, male justices are made knights bachelor, and female justices are made Dame Commanders of the British Empire (DBE). In addition, all High Court judges are entitled to the judicial style Mr/Mrs Justice X'.
The number of Justices of the High Court is limited to 108,[n 1] and the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 mandates that they, along with other senior judges throughout the UK retire at 70 years of age. Judges appointed before 31 March 1995 are excepted and may wait to retire at 75. As of 2020 the last such Judge remaining in the High Court is Mr Justice Holman. In the Supreme Court, Lady Arden can similarly stay in post until she is 75.
List of current judges[]
As at 15 February 2021, there are 105 Justices of the High Court (16 Chancery Division, 20 Family Division, and 69 Queen's Bench Division judges), 74 male and 31 female.[citation needed]
Judge | Mandatory retirement | Date of appointment | Division | Role | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sir James Holman | 21 August 2022[n 2] | 18 March 1995 | Family | |
2 | Sir Anthony Mann | 21 May 2021 | 19 January 2004 | Chancery | |
3 | Sir Paul Morgan | 17 August 2022 | 19 April 2007 | Chancery | |
4 | Sir Nigel Sweeney | 18 March 2024 | 1 October 2008 | Queen's Bench | |
5 | Sir Andrew Nicol | 9 May 2021 | 4 February 2009 | Queen's Bench | |
6 | Sir Peter Roth | 19 December 2022 | 1 October 2009 | Chancery | President of the Competition Appeal Tribunal |
7 | Sir Nicholas Mostyn | 13 July 2027 | 20 April 2010 | Family | |
8 | Sir Robin Spencer | 8 July 2025 | 14 July 2010 | Queen's Bench | |
9 | Dame Lucy Theis | 6 November 2030 | 15 November 2010 | Family | |
10 | Sir Robert Hildyard | 10 October 2022 | 3 October 2011 | Chancery | |
11 | Dame Beverley Lang | 13 October 2025 | 3 October 2011 | Queen's Bench | |
12 | Sir Philip Moor | 15 July 2029 | 3 October 2011 | Family | |
13 | Sir Stephen Cobb | 12 April 2032 | 11 January 2013 | Family | |
14 | Sir Mark Turner | 27 August 2029 | 28 January 2013 | Queen's Bench | |
15 | Sir Jeremy Baker | 9 February 2028 | 25 March 2013 | Queen's Bench | |
16 | Sir Stephen Stewart | 9 October 2023 | 7 May 2013 | Queen's Bench | Judge in charge of the Queen’s Bench Civil List |
17 | Sir Joseph Keehan | 31 March 2030 | 13 May 2013 | Family | |
18 | Sir Robert Jay | 20 September 2029 | 4 June 2013 | Queen's Bench | |
19 | Sir Anthony Hayden | 24 June 2031 | 31 July 2013 | Family | |
20 | Dame Alison Russell | 17 June 2028 | 13 January 2014 | Family | |
21 | Sir William Davis | 20 June 2024 | 1 May 2014 | Queen's Bench | |
22 | Sir Roderick Newton | 15 April 2028 | 5 May 2014 | Family | |
23 | Dame Jennifer Roberts | 3 March 2023 | 3 June 2014 | Family | |
24 | Sir James Goss | 12 May 2023 | 1 October 2014 | Queen's Bench | |
25 | Dame Maura McGowan | 27 January 2027 | 1 October 2014 | Queen's Bench | |
26 | Sir Robin Knowles | 7 April 2030 | 1 October 2014 | Queen's Bench | |
27 | Sir Ian Dove | 31 December 2033 | 1 October 2014 | Queen's Bench | |
28 | Sir David Holgate | 3 August 2026 | 1 December 2014 | Queen's Bench | Planning Liaison Judge |
29 | Sir Richard Snowden | 22 March 2032 | 30 April 2015 | Chancery | |
30 | Sir Alistair MacDonald | 22 February 2040 | 3 June 2015 | Family | |
31 | Sir Timothy Kerr | 15 February 2028 | 4 June 2015 | Queen's Bench | |
32 | 23 April 2036 | 8 June 2015 | Queen's Bench | ||
33 | Dame Philippa Whipple | 7 May 2036 | 1 October 2015 | Queen's Bench | |
34 | Sir Peter Fraser | 6 September 2033 | 1 October 2015 | Queen's Bench | Judge in Charge of the Technology and Construction Court |
35 | 11 February 2029 | 5 November 2015 | Queen's Bench | ||
36 | Dame Parmjit-Kaur (Bobbie) Cheema-Grubb | 6 October 2036 | 25 November 2015 | Queen's Bench | |
37 | 8 July 2024 | 26 November 2015 | Queen's Bench | ||
38 | Dame Juliet May | 21 March 2031 | 3 December 2015 | Queen's Bench | |
39 | 18 May 2027 | 3 October 2016 | Queen's Bench | ||
40 | Sir (Peter) Nicholas Francis | 22 April 2028 | 3 October 2016 | Family | |
41 | Dame Nerys Jefford | 25 December 2032 | 3 October 2016 | Queen's Bench | |
42 | 7 August 2034 | 3 October 2016 | Queen's Bench | ||
43 | Dame Finola O'Farrell | 15 December 2030 | 17 October 2016 | Queen's Bench | |
44 | Sir Andrew Baker | 21 December 2035 | 1 November 2016 | Queen's Bench | |
45 | 1 July 2037 | 12 January 2017 | Chancery | ||
46 | 11 July 2032 | 2 October 2017 | Family | ||
47 | Sir Jonathan Cohen | 8 May 2021 | 2 October 2017 | Family | |
48 | 26 July 2031 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | ||
49 | 26 April 2023 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | President of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the Upper Tribunal | |
50 | 23 November 2035 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | ||
51 | 17 January 2030 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | ||
52 | 19 June 2026 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | ||
53 | 18 June 2031 | 2 October 2017 | Family | ||
54 | 26 January 2039 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | ||
55 | Dame Amanda Yip | 23 April 2039 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | |
56 | 16 October 2040 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | ||
57 | Sir Akhlaq Choudhury | 23 April 2037 | 2 October 2017 | Queen's Bench | President of the Employment Appeal Tribunal |
58 | 7 November 2038 | 1 November 2017 | Queen's Bench | ||
59 | 10 May 2033 | 13 November 2017 | Chancery | President of the Tax and Chancery Chamber of the Upper Tribunal | |
60 | 15 August 2033 | 11 January 2018 | Queen's Bench | ||
61 | 30 August 2034 | 11 January 2018 | Chancery | President of the Lands Chamber of the Upper Tribunal | |
62 | 14 August 2032 | 5 March 2018 | Queen's Bench | ||
63 | 21 December 2026 | 25 June 2018 | Queen's Bench | ||
64 | 28 August 2027 | 1 October 2018 | Queen's Bench | ||
65 | 12 January 2034 | 1 October 2018 | Queen's Bench | ||
66 | Dame Sarah Falk | 31 May 2032 | 1 October 2018 | Chancery | |
67 | 11 September 2034 | 1 October 2018 | Queen's Bench | ||
68 | 26 December 2036 | 1 October 2018 | Queen's Bench | ||
69 | 3 May 2028 | 1 October 2018 | Queen's Bench | ||
70 | 21 October 2035 | 1 October 2018 | Queen's Bench | President of the Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal | |
71 | Sir Clive Freedman | 16 November 2025 | 22 October 2018 | Queen's Bench | |
72 | Dame Nathalie Lieven | 20 May 2034 | 11 January 2019 | Family | |
73 | Dame Justine Thornton | 16 September 2040 | 25 February 2019 | Queen's Bench | |
74 | 13 February 2031 | 3 September 2019 | Family | ||
75 | 31 May 2035 | 1 October 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
76 | 17 June 2030 | 1 October 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
77 | 22 January 2027 | 1 October 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
78 | 28 December 2029 | 1 October 2019 | Chancery | ||
79 | 27 April 2032 | 1 October 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
80 | 26 February 2038 | 1 October 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
81 | ≈2041 | 1 October 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
82 | 25 November 2043 | 1 October 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
83 | 20 October 2040 | 1 October 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
84 | Sir Nicholas Hilliard | 1 May 2029 | 18 November 2019 | Queen's Bench | |
85 | 22 April 2032 | 2 December 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
86 | 18 December 2036 | 2 December 2019 | Queen's Bench | ||
87 | Sir Michael Fordham | 21 December 2034 | 13 January 2020 | Queen's Bench | |
88 | 14 October 2035 | 13 January 2020 | Queen's Bench | ||
89 | 26 November 2034 | 13 January 2020 | Queen's Bench | ||
90 | Sir Robert Miles | 29 November 2032 | 21 April 2020 | Chancery | |
91 | Sir Richard Meade | 14 November 2036 | 7 September 2020 | Chancery | |
92 | 4 March 2033 | 1 October 2020 | Queen's Bench | ||
93 | 15 May 2031 | 1 October 2020 | Queen's Bench | ||
94 | 4 September 2033 | 1 October 2020 | Queen's Bench | ||
95 | 4 July 2034 | 1 October 2020 | Queen's Bench | ||
96 | 24 April 2030 | 1 October 2020 | Queen's Bench | ||
97 | 10 November 2035 | 1 October 2020 | Family | ||
98 | Sir Robert Peel | 29 January 2036 | 1 October 2020 | Family | |
99 | 4 October 2035 | 1 October 2020 | Chancery | ||
100 | 29 October 2043 | 1 October 2020 | Chancery | ||
101 | 23 October 2034 | 2 November 2020 | Chancery | ||
102 | 20 March 2040 | 2 November 2020 | Queen's Bench | ||
103 | Dame Emma Arbuthnot | 9 January 2029 | 1 February 2021 | Family | |
104 | Sir Edward Mellor | 2032 | 8 February 2021 | Chancery | |
105 | 27 April 2038 | 15 February 2021 | Chancery |
Former judges[]
Common Pleas Division (1875–81)[]
The Common Pleas Division was one of the original divisions of the High Court. It was created in 1875 through the merger of the Court of Common Pleas into the High Court. The five existing Justices of the Common Pleas were transferred to the new Common Pleas Division, and retained their previous titles until they left office. The Common Pleas Division was merged into the Queen's Bench Division in 1881, and all of its remaining Justices were transferred to the latter.
The head of the Division was the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas; the post was abolished along with the Common Pleas Division in 1881, and its powers vested in the Lord Chief Justice.
Name | Known as | Division | In succession to | Term began | Term ended | Reason | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sir William Baliol Brett | Mr Justice Brett | Common Pleas | None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) | 1 November 1875 | 24 October 1876 | Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal | MP for Helston 1866–68; Solicitor General 1868; Lord Justice of Appeal 1876–83; PC 1876; Master of the Rolls 1883–97; created Baron Esher in 1885; created Viscount Esher in 1897 |
Sir William Robert Grove | Mr Justice Grove | Common Pleas | None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) | 1 November 1875 | 26 February 1881 | Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division | Justice of the Court of Common Pleas 1871–75; PC 1887 |
Queen's Bench | None (Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) | 26 February 1881 | 2 September 1887 | Resignation | |||
Hon George Denman | Mr Justice Denman | Common Pleas | None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) | 1 November 1875 | 26 February 1881 | Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division | MP for Tiverton 1859–65 and 1866–72; Justice of the Common Pleas 1872–75; refused knighthood upon appointment; PC 1893
[XXXFamilyXXX] |
Queen's Bench | None (Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) | 26 February 1881 | 17 October 1892 | Resignation | |||
Sir Thomas Dickson Archibald | Mr Justice Archibald | Common Pleas | None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) | 1 November 1875 | 18 October 1876 | Death | Junior Counsel to the Treasury 1868–72; Justice of the Queen's Bench 1872–75; Justice of the Common Pleas 1875 |
Sir Nathaniel Lindley | Mr Justice Lindley | Common Pleas | None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) | 1 November 1875 | 26 February 1881 | Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division | Justice of the Common Pleas 1875; Lord Justice of Appeal 1881–97; PC 1881; Master of the Rolls 1897–1900; Lord of Appeal in Ordinary 1900–05; created Baron Lindley in 1900 |
Queen's Bench | None (Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) | 26 February 1881 | 1 November 1881 | Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal | |||
Sir Henry Charles Lopes | Mr Justice Lopes | Common Pleas | Mr Justice Archibald | 7 November 1876 | 26 February 1881 | Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division | MP for Launceston 1868–74; MP for Frome 1874–76; Lord Justice of Appeal 1885–97; PC 1885; created Baron Ludlow in 1897 |
Queen's Bench | None (Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) | 26 February 1881 | 1 December 1885 | Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal |
Exchequer Division (1875–81)[]
The Exchequer Division was one of the original divisions of the High Court. It was created in 1875 through the merger of the Court of Exchequer into the High Court. The six existing Barons of the Exchequer were transferred to the new Exchequer Division, and retained their previous titles until they left office. Sir Henry Hawkins, the first judge to be directly appointed to the Exchequer Division, tried in vain to obtain the title of Baron, but was styled a Judge of the High Court instead. The Exchequer Division was merged into the Queen's Bench Division in 1881, and all of its remaining Justices were transferred to the latter.
The head of the Division was the Chief Baron of the Exchequer; the post was abolished along with the Exchequer Division in 1881, and its powers vested in the Lord Chief Justice.
Name | Known as | Division | In succession to | Term began | Term ended | Reason | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sir George William Wilshere Bramwell | Mr Baron Bramwell | Exchequer | None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) | 1 November 1875 | 23 October 1876 | Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal | Baron of the Exchequer 1856–76; Lord Justice of Appeal 1876–81; PC 1876; created Baron Bramwell in 1882 |
Sir Anthony Cleasby | Mr Baron Cleasby | Exchequer | None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) | 1 November 1875 | 9 January 1879 | Resignation | Baron of the Exchequer 1868–79 |
Sir Charles Edward Pollock | Mr Baron Pollock | Exchequer | None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) | 1 November 1875 | 26 February 1881 | Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division | Baron of the Exchequer 1873–97 (last Baron of the Exchequer)
[Family] |
Queen's Bench | None (Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) | 26 February 1881 | 21 November 1897 | Death | |||
Sir Richard Paul Amphlett | Mr Baron Amphlett | Exchequer | None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) | 1 November 1875 | 25 October 1876 | Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal | MP for East Worcestershire 1868–74; Baron of the Exchequer 1874–76; Lord Justice of Appeal 1876–77; PC 1876 |
Sir John Walter Huddleston | Mr Baron Huddleston | Exchequer | None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) | 1 November 1875 | 26 February 1881 | Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division | Judge Advocate of the Fleet 1865–75; MP for Canterbury 1865–68; MP for Norwich 1874–75; Justice of the Common Pleas 1875; Baron of the Exchequer 1875–90 |
Queen's Bench | None (Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) | 26 February 1881 | 5 December 1890 | Death | |||
Sir Henry Hawkins | Mr Justice Hawkins? | Queen's Bench | ? | 2 November 1876 | 14 November 1876 | Transferred to the Exchequer Division | Created Baron Brampton in 1899; PC 1899 |
Exchequer | ? | 14 November 1876 | 26 February 1881 | Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division | |||
Queen's Bench | None (Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) | 26 February 1881 | 4 January 1899 | Resignation | |||
Sir James Fitzjames Stephen | Mr Justice Stephen | Exchequer | Mr Baron Cleasby | 15 January 1879 | 26 February 1881 | Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division | Legal member of the Imperial Legislative Council 1869–72; KCSI 1877; created a baronet in 1891 |
Queen's Bench | None (Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) | 26 February 1881 | 6 April 1891 | Resignation |
See also[]
- Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
- List of Lords Justices of Appeal
- Senator of the College of Justice
- Category:English judges
- Category:Welsh judges
- Category:High Court judges (England and Wales)
Notes[]
- ^ The Senior Courts Act 1981 specifies 80,[1] but that has been amended (without changing the act's text) by The Maximum number of Judges Order 2003[3] to 108. High Court judges sitting on the European Court of Human Rights do not count against the total under the Human Rights Act 1998,[4] and judges sitting on other courts are excluded by virtue of the Access to Justice Act 1999.[5] Recently, this has applied to Nicolas Bratza in respect of the ECHR and Sir Adrian Fulford, who was serving on the International Criminal Court; at the time there were, therefore, 110 judges.[6][7][8] Such seconded judges do not receive a salary as a judge of High Court.[4][5]
- ^ Mandatory retirement for Holman J is at 75, rather than 70, because he was appointed before 31 March 1995.
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Senior Courts Act 1981, s 4(1).
- ^ "Coral Reef decision". uk.practicallaw.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
- ^ 2003/775 art 2.
- ^ Jump up to: a b s 18(4).
- ^ Jump up to: a b s 68(3).
- ^ "Going to Court: High Court". Judiciary of England and Wales. Retrieved 11 October 2012. (explaining there are 73 QBD, 18 CD, and 19 FD judges, which totals 110)
- ^ Whitehead, Tom (28 April 2009). "Quotas could be introduced for judges to increase ethnic minorities and women". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ "England and Wales—Women Judges in 2000 and 2011" (PDF). Equal Justice Initiative. April 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
- Lists of judges in the United Kingdom
- High Court judges (England and Wales)