Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales

The Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales is a member of the Court of Appeal appointed by the Lord Chief Justice to supervise the Presiding Judges for the various judicial circuits of England and Wales. The Senior Presiding Judge is responsible for deployment and personnel issues for all circuits and acts as a "general point of liaison" for the courts, judiciary and Government.

The post dates to the appointment in 1983 of Sir Tasker Watkins,^[1] who remains the longest-serving holder of the office. The arrangement was put on a statutory footing with the enactment of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.^[2][3]

Presiding Judges

In each circuit, there are two Presiding Judges appointed by the Lord Chief Justice to preside each of the six circuits in England and Wales, with the exception of the South-Eastern circuit which is supervised by the Lord Chief Justice and two High Court judges.^[4] The judge is responsible for the deployment of the judiciary and allocation of cases and for the general supervision of the judiciary in the circuit.^[5]

List of Senior Presiding Judges

• 1983: Sir Tasker Watkins VC GBE^[1]
• 1991: Sir Anthony McCowan^[6]
• 1995: Sir Robin Auld^[7][8]
• 1998: Sir Igor Judge^[9]
• 2003: Sir John Thomas^[10]
• 1 January 2007: Sir Brian Leveson^[11]
• 1 January 2010: Sir John Goldring^[12]
• 1 January 2013: Sir Peter Gross^[13]
• 1 January 2016: Sir Adrian Fulford^[14]
• 3 April 2017: Dame Julia Macur^[15]
• 1 January 2020: Dame Kathryn Thirlwall^[16]
• 1 October 2021: Sir Charles Haddon-Cave
• 1 October 2022: Sir Andrew Edis

Deputy Senior Presiding Judge

Following the enactment of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, increased duties for the Senior Presiding Judge prompted the Lord Chief Justice to appoint a deputy.^[17] The office has twice fallen vacant for 21 months, each time after the incumbent became Senior Presiding Judge.

• 1 January 2006: Sir Brian Leveson^[17]
• 1 January 2007: Vacant
• October 2008: Sir John Goldring^[18]
• 1 January 2010: Vacant
• 3 October 2011: Sir Peter Gross^[19]
• 1 January 2013: Vacant
• 1 January 2015: Sir Adrian Fulford
• 1 January 2016: Dame Julia Macur^[14]
• 10 October 2017: Dame Kathryn Thirlwall^[20]
• 1 January 2020: Sir Charles Haddon-Cave^[21]
• 29 November 2021: Sir Andrew Edis
• 1 October 2022: Vacant

References

1. "Sir Tasker Watkins VC". The Telegraph. 10 September 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
2. House of Lords Debates 20 February 1990 c. 237.
3. House of Lords Debates 1 March 1990 c. 876.
4. Jonathan, Law; Martin, Elizabeth (2014). A Dictionary of Law. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191726729.
5. "New Presiding Judges Appointed". Judiciary UK. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
6. "Sir Anthony McCowan". The Telegraph. 9 July 2003. from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2012. From 1991 to 1995, McCowan was Senior Presiding Judge of England and Wales. Alt URL
7. "The Rt Hon Sir Robin Auld". Debrett's People of Today. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
8. Richard E. Susskind, ed. (2005). "Chapter Four: The Rt Hon Lord Justice Auld, Lord Justice of Appeal, Chairman of the Criminal Courts Review (1999–2001)". The Susskind Interviews: Legal Experts in Changing Times. London: Sweet & Maxwell, Ltd. p. 45. ISBN 0-421-91260-X. He was the Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales from 1995 to 1998.
9. . Judiciary of England and Wales. Archived from the original on 20 November 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
10. "Biography of President of the Queen's Bench Division: The Right Honourable Sir John Thomas". Judiciary of England and Wales. from the original on 30 October 2012.
11. (Press release). Judicial Communications Office. 18 July 2006. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
12. (Press release). Judicial Communications Office. 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
13. "Appointment of new Senior Presiding Judge" (Press release). Judiciary of England and Wales. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
14. "Appointment of the Deputy Senior Presiding Judges and Senior Presiding Judges". www.judiciary.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
15. "Lady Justice Macur DBE".
16. The Rt Hon Lady Justice Thirlwall DBE – Senior Presiding Judge
17. "Deputy Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales" (Press release). Judicial Communications Office. 9 December 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
18. "Senior Judicial Appointments Announced" (Press release). Judicial Communications Office. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
19. (Press release). Judicial Communications Office. 27 July 2011. Archived from the original on 18 December 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
20. "Appointment of Deputy Senior Presiding Judge".
21. Appointment of Deputy Senior Presiding Judge