LCJ: shortage of judges ‘unsustainable’

In a speech at a judges’ dinner in Mansion House this week, Lord Burnett thanked judges for their hard work dealing with ‘a workload that grows ever heavier and more complex’.

He said the courts and tribunals modernisation programme was now ‘well underway’ and delivering ‘visible improvements’. However, he noted that, for the fourth year in a row, the Judicial appointments Commission, despite impressive efforts, had been unable to meet the required quota of recommendations.

The High Court currently had 93 judges,15 less than the 108 required, and the next influx of judges in the Autumn would not be enough to make up the shortfall.

‘That shortfall followed and largely resulted from the steady erosion of judicial terms and conditions,’ he said.

‘We face a real prospect next year of having to operate with about 80% of the complement.That is unsustainable.

‘There is an urgent need to act now if we are to avoid serious and lasting damage to the High Court and to the international position of the jurisdiction of England and Wales, with knock on consequences for the professional services industry and the City.’