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15 May 2008 / Jennifer James
Issue: 7321 / Categories: Features , Legal services , Procedure & practice , Profession
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Life is a roller-coaster

Jennifer James turns the tables on her judicial colleagues…and exposes some idiosyncrasies of the system

The Insider has not previously written about sitting as a deputy judge for fear of (at worst) contempt of court, or (at best) falling foul of the wise words imparted to me by my sweet silver-haired mother, namely, don't poop where you eat.

However, over the past few years it has become clear that the position has got its pros and cons, and I can write about these in (hopefully) sufficiently vague terms so as not to awake the Kraken or anybody else at the Ministry of Justice. Here goes.

The Balanced Approach

Pro: Most of the full-time costs judges can hopefully sympathise with me in this heat wave as they have worn stockings, even though they are men. This is of course thanks to the formal attire required for the annual Opening of the Legal Year festivities and only thanks to that. No, stop messing about.

Con: Several of them have better legs than me.

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