EXTRA-The selection and security of Judges Flashcards
Traditionally how were senior judges appointed?
by the PM following consultation from the Lord Chancellor
Who were HC judges, CJ and magistrates appointed by?
the Lord Chancellor mostly from the ranks of senior barristers known as QC’s
What were the 2 dangers of the traditional method of appointment of judges ?
- become a means of rewarding relatives and friends (nepotism)
- meant that people were not chosen because of their judicial merit but rather because of their political leanings and known views on matters of public life
What does the Judicial Appointments Commission now do?
they examine the way in which judicial appointments are made, it puts forward nominations and there are clear restrictions on the ability of the LC to reject them
What did Lord Denning say in 1970?
that ‘blacks’ should not serve on British juries because of their ‘alien’ cultural backgrounds
What was the average age of senior civil servants in 2003?
68.5 years old
In Britain what statute established that judges are appointed for life?
the Act of Settlement 1701
What is the Act of Settlement 1701?
this established that judges be appointed for life
Today, what are the only grounds available in order to dismiss a judge?
for misbehaviour
In 1983 what was one judge dismissed for?
Whiskey smuggling
