Clergy Discipline Measure 2003

23 Vicar-General’s court

(1) The Vicar-General’s court, when exercising its jurisdiction in disciplinary proceedings under this Measure against a bishop, shall consist of five members as follows—

(a) the chairman, who shall be the Vicar-General of the relevant province unless he declares himself to be personally acquainted with the complainant or the respondent, in which case the president of tribunals shall appoint a person to be the chairman from those nominated under section 21(2)(c) above to serve on the relevant provincial panel of the province other than that in which the bishop serves;

(b) two persons in Holy Orders (one of whom shall be in Episcopal Orders) appointed by the president of tribunals;

(c) two lay persons appointed by the president of tribunals from among those nominated under section 21(2)(a) or (3)(a) above to serve on the provincial panel of the province other than that in which the bishop serves.

(2) The Vicar-General’s court, when exercising its jurisdiction in disciplinary proceedings under this Measure against an archbishop of a province, shall consist of five members as follows—

(a) the chairman, who shall be the Vicar-General of the other province unless he declares himself to be personally acquainted with the complainant or the respondent, in which case the president of tribunals shall appoint a person to be chairman from those nominated under section 21(2)(c) above to serve on the provincial panel of the other province;

(b) two persons in Holy Orders (one of whom shall be in Episcopal Orders) appointed by the president of tribunals;

(c) two lay persons appointed by the president of tribunals from among those nominated under section 21(2)(a) or 3(a) above to serve on the provincial panel of the other province.

(3) The president of tribunals shall not appoint any person to be a member of the Vicar-General’s court of a province unless he is satisfied that there is no reason to question the impartiality of that person, and before doing so he shall afford an opportunity to the respondent to make representations as to the suitability of that person to be appointed.