Courts Act 1971

17 Retirement, removal and disqualifications of Circuit judges

(1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4) below, a Circuit judge shall vacate his office at the end of the completed year of service in which he attains the age of seventy-two.

(2) Where the Lord Chancellor considers it desirable in the public interest to retain a Circuit judge in office after the time at which he would otherwise retire in accordance with subsection (1) above, he may from time to time authorise the continuance in office of that judge until such date, not being later than the date on which the judge attains the age of seventy-five, as he thinks fit.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1) above a person who becomes a Circuit judge by virtue of any provision of paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to this Act shall be treated as completing a year of service on the anniversary of his appointment to the office by virtue of which he becomes a Circuit judge.

(4) The Lord Chancellor may, if he thinks fit, remove a Circuit judge from office on the ground of incapacity or misbehaviour.

(5) In Part I of Schedule 1 to the [1957 c. 20.] House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957 (which lists judicial offices the holders of which are disqualified for membership of the House of Commons, and of the Senate and House of Commons of Northern Ireland) there shall be inserted, before the entry relating to sheriffs in Scotland, the words " Circuit judge ".

(6) So long as he holds office as such, no Circuit judge shall practise as a barrister, or act for any remuneration to himself as arbitrator or referee, or be directly or indirectly concerned as a conveyancer, notary public or solicitor.