Constitutional Reform Act 2005

Valid from 03/04/2006

Chapter 2 N.I. Removals

133 Removal from most senior judicial offices N.I.

In the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 (c. 23) before section 13 insert—

“12B Tenure of office

(1) The Lord Chief Justice, Lords Justices of Appeal and judges of the High Court hold office during good behaviour (subject to section 26 of, and Schedule 7 to, the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993).

(2) Her Majesty may on an address presented to Her Majesty by both Houses of Parliament remove a person from office as Lord Chief Justice, a Lord Justice of Appeal or a judge of the High Court.

(3) A motion for the presentation of an address to Her Majesty for the removal of a person from any of those offices may be made—

(a) to the House of Commons only by the Prime Minister; and

(b) to the House of Lords only by the Lord Chancellor or, if the Lord Chancellor is not a member of that House, by another Minister of the Crown at his request.

(4) No motion for the presentation of such an address may be made unless a tribunal convened under section 135 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 has reported to the Lord Chancellor recommending that the person be removed from the office on the ground of misbehaviour.

(5) The Prime Minister shall lay a copy of the report before the House of Commons before making a motion for the presentation of an address in that House; and a person making such a motion in the House of Lords shall lay a copy of the report before that House before making the motion.

(6) If the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor are considering the making of motions for the presentation of an address to Her Majesty in relation to the Lord Chief Justice, the Prime Minister may suspend him from office; and if they are considering the making of such motions in relation to a Lord Justice of Appeal or a judge of the High Court the Prime Minister may suspend him from office with the agreement of the Lord Chief Justice.

(7) If a person is suspended from an office under subsection (6), he may not perform any of the functions of the office (but his other rights as holder of the office are unaffected).”

134 Removal from listed judicial offices N.I.

(1) A person holding a listed judicial office other than as a judge of the High Court may be removed from office (and suspended from office pending a decision whether to remove him) but only in accordance with this section.

(2) The power to remove or suspend him is exercisable by the Lord Chancellor.

(3) He may only be removed if a tribunal convened under section 135 has reported to the Lord Chancellor recommending that he be removed on the ground of misbehaviour or inability to perform the functions of the office.

(4) He may only be suspended if the tribunal, at any time when it is considering whether to recommend his removal, has recommended to the Lord Chancellor that he be suspended.

(5) He may not be removed or suspended except after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice.

(6) If he is suspended he may not perform any of the functions of the office until the decision whether to remove him has been taken (but his other rights as holder of the office are unaffected).

135 Tribunals for considering removal N.I.

(1) A tribunal to consider the removal of the Lord Chief Justice may be convened by the Lord Chancellor.

(2) A tribunal to consider the removal of the holder of any other protected judicial office may be convened—

(a) by the Lord Chancellor, after consulting the Lord Chief Justice, or

(b) by the Lord Chief Justice, after consulting the Lord Chancellor.

(3) A tribunal to consider the removal of the Lord Chief Justice or a Lord Justice of Appeal may not be convened unless the Prime Minister has been consulted.

(4) A tribunal to consider the removal of the Lord Chief Justice, a Lord Justice of Appeal or a judge of the High Court is to consist of—

(a) a person who holds high judicial office within the meaning of Part 3 and does not hold (and has never held) the office of Lord Chief Justice, Lord Justice of Appeal or judge of the High Court,

(b) a person who is, or has been, a judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales or the Inner House of the Court of Session, and

(c) a person who does not hold (and has never held) a protected judicial office and is not (and has never been) a barrister or solicitor.

(5) A tribunal to consider the removal of the holder of any other protected judicial office is to consist of—

(a) a person who holds, or has held, the office of Lord Chief Justice or Lord Justice of Appeal,

(b) a person who holds the office of judge of the High Court, and

(c) a person who does not hold (and has never held) a protected judicial office and is not (and has never been) a barrister or solicitor.

(6) The chairman of a tribunal is the person mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (4)or (5).

(7) The selection of the persons to be the members of a tribunal under paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (4) is to be made by the Lord Chancellor, after consultation with—

(a) the Lord Chief Justice (unless the tribunal is to consider his removal from office),

(b) the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom,

(c) the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and

(d) the Lord President of the Court of Session.

(8) The selection of the persons to be the members of a tribunal under paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (5) is to be made by the Lord Chief Justice.

(9) The selection of the person who is to be the member of a tribunal under paragraph (c) of subsection (4) or (5) is to be made by the Lord Chancellor.

(10) The procedure of a tribunal is to be determined by the Lord Chief Justice except where—

(a) the office of Lord Chief Justice is vacant,

(b) he is not available, or

(c) the tribunal is to consider his removal from office;

and in such a case its procedure is to be determined by its chairman.

(11) The Lord Chancellor may pay to a member of a tribunal any such allowances or fees as he may determine.

136 Interpretation of Part 5 N.I.

In this Part—

• “listed judicial office” means an office listed in Schedule 1 to the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 (c. 26);

• “Lord Chief Justice”, unless otherwise stated, means the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland;

• “Lord Justice of Appeal” means a person styled as such under section 3 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 (c. 23);

• “protected judicial office” means the office of Lord Chief Justice, the office of Lord Justice of Appeal or a listed judicial office.