Courts Act 2003 (c. 39)

Valid from 26/01/2004

Part 6 E+W Judges

Offices, titles, styles etc. E+W

62 Head and Deputy Head of Civil Justice E+W

(1) The Lord Chancellor must appoint a person to be Head of Civil Justice and may appoint a person to be Deputy Head of Civil Justice.

(2) No person may be appointed under subsection (1) unless he is—

(a) the Master of the Rolls,

(b) the Vice-Chancellor, or

(c) an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal.

(3) A person appointed as Head of Civil Justice or Deputy Head of Civil Justice holds that office in accordance with the terms of his appointment.

63 Ordinary judges of the Court of Appeal E+W

(1) In section 2 of the 1981 Act (the Court of Appeal), for subsection (3) substitute—

“(3) An ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal (including the vice-president, if any, of either division) shall be styled “Lord Justice of Appeal” or “Lady Justice of Appeal”.”

(2) “The 1981 Act” means the Supreme Court Act 1981 (c. 54).

64 Power to alter judicial titles E+W

(1) The Lord Chancellor may by order—

(a) alter the name of an office listed in subsection (2);

(b) provide for or alter the way in which the holders of any of those offices are to be styled.

(2) The offices are—

• Admiralty Registrar

• Assistant Recorder

• Circuit judge

• Deputy Circuit judge

• Deputy district judge appointed under section 102 of the 1981 Act

• Deputy district judge for a county court district

• Deputy judge of the High Court

• District judge for a county court district

• District judge of the High Court

• District judge of the principal registry of the Family Division

• District probate registrar

• Lord Chief Justice

• Master of the Chancery Division

• Master of the Court of Protection

• Master of the Queen’s Bench Division

• Master of the Rolls

• Ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal

• President of the Family Division

• Presiding Judge for a Circuit

• Puisne judge of the High Court

• Queen’s Coroner and Attorney and Master of the Crown Office and Registrar of Criminal Appeals

• Recorder

• Registrar in Bankruptcy of the High Court

• Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales

• Taxing Master of the Supreme Court

• Vice-Chancellor

• Vice-president of the Court of Appeal

• Vice-president of the Queen’s Bench Division.

(3) The Lord Chancellor may also by order provide for or alter the way in which deputies or temporary additional officers appointed under section 91(1)(a) of the 1981 Act are to be styled.

(4) Before making an order under this section the Lord Chancellor must consult—

(a) the Lord Chief Justice,

(b) the Master of the Rolls,

(c) the President of the Family Division, and

(d) the Vice-Chancellor.

(5) An order under this section may make such provision as the Lord Chancellor considers necessary in consequence of any provision made under subsection (1) or (3).

(6) The provision that may be made under subsection (5) includes provision amending, repealing or revoking any enactment.