List of High Court judges of England and Wales

This is a list of Justices of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, the puisne judges of the court. They serve in addition to the High Court's ex officio members:[1]

This article is part of the series: Courts of England and Wales
Law of England and Wales
Administration
Civil and family courts
Criminal courts
Criminal prosecution
Legal profession

In addition to the justices, Masters of the High Court (Queen's Bench Masters, Chancery Masters, Taxing Masters/Costs Judges) and Insolvency and Companies Court Judges also form part of the judiciary of the High Court. Decisions of justices, masters and of Insolvency and Companies Court Judges are of equal standing, both types being judges of the High Court sitting at first instance.[2]

Within months of appointment, male justices are made knights bachelor, and female justices are made Dame Commanders of the British Empire (DBE). In addition, all High Court judges are entitled to the judicial style Mr/Mrs Justice X'.

The number of Justices of the High Court is limited to 108,[n 1] and the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 mandates that they, along with other senior judges throughout the UK retire at 70 years of age. Judges appointed before 31 March 1995 are excepted and may wait to retire at 75. As of 2020 the last such Judge remaining in the High Court is Mr Justice Holman. In the Supreme Court, Lady Arden can similarly stay in post until she is 75.

List of current judges

As of October 1, 2020, there are 104 Justices of the High Court (14 Chancery Division, 19 Family Division, and 71 Queen's Bench Division judges), 76 male and 28 female.

JudgeMandatory retirementDate of appointmentDivisionRole
1Sir James Holman21 August 2022[n 2]18 March 1995Family
2Sir Anthony Mann21 May 202119 January 2004Chancery
3Sir Paul Morgan17 August 202219 April 2007Chancery
4Sir Nigel Sweeney18 March 20241 October 2008Queen's Bench
5Sir Andrew Nicol9 May 20214 February 2009Queen's Bench
6Sir Peter Roth19 December 20221 October 2009ChanceryPresident of the Competition Appeal Tribunal
7Sir Nicholas Mostyn13 July 202720 April 2010Family
8Sir Robin Spencer8 July 202514 July 2010Queen's Bench
9Dame Lucy Theis6 November 203015 November 2010Family
10Sir Robert Hildyard10 October 20223 October 2011Chancery
11Dame Beverley Lang13 October 20253 October 2011Queen's Bench
12Sir Philip Moor15 July 20293 October 2011Family
13Sir Stephen Cobb12 April 203211 January 2013Family
14Sir Mark Turner27 August 202928 January 2013Queen's Bench
15Sir Jeremy Baker9 February 202825 March 2013Queen's Bench
16Sir Stephen Stewart9 October 20237 May 2013Queen's BenchJudge in charge of the Queen’s Bench Civil List
17Sir Colin Birss28 December 203413 May 2013ChanceryJudge in charge of the Patents Court
18Sir Joseph Keehan31 March 203013 May 2013Family
19Sir Robert Jay20 September 20294 June 2013Queen's Bench
20Sir Clive Lewis13 June 203013 June 2013Queen's Bench
21Sir Anthony Hayden24 June 203131 July 2013Family
22Dame Alison Russell17 June 202813 January 2014Family
23Sir William Davis20 June 20241 May 2014Queen's Bench
24Sir Roderick Newton15 April 20285 May 2014Family
25Dame Jennifer Roberts3 March 20233 June 2014Family
26Sir Mark Warby10 October 202810 June 2014Queen's BenchJudge in charge of the Media & Communications List
27Sir James Goss12 May 20231 October 2014Queen's Bench
28Dame Maura McGowan27 January 20271 October 2014Queen's Bench
29Sir Andrew Edis9 June 20271 October 2014Queen's Bench
30Sir Robin Knowles7 April 20301 October 2014Queen's Bench
31Sir Ian Dove31 December 20331 October 2014Queen's Bench
32Sir David Holgate3 August 20261 December 2014Queen's BenchPlanning Liaison Judge
33Sir Richard Snowden22 March 203230 April 2015Chancery
34Sir Alistair MacDonald22 February 20403 June 2015Family
35Sir Timothy Kerr15 February 20284 June 2015Queen's Bench
36Sir Simon Picken23 April 20368 June 2015Queen's Bench
37Sir Peter Fraser6 September 20331 October 2015Queen's BenchJudge in Charge of the Technology and Construction Court
38Dame Philippa Whipple7 May 20361 October 2015Queen's Bench
39Sir Neil Garnham11 February 20295 November 2015Queen's Bench
40Dame Parmjit-Kaur (Bobbie) Cheema-Grubb6 October 203625 November 2015Queen's Bench
41Sir Michael Soole8 July 202426 November 2015Queen's Bench
42Dame Juliet May21 March 20313 December 2015Queen's Bench
43Sir Stephen Morris18 May 20273 October 2016Queen's Bench
44Sir (Peter) Nicholas Francis22 April 20283 October 2016Family
45Dame Nerys Jefford25 December 20323 October 2016Queen's Bench
46Sir Nicholas Lavender7 August 20343 October 2016Queen's Bench
47Dame Finola O'Farrell15 December 203017 October 2016Queen's Bench
48Sir Andrew Baker21 December 20351 November 2016Queen's Bench
49Sir Marcus Smith1 July 203712 January 2017Chancery
50Sir Jonathan Cohen8 May 20212 October 2017Family
51Sir Peter Richard Lane26 April 20232 October 2017Queen's BenchPresident of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the Upper Tribunal
52Sir Martin Spencer19 June 20262 October 2017Queen's Bench
53Dame (Jane) Clare Moulder17 January 20302 October 2017Queen's Bench
54Sir David Williams18 June 20312 October 2017Family
55Sir Julian Goose26 July 20312 October 2017Queen's Bench
56Dame Gwyneth Knowles11 July 20322 October 2017Family
57Sir Simon Bryan23 November 20352 October 2017Queen's Bench
58Sir Akhlaq Choudhury23 April 20372 October 2017Queen's BenchPresident of the Employment Appeal Tribunal
59Sir Julian Knowles26 January 20392 October 2017Queen's Bench
60Dame Amanda Yip23 April 20392 October 2017Queen's Bench
61Sir Matthew Nicklin16 October 20402 October 2017Queen's Bench
62Dame Sara Cockerill7 November 20381 November 2017Queen's Bench
63Sir Antony Zacaroli10 May 203313 November 2017ChanceryPresident of the Tax and Chancery Chamber of the Upper Tribunal
64Dame Christina Lambert15 August 203311 January 2018Queen's Bench
65Sir Timothy Fancourt30 August 203411 January 2018ChanceryPresident of the Lands Chamber of the Upper Tribunal
66Sir Christopher Butcher14 August 20325 March 2018Queen's Bench
67Sir Richard Jacobs21 December 202625 June 2018Queen's Bench
68Sir David Waksman28 August 20271 October 2018Queen's Bench
69Sir Edward Murray3 May 20281 October 2018Queen's Bench
70Dame Sarah Falk31 May 20321 October 2018Chancery
71Dame Johanna Cutts12 January 20341 October 2018Queen's Bench
72Sir Jonathan Swift11 September 20341 October 2018Queen's Bench
73Dame Judith Farbey21 October 20351 October 2018Queen's BenchPresident of the Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal
74Sir Edward Pepperall26 December 20361 October 2018Queen's Bench
75Sir Clive Freedman16 November 202522 October 2018Queen's Bench
76Dame Nathalie Lieven20 May 203411 January 2019Family
77Dame Justine Thornton16 September 204025 February 2019Queen's Bench
78Dame Frances Judd13 February 20313 September 2019Family
79Dame Alison Foster22 January 20271 October 2019Queen's Bench
80Sir William Trower28 December 20291 October 2019Chancery
81Sir John Cavanagh17 June 20301 October 2019Queen's Bench
82Sir Martin Griffiths27 April 20321 October 2019Queen's Bench
83Dame Jennifer Eady31 May 20351 October 2019Queen's Bench
84Sir Pushpinder Saini26 February 20381 October 2019Queen's Bench
85Dame Karen Steyn20 October 20401 October 2019Queen's Bench
86Sir Jeremy Johnson≈20411 October 2019Queen's Bench
87Sir Martin Chamberlain25 November 20431 October 2019Queen's Bench
88Sir Nicholas Hilliard1 May 202918 November 2019Queen's Bench
89Sir Andrew Henshaw22 April 20322 December 2019Queen's Bench
90Dame Amanda Tipples18 December 20362 December 2019Queen's Bench
91 Sir Michael Fordham 21 December 2034 13 January 2020 Queen's Bench
92 Sir David Foxton 14 October 2035 13 January 2020 Queen's Bench
93 Sir Thomas Linden 26 November 2034 13 January 2020 Queen's Bench
94 Sir Robert Miles 29 November 2032 21 April 2020 Chancery
95 Sir Richard Meade 14 November 2036 7 September 2020 Chancery
96 Sir Mark Wall 4 March 2033 1 October 2020 Queen's Bench
97 Dame Mary Stacey 15 May 2031 1 October 2020 Queen's Bench
98 Sir Neil Calver 4 September 2033 1 October 2020 Queen's Bench
99 Sir Charles Bourne 4 July 2034 1 October 2020 Queen's Bench
100 Dame Rowena Collins Rice 24 April 2030 1 October 2020 Queen's Bench
101 Sir Nigel Poole 10 November 2035 1 October 2020 Family
102 Sir Robert Peel 29 January 2036 1 October 2020 Family
103 Sir Adam Johnson 4 October 2035 1 October 2020 Chancery
104 Dame Kelyn Bacon 29 October 2043 1 October 2020 Chancery

Former judges

Common Pleas Division (1875–81)

The Common Pleas Division was one of the original divisions of the High Court. It was created in 1875 through the merger of the Court of Common Pleas into the High Court. The five existing Justices of the Common Pleas were transferred to the new Common Pleas Division, and retained their previous titles until they left office. The Common Pleas Division was merged into the Queen's Bench Division in 1881, and all of its remaining Justices were transferred to the latter.

The head of the Division was the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas; the post was abolished along with the Common Pleas Division in 1881, and its powers vested in the Lord Chief Justice.

Name Known as Division In succession to Term began Term ended Reason Notes
Sir William Baliol Brett Mr Justice Brett Common Pleas None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) 1 November 1875 24 October 1876 Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal MP for Helston 1866–68; Solicitor General 1868; Lord Justice of Appeal 1876–83; PC 1876; Master of the Rolls 1883–97; created Baron Esher in 1885; created Viscount Esher in 1897
Sir William Robert Grove Mr Justice Grove Common Pleas None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) 1 November 1875 26 February 1881 Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division Justice of the Court of Common Pleas 1871–75; PC 1887
Queen's Bench None (Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) 26 February 1881 2 September 1887 Resignation
Hon George Denman Mr Justice Denman Common Pleas None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) 1 November 1875 26 February 1881 Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division MP for Tiverton 1859–65 and 1866–72; Justice of the Common Pleas 1872–75; refused knighthood upon appointment; PC 1893

[XXXFamilyXXX]

Queen's Bench None (Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) 26 February 1881 17 October 1892 Resignation
Sir Thomas Dickson Archibald Mr Justice Archibald Common Pleas None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) 1 November 1875 18 October 1876 Death Junior Counsel to the Treasury 1868–72; Justice of the Queen's Bench 1872–75; Justice of the Common Pleas 1875
Sir Nathaniel Lindley Mr Justice Lindley Common Pleas None (transferred from the Court of Common Pleas) 1 November 1875 26 February 1881 Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division Justice of the Common Pleas 1875; Lord Justice of Appeal 1881–97; PC 1881; Master of the Rolls 1897–1900; Lord of Appeal in Ordinary 1900–05; created Baron Lindley in 1900
Queen's Bench None (Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) 26 February 1881 1 November 1881 Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal
Sir Henry Charles Lopes Mr Justice Lopes Common Pleas Mr Justice Archibald 7 November 1876 26 February 1881 Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division MP for Launceston 1868–74; MP for Frome 1874–76; Lord Justice of Appeal 1885–97; PC 1885; created Baron Ludlow in 1897
Queen's Bench None (Common Pleas Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) 26 February 1881 1 December 1885 Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal

Exchequer Division (1875–81)

The Exchequer Division was one of the original divisions of the High Court. It was created in 1875 through the merger of the Court of Exchequer into the High Court. The six existing Barons of the Exchequer were transferred to the new Exchequer Division, and retained their previous titles until they left office. Sir Henry Hawkins, the first judge to be directly appointed to the Exchequer Division, tried in vain to obtain the title of Baron, but was styled a Judge of the High Court instead. The Exchequer Division was merged into the Queen's Bench Division in 1881, and all of its remaining Justices were transferred to the latter.

The head of the Division was the Chief Baron of the Exchequer; the post was abolished along with the Common Pleas Division in 1881, and its powers vested in the Lord Chief Justice.

Name Known as Division In succession to Term began Term ended Reason Notes
Sir George William Wilshere Bramwell Mr Baron Bramwell Exchequer None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) 1 November 1875 23 October 1876 Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal Baron of the Exchequer 1856–76; Lord Justice of Appeal 1876–81; PC 1876; created Baron Bramwell in 1882
Sir Anthony Cleasby Mr Baron Cleasby Exchequer None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) 1 November 1875 9 January 1879 Resignation Baron of the Exchequer 1868–79
Sir Charles Edward Pollock Mr Baron Pollock Exchequer None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) 1 November 1875 26 February 1881 Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division Baron of the Exchequer 1873–97 (last Baron of the Exchequer)

[Family]

Queen's Bench None (Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) 26 February 1881 21 November 1897 Death
Sir Richard Paul Amphlett Mr Baron Amphlett Exchequer None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) 1 November 1875 25 October 1876 Appointed Lord Justice of Appeal MP for East Worcestershire 1868–74; Baron of the Exchequer 1874–76; Lord Justice of Appeal 1876–77; PC 1876
Sir John Walter Huddleston Mr Baron Huddleston Exchequer None (transferred from the Court of Exchequer) 1 November 1875 26 February 1881 Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division Judge Advocate of the Fleet 1865–75; MP for Canterbury 1865–68; MP for Norwich 1874–75; Justice of the Common Pleas 1875; Baron of the Exchequer 1875–90
Queen's Bench None (Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) 26 February 1881 5 December 1890 Death
Sir Henry Hawkins Mr Justice Hawkins? Queen's Bench ? 2 November 1876 14 November 1876 Transferred to the Exchequer Division Created Baron Brampton in 1899; PC 1899
Exchequer ? 14 November 1876 26 February 1881 Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division
Queen's Bench None (Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) 26 February 1881 4 January 1899 Resignation
Sir James Fitzjames Stephen Mr Justice Stephen Exchequer Mr Baron Cleasby 15 January 1879 26 February 1881 Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division Legal member of the Imperial Legislative Council 1869–72; KCSI 1877; created a baronet in 1891
Queen's Bench None (Exchequer Division merged into the Queen's Bench Division) 26 February 1881 6 April 1891 Resignation

See also

Notes
  1. The Senior Courts Act 1981 specifies 80,[1] but that has been amended (without changing the act's text) by The Maximum number of Judges Order 2003[3] to 108. High Court judges sitting on the European Court of Human Rights do not count against the total under the Human Rights Act 1998,[4] and judges sitting on other courts are excluded by virtue of the Access to Justice Act 1999.[5] Recently, this has applied to Nicolas Bratza in respect of the ECHR and Sir Adrian Fulford, who was serving on the International Criminal Court; at the time there were, therefore, 110 judges.[6][7][8] Such seconded judges do not receive a salary as a judge of High Court.[4][5]
  2. Mandatory retirement for Holman J is at 75, rather than 70, because he was appointed before 31 March 1995.

References
  1. Senior Courts Act 1981, s 4(1).
  2. "Coral Reef decision". uk.practicallaw.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  3. 2003/775 art 2.
  4. s 18(4).
  5. s 68(3).
  6. "Going to Court: High Court". Judiciary of England and Wales. Retrieved 11 October 2012. (explaining there are 73 QBD, 18 CD, and 19 FD judges, which totals 110)
  7. Whitehead, Tom (28 April 2009). "Quotas could be introduced for judges to increase ethnic minorities and women". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  8. "England and Wales—Women Judges in 2000 and 2011" (PDF). Equal Justice Initiative. April 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
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