{{short description|English jurist}} {{distinguish|Anne Marie Rafferty}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use British English|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable | name = Dame Anne Rafferty | honorific_suffix = DBE FRS | caption = | office = Lady Justice of Appeal | term_start = 5 July 2011 | term_end = 26 July 2020 | predecessor = Lord Dyson | birth_name = Anne Judith Rafferty | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|7|26|df=y}} | alma_mater = Sheffield University (LLB) | spouse = <small>HHJ</small> Brian Barker <small>CBE KC</small> | children = 4 (1 deceased) | image = File:Full_Bottomed_Wig.jpg | alt = The Rt Hon Lady Justice Rafferty DBE | office1 = Justice of the High Court }}
'''Dame Anne Judith Rafferty''' FRS (born 26 July 1950) is an English jurist,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/judges-magistrates-and-tribunal-judges/list-of-members-of-the-judiciary/senior-judiciary-list |title=Senior Judiciary |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120803031806/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/judges-magistrates-and-tribunal-judges/list-of-members-of-the-judiciary/senior-judiciary-list |archivedate=3 August 2012 }}</ref> who served as a Lady Justice of Appeal of England and Wales from 2011 to 2020. She was elected to an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Society in May 2026.<ref name=RS>{{cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org/news/2026/05/new-fellows-announcement-2026/|title=Exceptional scientists elected as Fellows of the Royal Society|date=27 May 2026|access-date=27 May 2026}}</ref>
==Career== Educated at Wolverhampton Girls' High School before studying law at the University of Sheffield, Rafferty was the first woman to chair the Criminal Bar Association.<ref>[https://www.criminalbar.com/ www.criminalbar.com]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shef.ac.uk/mediacentre/2005/421.html|title=Explorers, doctors and top geneticist given honorary degrees|date=12 July 2005|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606175909/http://www.shef.ac.uk/mediacentre/2005/421.html|archivedate=6 June 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> She took silk (Queen's Counsel) in 1990 and was appointed a Recorder the following year. In 1999, she was promoted Deputy High Court Judge, before her appointment to the High Court of Justice in 2000, when she was assigned to the Queen's Bench Division, receiving the customary accolade of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
In 2011, Rafferty was appointed to the Court of Appeal of England and Wales with effect from 5 July,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/press-notices/2011/06/appointment-of-lord-justices-of-appeal-65193|title=Appointment of Lords Justices of Appeal |publisher=10 Downing Street|date=30 June 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705070033/http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/press-notices/2011/06/appointment-of-lord-justices-of-appeal-65193| archivedate=5 July 2011|url-status= live}}</ref> and was sworn of the Privy Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/privy-council-appointments-6|title=Privy Council appointments|date=6 October 2011 }} </ref>
In November 2014, her appointment as Chancellor of the University of Sheffield (her ''alma mater'') was announced, to replace Sir Peter Middleton in Summer 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/sheffield-university-new-chancellor-justice-rafferty-1.421392|title=University of Sheffield appoints new Chancellor|date=24 November 2014}}</ref>
In 2019, Lady Justice Rafferty became known for overturning a lower court decision that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had to face three allegations of misconduct in public office, including a disputed claim that the UK was sending £350m a week to Brussels.<ref>Nadeem Badshah, '[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/07/boris-johnson-wins-court-challenge-over-350m-brexit-claims Boris Johnson wins court challenge over £350m Brexit claims]', ''The Guardian'', 7 June 2019.</ref>
On 10 September 2022, Rafferty attended the Accession Council as a Privy Counsellor and signed the Proclamation of Accession of King Charles III.
In May 2026, Rafferty was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society.<ref name=RS/>
==Personal life== Dame Anne Rafferty is married to fellow lawyer His Honour Judge Brian Barker CBE KC, formerly Recorder of London; they have four daughters.<ref>[https://www.curriers.co.uk/ www.curriers.co.uk]</ref>
==References== <references />
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130730162009/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/r/3464/Anne%2BJudith.aspx ''Debrett's People of Today''] {{s-start}} {{s-aca}} {{succession box|title=Chancellor of the University of Sheffield|years=2015–present|before=Sir Peter Middleton|after=''Incumbent''}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rafferty, Anne}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at Wolverhampton Girls' High School Category:Alumni of the University of Sheffield Category:English barristers Category:English King's Counsel Category:English legal professionals Category:English women judges Category:20th-century King's Counsel Category:21st-century King's Counsel Category:Queen's Bench Division judges Category:Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Category:Lady justices of appeal Category:Members of Gray's Inn Category:20th-century English women Category:20th-century English people Category:20th-century British women judges Category:21st-century English judges Category:Lawyers awarded damehoods Category:Fellows of the Royal Society