{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} The '''Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales''' is a member of the [[Court of Appeal (England and Wales)|Court of Appeal]] appointed by the [[Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales|Lord Chief Justice]] to supervise the Presiding Judges for the various judicial circuits of England and Wales. The Senior Presiding Judge is responsible for deployment and personnel issues for all circuits and acts as a "general point of liaison" for the courts, judiciary and Government.
The post dates to the appointment in 1983 of [[Tasker Watkins|Sir Tasker Watkins]],<ref name=watkins>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1562637/Sir-Tasker-Watkins-VC.html |title=Sir Tasker Watkins VC |work=The Telegraph |date=10 September 2007 |accessdate=11 December 2012}}</ref> who remains the longest-serving holder of the office. The arrangement was put on a statutory footing with the enactment of the [[Courts and Legal Services Act 1990]].<ref>House of Lords Debates [https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1990/feb/20/courts-and-legal-services-bill-hl-1#S5LV0516P0_19900220_HOL_570 20 February 1990 c. 237.]</ref><ref>House of Lords Debates [https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1990/mar/01/courts-and-legal-services-bill-hl#S5LV0516P0_19900301_HOL_223 1 March 1990 c. 876.]</ref>
== Presiding Judges == In each circuit, there are two Presiding Judges appointed by the Lord Chief Justice to preside each of the [[Circuit court#England and Wales|six circuits]] in [[England and Wales]], with the exception of the South-Eastern circuit which is supervised by the [[Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales|Lord Chief Justice]] and two High Court judges.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jonathan |first=Law |title=A Dictionary of Law |last2=Martin |first2=Elizabeth |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2014 |isbn=9780191726729}}</ref> The judge is responsible for the deployment of the judiciary and allocation of cases and for the general supervision of the judiciary in the circuit.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-29 |title=New Presiding Judges Appointed |url=https://www.judiciary.uk/announcements/new-presiding-judges-appointed-2/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Judiciary UK}}</ref>
==List of Senior Presiding Judges== *'''1983:''' [[Tasker Watkins|Sir Tasker Watkins]] [[Victoria Cross|VC]] [[Order of the British Empire|GBE]]<ref name=watkins/> *'''1991:''' [[Anthony McCowan|Sir Anthony McCowan]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1435588/Sir-Anthony-McCowan.html |title=Sir Anthony McCowan |date=9 July 2003 |work=The Telegraph |accessdate=14 December 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112071317/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1435588/Sir-Anthony-McCowan.html |quote=From 1991 to 1995, McCowan was Senior Presiding Judge of England and Wales. |archivedate=12 November 2012 |url-status=live}} [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/MCCOWAN/2007-06/1181319167 Alt URL]</ref> *'''1995:''' [[Robin Auld (judge)|Sir Robin Auld]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/a/39/Robin+Ernest.aspx |title=The Rt Hon Sir Robin Auld |work=Debrett's People of Today |accessdate=14 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6cj61GRYtFMC&q=robin+auld+%22senior+presiding+judge%22&pg=PA45 |title=The Susskind Interviews: Legal Experts in Changing Times |chapter=Chapter Four: The Rt Hon Lord Justice Auld, Lord Justice of Appeal, Chairman of the Criminal Courts Review (1999–2001) |page=45 |quote=He was the Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales from 1995 to 1998. |editor=Richard E. Susskind |publisher=Sweet & Maxwell, Ltd |year=2005 |location=London |isbn=0-421-91260-X}}</ref> *'''1998:''' [[Igor Judge, Baron Judge|Sir Igor Judge]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/judges-magistrates-and-tribunal-judges/biographies/biography-lcj |title=Senior Judiciary Biographies – Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales |publisher=Judiciary of England and Wales |accessdate=18 December 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120225815/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/judges-magistrates-and-tribunal-judges/biographies/biography-lcj |url-status=dead |archivedate=20 November 2012}}</ref> *'''2003:''' [[John Thomas (judge)|Sir John Thomas]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/judges-magistrates-and-tribunal-judges/biographies/pqbd-biography |title=Biography of President of the Queen's Bench Division: The Right Honourable Sir John Thomas |publisher=Judiciary of England and Wales |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030213335/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/judges-magistrates-and-tribunal-judges/biographies/pqbd-biography |archivedate=30 October 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> *'''1 January 2007:''' [[Brian Leveson|Sir Brian Leveson]]<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2006/news-release-2106 |title=Appointment of Senior Presiding Judge and new Presiding Judges |publisher=Judicial Communications Office |date=18 July 2006 |accessdate=12 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528101037/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2006/news-release-2106 |archivedate=28 May 2012 }}</ref> *'''1 January 2010:''' [[John Goldring|Sir John Goldring]]<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2009/news-release-2209 |title=Appointment of new Senior Presiding Judge |publisher=Judicial Communications Office |accessdate=12 December 2012 |date=30 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235429/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2009/news-release-2209 |archivedate=2 December 2013 }}</ref> *'''1 January 2013:''' [[Peter Gross (judge)|Sir Peter Gross]]<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2012/appt-of-new-spj |title=Appointment of new Senior Presiding Judge |publisher=Judiciary of England and Wales |date=12 December 2012 |accessdate=14 December 2012 |archive-date=2 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235413/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2012/appt-of-new-spj |url-status=dead }}</ref> *'''1 January 2016''': [[Adrian Fulford|Sir Adrian Fulford]]<ref name="judiciary.gov.uk">{{Cite web|title = Appointment of the Deputy Senior Presiding Judges and Senior Presiding Judges|url = https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/announcements/appointment-of-the-deputy-senior-presiding-judges-and-senior-presiding-judges/|website = www.judiciary.gov.uk|access-date = 2016-01-15|archive-date = 16 February 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180216084555/https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/announcements/appointment-of-the-deputy-senior-presiding-judges-and-senior-presiding-judges/|url-status = dead}}</ref> *'''3 April 2017''': [[Julia Macur|Dame Julia Macur]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/justice-macur|title=Lady Justice Macur DBE}}</ref> *'''1 January 2020''': [[Kathryn Thirlwall|Dame Kathryn Thirlwall]]<ref>[https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/the-rt-hon-lady-justice-thirlwall-dbe-senior-presiding-judge/ The Rt Hon Lady Justice Thirlwall DBE – Senior Presiding Judge]</ref> *'''1 October 2021''': [[Charles Haddon-Cave|Sir Charles Haddon-Cave]] *'''1 October 2022''': [[Andrew Edis|Sir Andrew Edis]] *'''1 October 2024: [[Nicholas Green (judge)|Sir Nicholas Green]]'''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Lovell |first=Amy |date=2024-07-30 |title=Appointment of the new Senior Presiding Judge and Deputy Senior Presiding Judge |url=https://www.judiciary.uk/appointment-of-the-new-senior-presiding-judge-and-deputy-senior-presiding-judge/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Courts and Tribunals Judiciary |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-01 |title=Lord Justice Green, Senior Presiding Judge |url=https://www.judiciary.uk/guidance-and-resources/lord-justice-green/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Courts and Tribunals Judiciary |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Deputy Senior Presiding Judge== Following the enactment of the [[Constitutional Reform Act 2005]], increased duties for the Senior Presiding Judge prompted the [[Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales|Lord Chief Justice]] to appoint a deputy.<ref name="Lev DSPJ">{{cite press release |url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2005/depsenpresjudge05 |title=Deputy Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales |publisher=Judicial Communications Office |date=9 December 2005 |accessdate=12 December 2012 |archive-date=10 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510071748/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2005/depsenpresjudge05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On four occasions the office has fallen vacant for 21 months or more. Each time was after the incumbent became Senior Presiding Judge. *'''1 January 2006:''' [[Brian Leveson|Sir Brian Leveson]]<ref name="Lev DSPJ"/> *'''1 January 2007:''' Vacant *'''October 2008:''' [[John Goldring|Sir John Goldring]]<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/publications_media/media_releases/2008/1808.htm |title=Senior Judicial Appointments Announced |publisher=Judicial Communications Office |date=10 October 2008 |accessdate=12 December 2012 |archiveurl=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090106065106/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/publications_media/media_releases/2008/1808.htm |archivedate=6 January 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> *'''1 January 2010:''' Vacant *'''3 October 2011:''' [[Peter Gross (judge)|Sir Peter Gross]]<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2011/appointment-vice-president-qbd-deputy-spj |title=Appointment of Vice-President of the Queen's Bench Division and Deputy Senior Presiding Judge |publisher=Judicial Communications Office |date=27 July 2011 |accessdate=12 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218094840/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/media-releases/2011/appointment-vice-president-qbd-deputy-spj |archivedate=18 December 2012 }}</ref> *'''1 January 2013:''' Vacant *'''1 January 2015:''' [[Adrian Fulford|Sir Adrian Fulford]] *'''1 January 2016''': [[Julia Macur|Dame Julia Macur]]<ref name="judiciary.gov.uk"/> *'''10 October 2017''': [[Kathryn Thirlwall|Dame Kathryn Thirlwall]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/announcements/appointment-of-deputy-senior-presiding-judge/|title=Appointment of Deputy Senior Presiding Judge|access-date=14 February 2018|archive-date=8 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108175653/https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/announcements/appointment-of-deputy-senior-presiding-judge/|url-status=dead}}</ref> *'''1 January 2020''': [[Charles Haddon-Cave|Sir Charles Haddon-Cave]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.judiciary.uk/announcements/appointment-of-deputy-senior-presiding-judge-2/ |title=Appointment of Deputy Senior Presiding Judge |access-date=27 February 2020 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126055724/https://www.judiciary.uk/announcements/appointment-of-deputy-senior-presiding-judge-2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> *'''29 November 2021''': [[Andrew Edis|Sir Andrew Edis]] *'''1 October 2022:''' Vacant *'''1 January 2024''': [[Nicholas Green (judge)|Sir Nicholas Green]] *'''1 October 2024: [[Amanda Yip]]'''<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Senior Presiding Judge For England And Wales}} [[Category:Judiciary of England and Wales]]