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25 October 2013 / Christopher Stephens
Issue: 7581 / Categories: Opinion , Profession
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Raising the benchmark

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Christopher Stephens charts the move towards a new & improved judiciary
The Crime and Courts Act 2013 (CCA 2013) and its supporting regulations include a number of measures to improve further transparency and efficiency in the judicial appointments process and also to increase judicial diversity. The changes are in four main areas: working arrangements for judges; new selection processes; the make-up of selection panels; and the composition of the JAC Commissioners.

None of the changes alters the fundamental principle of selecting judges on merit. Maintaining public confidence in the quality and independence of our judiciary remains paramount.

Working arrangements for judges

Flexible working is available in many areas of the judiciary, particularly in tribunals, and through CCA 2013 flexible working has now been extended to the High Court and above for the first time. The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) is currently running a High Court selection process which offers flexible working. We hope that over time the opportunity to work flexibly will become widely available. The JAC has argued for some time that flexible working can help boost the attraction of a judicial role,

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