Chancellor of the High Court
Encyclopedia
The Chancellor of the High Court is the head of the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. Before October 2005, when certain provisions of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005
took effect, the office was known as the Vice-Chancellor. He nominally acted as the Lord Chancellor
's deputy in the English and Welsh legal system; however, he was in effect the head of the Chancery Division. Despite the change of title, the duties of the office did not change.
(apart from the Lord Chancellor and the Master of the Rolls
), before the creation of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales in 1873-75, held the title of Vice-Chancellor. The first of them was appointed in 1813 and two more such posts were added in 1842. After the Judicature Acts of the 1870s Vice-Chancellors were not appointed, and judges of the Chancery Division were styled "Mr. Justice ..." like other judges of the High Court (this style had previously been used for judges of the common law courts).
A similar position was held by Hedges Eyre Chatterton
as Vice-Chancellor of Ireland from 1867 to 1904 in the High Court of Justice (Ireland) Chancery Division, as deputy to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland
.
In 1971 the office of Vice-Chancellor was recreated, to be the Vice President of the Chancery Division of the High Court.
Sir Robert Andrew Morritt became the Vice-Chancellor in July 2000 and is the first Chancellor of the High Court.
.
Constitutional Reform Act 2005
The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provided for a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to take over the existing role of the Law Lords as well as some powers of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and removed the functions of Speaker of...
took effect, the office was known as the Vice-Chancellor. He nominally acted as the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
's deputy in the English and Welsh legal system; however, he was in effect the head of the Chancery Division. Despite the change of title, the duties of the office did not change.
History of the office
The judges of the Court of ChanceryCourt of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
(apart from the Lord Chancellor and the Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
), before the creation of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales in 1873-75, held the title of Vice-Chancellor. The first of them was appointed in 1813 and two more such posts were added in 1842. After the Judicature Acts of the 1870s Vice-Chancellors were not appointed, and judges of the Chancery Division were styled "Mr. Justice ..." like other judges of the High Court (this style had previously been used for judges of the common law courts).
A similar position was held by Hedges Eyre Chatterton
Hedges Eyre Chatterton
Hedges Eyre Chatterton was an Irish Conservative Party Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom Parliament and subsequently Vice-Chancellor of Ireland.- Biography :...
as Vice-Chancellor of Ireland from 1867 to 1904 in the High Court of Justice (Ireland) Chancery Division, as deputy to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
.
In 1971 the office of Vice-Chancellor was recreated, to be the Vice President of the Chancery Division of the High Court.
Sir Robert Andrew Morritt became the Vice-Chancellor in July 2000 and is the first Chancellor of the High Court.
Ireland
A similar position existed in Ireland between 1867 and 1904 when the office was abolished; surprisingly throughout that period it was held by one man, Hedges Eyre ChattertonHedges Eyre Chatterton
Hedges Eyre Chatterton was an Irish Conservative Party Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom Parliament and subsequently Vice-Chancellor of Ireland.- Biography :...
.
Vice-Chancellors of England, 1813-1850
- 10 April 1813: Sir Thomas PlumerThomas PlumerSir Thomas Plumer MR was a British judge and politician , the first Vice Chancellor of England and later Master of the Rolls....
- 6 January 1818: John LeachJohn Leach (Judge)Sir John Leach, KC was an English judge.-Life:The son of Richard Leach, a coppersmith of Bedford, he was born in that town on 28 Augusr 1760. After leaving Bedford grammar school he became a pupil of Sir Robert Taylor the architect...
- 2 May 1827: Sir Anthony HartAnthony HartSir Anthony Hart was a British lawyer.He became a barrister at the Middle Temple in 1781, and was appointed a King's Counsel in 1807. He was solicitor-general to Queen Charlotte from 1816 and was appointed Vice-Chancellor of England in 1827. He was appointed a privy Counsellor and knighted in 1827...
- 1 November 1827: Sir Lancelot ShadwellLancelot ShadwellSir Lancelot Shadwell was a barrister at Lincoln's Inn and was Member of Parliament for Ripon from 1826 to 1827 before becoming Vice-Chancellor of England in 1827.He supported Jewish emancipation....
Vice-Chancellors, 1841-1886
- 1841-1851: Sir James Lewis Knight-Bruce
- 1841-1850: James Wigram
- 1850-1851: The Lord Cranworth
- 1851-1853: Sir George James Turner
- 1851-1866: Sir Richard Torin Kindersley
- 1851-1852: Sir James ParkerJames Parker (judge)Sir James Parker was a British barrister who became Vice Chancellor of the High Court.Parker was born in Glasgow, the son of Charles Stuart Parker and his wife Mary Rainey. He was educated at Glasgow Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1829, he was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn...
- 1852-1871: Sir John StuartJohn Stuart (judge)Sir John Stuart was a British Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1846 to 1852, before becoming a judge.- Early life :Stuart was the son of Dugald Stuart, of Ballachulish in Argyll...
- 1853-1868: Sir William Page Wood
- 1866-1881: Sir Richard Malins
- 1868-1869: Sir George Markham Giffard
- 1869-1870: Sir William Milbourne JamesWilliam Milbourne James (judge)Sir William Milbourne James was a British judge and Privy Councillor.-Life history:James was born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales in 1807 to Christopher James a prosperous provision merchant. His cousin was Charles Herbert James, who later became Member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil...
- 1870-1886: Sir James BaconJames Bacon (judge)Sir James Bacon was a British bankruptcy judge and a Vice-Chancellor of the Court of Chancery, and a member of the Privy Council....
- 1871-1873: Sir John Wickens
- 1873-1882: Sir Charles Hall
Vice-Chancellors, 1971-2005
- 1971: Sir John Pennycuick (1899-1982)
- 1974: Sir (John) Anthony Plowman (1905-1993)
- 1976: Sir Robert Edgar Megarry (1910-2006)
- 1985: Sir Nicholas Browne-Wilkinson (b. 1936)
- 1991: Sir Donald NichollsDonald Nicholls, Baron Nicholls of BirkenheadDonald James Nicholls, Baron Nicholls of Birkenhead, PC , is a British lawyer and retired Law Lord .-Biography:...
(b. 1933) - 1994: Sir Richard ScottRichard Scott, Baron Scott of FoscoteRichard Rashleigh Folliott Scott, Baron Scott of Foscote PC, QC , is a British judge, who formerly held the office of Lord of Appeal in Ordinary.-Early life:...
(b. 1934) - 2000: Sir Andrew MorrittAndrew MorrittSir Robert Andrew Morritt CVO is a British judge, currently the Chancellor of the High Court.He attended Magdalene College, Cambridge....
(b. 1938)
External links
- New legal year sees new team take up posts Department for Constitutional AffairsDepartment for Constitutional AffairsThe Department for Constitutional Affairs was a United Kingdom government department. Its creation was announced on 12 June 2003 with the intention of replacing the Lord Chancellor's Department...
press release, 3 October 2005) - Lists of Judges from the Department for Constitutional AffairsDepartment for Constitutional AffairsThe Department for Constitutional Affairs was a United Kingdom government department. Its creation was announced on 12 June 2003 with the intention of replacing the Lord Chancellor's Department...