Appointments
The Queen has made the following appointments on the advice of Elizabeth Truss, the lord chancellor, and Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the lord chief justice of England and Wales:
● Marcus Alexander Smith QC to be a justice of the High Court from January 12 on the elevation of Lord Justice Hamblen to the Court of Appeal. The lord chief justice will assign Mr Marcus Alexander Smith to the Chancery Division.
● David Nathan Miller to be a circuit judge. The lord chief justice has deployed him to the South Eastern Circuit, based at Woolwich Crown Court, from January 12.
● Robert George Howard Dawson to be a district judge. The lord chief justice has deployed him to the Northern Circuit, based at Blackpool County Court from January 18.
● Charlotte Barbara Deane to be a district judge. The lord chief justice has deployed her to the Northern Circuit, based at St Helens County Court and Family Court from January 24.
● Louise Karen Metcalf to be a district judge. The lord chief justice has deployed her to the Northern Circuit, based at St Helens County Court and Family Court with effect from February 6.
● Samantha Louise Johnson to be a district judge. The lord chief justice has deployed her to the Northern Circuit, based at Liverpool Civil and Family Court on a salaried part-time working basis with effect from February 22.
Retirements
● Judge Nigel Charles Van der Bijl retired as a circuit judge on December 1.
● District judge (magistrates’ courts) David John Chinery retired on December 1.
● Judge Andrew Charles Lowcock retired as a circuit judge on December 1.
● Judge James Francis Freestone Orrell retired as a circuit judge on December 1.
● Tribunal judge John Joseph Molloy retired on December 6.
● Lord Justice Moore-Bick retired as lord justice of appeal on December 7.