Judge and drive

New rules in the Highway Code (yes, yes, we know it's an inappropriate gavel)


A judge has been given a ticking off by the Lord Chancellor for presiding over a court hearing in his car.

Dominic Raab and the Lord Chief Justice issued a formal warning for misconduct to Deputy District Judge Christopher McMurtrie for presiding over a hearing in his car "partly while driving and using his phone in hands-free mode".

Further details remain murky, but a statement by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) said: "the judge failed to meet the expectation to avoid conduct which might reduce respect for judicial office".

Judge McMurtrie "had to travel unexpectedly for personal reasons" said the JCIO, but "accepted that his decision to proceed with the hearing" was "misguided". The chastised judge gave assurances "as to his future conduct” to the Lord Chief Justice and Raab (a.k.a. the Criminal Bar Association's best buddy).

The increase in remote hearings has resulted in interesting challenges for participants ranging from a judge's library falling over to an advocate appearing as a cat at a Zoom hearing. In other legal video calls, a willy has derailed a Zoom call once or twice

 

Tip Off ROF

Comments

Judge Jokes 25 March 22 10:30

He should have said during the hearing, 'It's my way on the highway!'

(usually the adage is 'it's my way or the highway')

Judge Jokes 25 March 22 10:58

It's my way or the highway, anon.

(I've used the correct form of the idiom to reject your criticism - a callback)

cityboy 25 March 22 11:12

why is he not removed yet? are they not going to struck off a solicitor for attending a hearing while driving.

Judge Jokes 25 March 22 11:33

I did! They said, 'Hit the road, Jack'

('hit the road, Jack' is another road-based idiom, continuing the theme I began at 10.30)

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