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Article: Judicial appointments system is too secretive, says inquiry
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- August 23, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2002 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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THE CENTURIES-old system for the appointment of judges and QCs is
secretive and open to accusations of sex and race discrimination, an
independent inquiry has concluded.
The findings, to be published this autumn, will add to growing
pressure on the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg, to abandon the
present process for choosing judges and QCs and replace it with a
wholly-independent judicial appointments commission.
In his first report into the judicial recruitment system, Sir
Colin Campbell will criticise the controversial practice of taking
"secret soundings", in which judges and senior lawyers are consulted
on the suitability of candidates for jobs on the bench. Sir Colin,
appointed ...