ABSTRACT
Judges are the arbiters of disputes. They hear the cases tried before a court. They make decisions concerning the law and also make decisions concerning the facts of cases. The most dramatic change to the judiciary since the turn of the century has been concerned with the post of the Lord High Chancellor. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 provides for the independence of the judiciary. Just as the court system is based on a hierarchy, so too is the judiciary. Judicial training is provided by the Judicial College. District Judges, formally known as Registrars, have civil jurisdiction and work in the County Court. Recorders are part-time judges who have mainly criminal jurisdiction in the Crown Courts, but under s5(3) of the County Courts Act 1984, may also sit in the County Courts. Recordership is a step on the ladder to appointment as a Circuit Judge. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 governs eligibility and the appointment processes for the senior judges.
