Part 2The Court of Protection and the Public Guardian

The Court of Protection

45The Court of Protection

1

There is to be a superior court of record known as the Court of Protection.

2

The court is to have an official seal.

3

The court may sit at any place in England and Wales, on any day and at any time.

4

The court is to have a central office and registry at a place appointed by the Lord Chancellor F1, after consulting the Lord Chief JusticeF1.

5

The Lord Chancellor may F2, after consulting the Lord Chief Justice,F2 designate as additional registries of the court any district registry of the High Court and any county court office.

F35A

The Lord Chief Justice may nominate any of the following to exercise his functions under this section—

a

the President of the Court of Protection;

b

a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005).

F36

The office of the Supreme Court called the Court of Protection ceases to exist.

46The judges of the Court of Protection

1

Subject to Court of Protection Rules under section 51(2)(d), the jurisdiction of the court is exercisable by a judge nominated for that purpose by—

a

the F4Lord Chief JusticeF4, or

F5b

where nominated by the Lord Chief Justice to act on his behalf under this subsection—

i

the President of the Court of Protection; or

ii

a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005).

F52

To be nominated, a judge must be—

a

the President of the Family Division,

b

the F12Chancellor of the High Court,

c

a puisne judge of the High Court,

d

a circuit judge, F10...

e

a district judge.

F11f

a District Judge (Magistrates' Courts),

F11g

a judge of the First-tier Tribunal, or of the Upper Tribunal, by virtue of appointment under paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 2 or 3 to the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007,

F11h

a transferred-in judge of the First-tier Tribunal or of the Upper Tribunal (see section 31(2) of that Act),

F11i

a deputy judge of the Upper Tribunal (whether under paragraph 7 of Schedule 3 to, or section 31(2) of, that Act),

F11j

the Chamber President, or Deputy Chamber President, of a chamber of the First-tier Tribunal or of a chamber of the Upper Tribunal,

F11k

the Judge Advocate General,

F11l

a Recorder,

F11m

the holder of an office listed in the first column of the table in section 89(3C) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 (senior High Court Masters etc ),

F11n

a holder of an office listed in column 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 2 to that Act (High Court Masters etc ),

F11o

a deputy district judge appointed under section 102 of that Act or under section 8 of the County Courts Act 1984,

F11p

a member of a panel of Employment Judges established for England and Wales or for Scotland,

F11q

a person appointed under section 30(1)(a) or (b) of the Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1951 (assistants to the Judge Advocate General),

F11r

a deputy judge of the High Court,

F11s

the Senior President of Tribunals,

F11t

an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal (including the vice-president, if any, of either division of that court),

F11u

the President of the Queen's Bench Division,

F11v

the Master of the Rolls, or

F11w

the Lord Chief Justice.

3

The F6Lord Chief Justice, after consulting the Lord Chancellor,F6 must—

a

appoint one of the judges nominated by virtue of subsection (2)(a) to (c) to be President of the Court of Protection, and

b

appoint another of those judges to be Vice-President of the Court of Protection.

4

The F7Lord Chief Justice, after consulting the Lord Chancellor,F7 must appoint one of the judges nominated by virtue of subsection (2)(d) F9to (q) to be Senior Judge of the Court of Protection, having such administrative functions in relation to the court as the Lord Chancellor F8, after consulting the Lord Chief Justice,F8 may direct.