Henry Brooke (judge)
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Brooke is a retired British
judge
. He became a Lord Justice of Appeal
in 1996, and became Vice-President of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales
in 2003. He retired from judicial office on 30 September 2006.
His parents were British Conservative
politicians, Henry Brooke, Baron Brooke of Cumnor
and Barbara Brooke, Baroness Brooke of Ystradfellte and Baroness Brooke of Cumnor
. His older brother is another Conservative politician, Peter Brooke, Baron Brooke of Sutton Mandeville. He also has two younger sisters, Honor Miller and Margaret Pulfer.
He undertook National Service
in the Royal Engineers
, and then studied Greats (classical literature and ancient history) at Balliol College, Oxford
. He was called
to the Bar
by the Inner Temple
in 1963, and was Junior Counsel to the Crown
(Common Law
) from 1978 to 1981. He took silk to become a Queen's Counsel
in 1981, and was a Recorder
from 1983 to 1988.
He practised at Fountain Court Chambers
until he was appointed as a High Court Judge
assigned to the Queen's Bench Division in 1988, and received the customary knighthood. He was chairman of the Law Commission
from 1993 to 1995, and was promoted to become a Lord Justice of Appeal
in 1996. He was the judge in charge of the modernisation of the English law courts from 2001 to 2004. He was Vice President of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) from 2003 to 2006.
He was President of the Society for Computers and Law for nine years, and was a major player in the formation of the British and Irish Legal Information Institute
(BAILII)
, of which he has been the Chairman of trustees since 2000. He became General Editor of The White Book (Civil Procedure Rules) in 2004, and is a hereditary trustee (now a fellow) of the Wordsworth Trust
.
He is married with four children.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. He became a Lord Justice of Appeal
Lord Justice of Appeal
A Lord Justice of Appeal is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, and represents the second highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales-Appointment:...
in 1996, and became Vice-President of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales
Court of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
in 2003. He retired from judicial office on 30 September 2006.
His parents were British Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politicians, Henry Brooke, Baron Brooke of Cumnor
Henry Brooke, Baron Brooke of Cumnor
Henry Brooke, Baron Brooke of Cumnor CH, PC was a British Conservative Party politician.-Political career:...
and Barbara Brooke, Baroness Brooke of Ystradfellte and Baroness Brooke of Cumnor
Barbara Brooke, Baroness Brooke of Ystradfellte
Barbara Brooke, Baroness Brooke of Ystradfellte and Baroness Brooke of Cumnor DBE was a British Conservative politician.-Personal life:...
. His older brother is another Conservative politician, Peter Brooke, Baron Brooke of Sutton Mandeville. He also has two younger sisters, Honor Miller and Margaret Pulfer.
He undertook National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, and then studied Greats (classical literature and ancient history) at Balliol College, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He was called
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
to the Bar
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
by the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1963, and was Junior Counsel to the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
(Common Law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
) from 1978 to 1981. He took silk to become a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1981, and was a Recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
from 1983 to 1988.
He practised at Fountain Court Chambers
Fountain Court Chambers
Fountain Court Chambers is a leading set of commercial barristers in the Temple in central London. It has 57 tenants, of whom 27 are Silks. With an annual turnover of £43 million, it is in the Magic Circle....
until he was appointed as a High Court Judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
assigned to the Queen's Bench Division in 1988, and received the customary knighthood. He was chairman of the Law Commission
Law Commission (England and Wales)
In England and Wales the Law Commission is an independent body set up by Parliament by the Law Commissions Act 1965 in 1965 to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reforms. The organisation is headed by a Chairman and four Law Commissioners...
from 1993 to 1995, and was promoted to become a Lord Justice of Appeal
Lord Justice of Appeal
A Lord Justice of Appeal is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, and represents the second highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales-Appointment:...
in 1996. He was the judge in charge of the modernisation of the English law courts from 2001 to 2004. He was Vice President of the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) from 2003 to 2006.
He was President of the Society for Computers and Law for nine years, and was a major player in the formation of the British and Irish Legal Information Institute
Free Access to Law Movement
The Free Access to Law Movement is the umbrella name for the collective of legal projects across several common law countries to provide free online access to legal information such as case law and legislation. The movement began in 1992 with the creation of the Cornell Law School Legal Information...
(BAILII)
, of which he has been the Chairman of trustees since 2000. He became General Editor of The White Book (Civil Procedure Rules) in 2004, and is a hereditary trustee (now a fellow) of the Wordsworth Trust
Wordsworth Trust
The Wordsworth Trust is a living memorial set up to celebrate the works of the poet William Wordsworth and his contemporaries. Wordsworth, conscious of the need for poetry to renew itself within a tradition speaks of writing for 'youthful poets' who 'will be my second self when I am gone.'An...
.
He is married with four children.
External links
- Court of Appeal judges from HMCSHMCSHMCS may refer to:* Her Majesty's Courts Service* Her Majesty's Canadian Ship* Her Majesty's Colonial Ship, see Her Majesty's Ship* HMC Investment Securities* Hazardous Material Control System...
, Retrieved 3 August 2006 - Leveson J lands Lord Justice of Appeal post, The LawyerThe LawyerThe Lawyer is a weekly British magazine for commercial lawyers and corporate directors, first published in 1981. It is owned by Centaur Media plc....
, 24 July 2006 - Short biography from the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law
- Mediator profile