A Day in the Life of a Resident Judge
A day in the life of His Honour Judge Anthony Russell QC, Senior Circuit Judge, Recorder of Preston and Resident Judge for Lancashire.
6.30 am - The first thing I do every day is to walk the dog for half an hour.
8.30 am - I usually arrive at court. I check my emails and deal with correspondence. As the Resident Judge for Lancashire I have a large number of administrative duties and correspondence. This includes determining many applications, such as requests for adjournment, variation of the timetables of cases, and the amendment of court orders.
A very important part of my job is to decide which cases are to be heard by which judges, or to make recommendations to the Presiding Judges in the most serious cases, such as murder. This means that I read a summary of every major case which is sent to the Crown Court in Lancashire. I liaise regularly with the Presiding Judges and other senior judiciary and am consulted about all major matters concerning the Lancashire Crown Courts, including the deployment of the local judiciary. Resident Judges are also consulted about national matters such as sentencing policy about which I am invited to make submissions from time to time.
9.30 am - This is a time when I have meetings. Usually regular weekly meetings with the other judges and with the administration, but also occasional meetings with the police, the CPS, probation and other agencies
10 am - The court day starts. At this time with bail applications and other short hearings, and then at 10.30 the main list. This may be a trial, often the most serious cases such as murder trials are heard by me as the senior judge, or a number of shorter cases, perhaps cases listed for sentence or for administrative hearings.
1 pm – Lunch with the other judges. This is an important opportunity to discuss difficult cases and problems, and also to relax.
2.15 pm – The court work resumes. If there is a trial the court will continue to hear the evidence. If I am lucky, with other types of list I may be able to use the afternoon for further administration, perhaps working on a detailed submission on proposed reforms to the criminal law or drafting local practice directions.
4.30 pm – The Court adjourns. This is another opportunity for meetings and dealing with administration, some of which I may have been able to attend to during the time in court. Many administrative decisions are taken by judges in paper applications. By this time a number of emails will have built up, most of which require immediate attention. I may also get an opportunity to read the court papers for the next day.
6pm – Leave for home, and at 6.30pm, the first thing I do is walk the dog again, which I find gives me half an hour to think over problems and wind down.
7pm – Reading for the next day if not already done, note up trials and prepare summing up. Sometimes I will attend a social activity such as a dinner or a meeting where I am expected to make a speech. Often these are meetings attended by magistrates or lawyers, but sometimes it might be a public event such as “You be the Judge” where members of the public propose sentences in cases presented by lawyers. Otherwise from now on I can relax for the remainder of the day.