Lois Mensah-Afoakwah
Policy Adviser
Judicial Engagement and
Resourcing Strategy
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
MoJ Ref: TO 73837
30 October 2019
Dear Mr Harry Potter,
DEPUTY DISTRICT JUDGES’ STATUTORY RETIREMENT AGE
Thank you for your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request dated 18 October, in which you asked us
to confirm whether civil deputy judges must retire at 65 years of age, as indicated in the link you attached:
https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/the-justice-system/jurisdictions/civil-jurisdiction/. As the nature
of your request was an enquiry rather than a Freedom of Information Act request, I am providing you with
information.
In accordance with Section 8(1A)(b) of the County Courts Act 1984 and Section 26 of the Judicial
Pensions and Retirement Act 1993, deputy district judges must retire at the age of 70.
The page to which you referred in your enquiry, is the responsibility of the Judiciary of England and
Wales. It mistakenly stated that a deputy district judge must retire at 65. However, this has now been
corrected. Candidates for judicial appointments are informed by the Judicial Appointments Commission
(JAC) of the correct statutory retirement age through the documentation publicly available on the JAC
website.
Yours sincerely,
Lois Mensah-Afoakwah
T 020 3334 3555
E xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx
102 Petty France
F 0870 761 7753
London
SW1H 9AJ