Judge's Oaths of Office

John Harris made this Freedom of Information request to HM Courts and Tribunals Service This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was successful.

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please confirm if the Oaths of Office taken by Judges are Common Law Oaths.

Yours faithfully,

John Harris

Customer Services \(CSHQ\),

Dear Mr Harris

Thank you for your e-mail. Please se the answer below.

This is the answer, taken from the judicial website:

When judges are sworn in they take two oaths/affirmations. The first is
the oath of allegiance and the second the judicial oath, these are
collectively referred to as the judicial oath.

Oath of allegiance
"I, _________ , do swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear
true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and
successors, according to law. "

Judicial oath
"I, _________ , do swear by Almighty God that I will well and truly serve
our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second in the office of ________ ,
and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of
this realm, without fear or favour, affection or ill will. "

Affirmation - Allegiance
"I, ____________ , do solemnly sincerely and truly declare and affirm that
I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
the Second Her Heirs and Successors according to Law"

Affirmation - Judicial
I, ____________ , do solemnly sincerely and truly declare and affirm that
I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second
in the office of ____________ , and I will do right to all manner of
people after the laws and usages of this Realm without fear or favour
affection or ill will.

Other acceptable forms of the oaths above
Hindu
Members of the Hindu faith will omit the words "I swear by Almighty God"
and substitute the words "I swear by Gita".
Jew
Members of the Jewish faith use the oaths above although some may wish to
affirm.
Muslim
Members of the Muslim faith will omit the words " I swear by Almighty God"
and substitute the words "I swear by Allah".

Sikh
Members of the Sikh faith will omit the words "I swear by Almighty God"
and substitute the words "I swear by Guru Nanak".

Russell Meek
Customer Service Unit
H M Courts Service
0845 4568770

_____________________________________________

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Dear Russell Meek Customer Services (CSHQ),

Thank you for replying, I am well aware of the Oaths taken by Judges.

The question is whether the Oaths of Office taken by Judges are Common Law Oaths or not.

Many thanks

John Harris

Customer Services \(CSHQ\),

Dear Mr Harris

Thank you for your 3 recent e-mails. Your recent requests have not been handled under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000 regime, as it seeking opinion rather than recorded information. The FOIA gives people the right to ask for recorded information held by public authorities, and if it is held, to be provided with a copy of it, subject to certain exemptions. It does not give the right to seek opinion on issues, and therefore your e-mails have been treated as routine enquiries.

The issues you have brought up are not for H M Courts service to answer. I can only suggest you seek legal advice as to the information you require.

Russell Meek

Case Worker
Customer Service Unit

Customer Services Division Her Majesty's Courts Service Operations and Performance Directorate - Supporting our people, courts & processes

Customer Services Division

1st Floor - 1.42

102 Petty France

London SW1H 9AJ

': 0845 4568770 8: [email address] : http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/

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Dear Russell Meek,

The FOIA gives people the right to ask for recorded information held by public authorities, and if it is held, to be provided with a copy of it, subject to certain exemptions.

No opinion has been sort , just an answer to a very simple question.

The question is whether the Oaths of Office taken by Judges are Common Law Oaths or not.

It would be very strange indeed if Her Majesty's Courts Service being a public authority does not know the answer or by their silence are simply refusing to answer.

Could it be that Judges do indeed take Common Law Oaths of Office but operate under different Laws in the Courts.

If no direct Yes or No answer is received, it will be assumed by your departments silent acquiescence that the latter is true.

Best regards,

John Harris

Leonard, Jacqueline (DJO-JO),

1 Attachment

Dear Sir

You sent a request for information on judicial oaths to Russell Meek of HM
Courts Service. I was asked to respond to your request. Please see our
attached response below.

<<TO judicial oaths oct 09.doc>>

Thank you

Jacqueline Leonard
The Judicial Offices for England and Wales
11th Floor, Thomas More Building,
Royal Courts of Justice

Strand, London WC2A 2LL
Tel: 020 7073 1606

Fax: 020 7073 1631

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Justice El Bey Konstantinos Kostopoulos left an annotation ()

Yes this is a noble brother individual. The simple questions many of US ask for rights but get derailed by corporate constraints complicated contracts. Are we not alive for comfortability? To love instead of hate and help each other? What's the point to argue? Why have jeliousy overtake everything? Fighting is redicilous! Just answer the question. If you don't want to because it may blow your cover and expose your fraud. Than instead of replying to the question with a absolutely irreverent answer, might as well go back to grade two and practice the ol saying "when you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all."
Justice Justin El Bey Konstantinos Kostopoulos