Preceded by Sir Nicholas Wall Role Judge Name James Munby | Appointed by Elizabeth II Education Wadham College, Oxford | |
 | ||
Nominated by Gordon Brown
as Prime Minister Born 27 July 1948 (age 75) ( 1948-07-27 ) | ||
Alma mater Wadham College, Oxford | ||
To James Munby
Sir James Lawrence Munby (born 27 July 1948) is an English judge who is President of the Family Division of the High Court of England and Wales.
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Early life
Munby was born on 27 July 1948. He was educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford and Wadham College, Oxford, which he is an Honorary Fellow.
Legal career
Munby was called to the bar at Middle Temple in 1971 and practised as a barrister at New Square Chambers. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1988 and as a High Court Judge on 2 October 2000, assigned to the Family Division and authorised to sit in the Administrative Court.
Munby was appointed as Chairman of the Law Commission on 1 August 2009, replacing Lord Justice Etherton. On 12 October of that year, he was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal, receiving the customary appointment to the Privy Council. His term as Chairman of the Law Commission expired in August 2012. On 11 January 2013, he succeeded Sir Nicholas Wall as President of the Family Division.
Munby was the presiding judge when Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer divorced his second wife, Carolyn Freud. Spencer's barrister Nicholas Mostyn advised his client that the case could be heard in private, which Munby rejected. The Earl was upset at the final settlement. The Earl later unsuccessfully sued Mostyn.
Munby instituted procedural changes which led to hearings in family courts being open to the public, save where a judge decides otherwise.