A further two judges have been issued with formal advice for misconduct over delayed judgments.
The sanctions announced by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office follow six other cases this year of office-holders being issued with formal advice over delays to handing down judgment, producing an order or giving a ruling. Delays have varied between five months and 18 months.
In the latest case, a party to proceedings complained of an ‘excessive delay’ by employment judge David Khan. Khan apologised for the delay of more than 12 months between the hearing and judgment.
The JCIO said Khan ‘acknowledged he had underestimated the amount of deliberation time required and should have discussed the matter with his presiding judge at an earlier stage’.
An investigation found Khan ‘failed to exercise the necessary diligence and care required of an office holder in updating the parties, providing accurate timescales for completion and producing the final judgment’.
The senior president of tribunals, on behalf of the lady chief justice, and with the lord chancellor’s agreement issued Khan with formal advice for misconduct.
Tribunal judge Jonathan Perkins was also issued with formal advice for misconduct over an 11-month delay in delivering a judgment. A complaint was made by a solicitor on behalf of his client.
Perkins accepted responsibility for the delay and apologised saying ‘he found it unacceptable and far removed from the standard that he sets himself’.
The JCIO said he ‘highlighted personal issues that impacted upon his ability to complete the task within the designated timeframe’.
Issuing Perkins with formal advice for misconduct, the senior president of tribunals, on behalf of the lady chief justice, and the lord chancellor took into consideration Perkins’ apology for the delay and ‘his assurance that he would catch up and deliver a better service in future’.
