New President of the Kings Bench Division, Sir Mark Warby, is sworn in
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The new President of the King’s Bench Division, Sir Mark Warby, was sworn in yesterday (Monday 5 October) by the Lady Chief Justice at a ceremony in the Royal Courts of Justice.
The President has day-to-day responsibility for the work of the King’s Bench Division (KBD) , with oversight of the various courts and lists in the Division, and is responsible for the deployment of its judges.
The post was created in 2005. Until then, the Head of the Division was the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. By the nature of the office, the President also sits as a judge of the Court of Appeal.
The work of the KBD includes ‘common law’ civil claims – actions relating to contracts – and claims relating to civil wrongs, known as ‘torts’. It also deals with applications for judicial review – cases in which the court decides whether decisions of central and local government and other public bodies have been made according to law.
The Administrative Court, the Planning Court, the Media and Communications List and the general KBD List all sit within the King’s Bench Division. Judges of the KBD also hear some of the most important and complex criminal cases on circuit throughout the country in the Crown Court and in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).
Speeches were made in recognition of Sir Mark’s appointment by the Lady Chief Justice, Andrew Caldecott KC and Adrienne Page KC.
In her speech the Lady Chief Justice said:
“Leading the King’s Bench Division is no easy task. As the largest division of the High Court with an immense range of challenging and high-profile work, any leader must be agile, determined and open-minded. I know… that these are traits which Mark has in abundance.
“Mark will be an excellent President, bringing his dynamism, charm, and intellect to the role.”
Sir Mark said:
“It is a great privilege to be sworn in today as President of the King’s Bench Division. I look forward to leading the judges of the Division, who decide important cases in a wide range of legal areas, including administrative law (such as judicial reviews of public bodies), planning, media and communications disputes, and some of the most high-profile and complex criminal trials and appeals.
“Together, we will work to ensure that cases are resolved fairly and efficiently, while upholding the rule of law.”
Sir Mark Warby was called to the Bar in 1981 and took Silk in 2002. He was appointed as a Recorder in 2009, a Deputy High Court Judge in 2013, a High Court Judge assigned to the King’s Bench Division in 2014, and as a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2021. He served as the Vice-Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission between 2023 and 2026. He succeeds Dame Victoria Sharp.
Want to find out more about Sir Mark Warby, and the role of the President of the King’s Bench Division? Watch this video: