A memorial service for Lord Igor Judge, who was lord chief justice from 2008 to 2013, and died in November, aged 82, featured some glorious anecdotes. 

Lord David Neuberger, former president of the Supreme Court, recalled how Judge swam at a local pool before going to the Royal Courts of Justice. Drying off one morning after a swim, he started chatting to a young man, and asked him what he was doing that day. The young man said that he was a barrister, and added 'I’ve an awful day ahead. I’ve got to face those buggers in the Court of Appeal. And what about you?'

Judge replied: 'I’m one of those buggers'. 

Neuberger praised his late friend and colleague’s 'concise and clear' judgments, stating that he 'rightly deprecated the growing practice of long judgments setting out and quoting from every conceivable authority'. On the subject, he said that Judge would often mention one of his school teachers who reprovingly marked essays 'APK' – anxious parade of knowledge.

As lord chief justice, Judge arranged informal dinners between the senior judges and national newspaper editors to improve the relationship of ’mutual incomprehension and outright hostility’ that existed between the media and judiciary at the time.

His efforts improved the understanding between the two institutions, but, recalled Neuberger, Judge was aware of the risk, saying: 'If we are going to sit down and eat with the press, we will have to sup with a long spoon'.

Topics