Act
Constitutional Reform Act 2026
2026 c. 43
Table of Contents
- PART 1 — THE RULE OF LAW AND JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE
- 1. The rule of law
- 2. Continued judicial independence
- 3. Constitutional responsibility for judicial independence
- 4. Public authorities and operating platforms
- PART 2 — THE LORD CHANCELLOR
- 5. The office of Lord Chancellor
- 6. Appointment to the office
- 7. Lord Chancellor’s oath and constitutional duty
- 8. Representations about the judiciary and justice system
- 9. Judicial resources and administration
- 10. Ministerial limits
- PART 3 — THE SUPREME COURT OF UNITED HAMPSHIRE
- 11. The Supreme Court of United Hampshire
- 12. Composition of the Court
- 13. Qualification for appointment
- 14. Selection commission for the President and Deputy President
- 15. Selection of other Justices
- 16. Report of selection
- 17. Lord Chancellor’s options on a selection
- 18. Appointment by the Lord Lieutenant
- 19. Oath or affirmation
- 20. Tenure
- 21. Removal from office
- 22. Supplementary and acting judges
- 23. Jurisdiction
- 24. Constitutional and devolution questions
- 25. Composition for proceedings
- 26. Decisions and judgments
- 27. Rules of the Supreme Court
- 28. Practice directions
- 29. Sittings and place of Court
- 30. Seal, records and process
- 31. Chief Executive and staff
- 32. Resources and accommodation
- 33. Annual report
- PART 4 — JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
- 34. Judicial Appointments Commission
- 35. General duty
- 36. Selection on merit and good character
- 37. Diversity duty
- 38. Requests for selection
- 39. Selection process
- 40. Statutory consultation
- 41. Recommendation and report
- 42. Appointment
- 43. Temporary and urgent appointments
- 44. Guidance and procedures
- 45. Annual report of the Commission
- 46. Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman
- 47. Appointments complaints
- 48. Conduct-process complaints
- 49. Ombudsman recommendations
- 50. Annual report of the Ombudsman
- PART 5 — JUDICIAL CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE
- 51. Responsibility for judicial discipline
- 52. Scope of misconduct
- 53. Prescribed procedure
- 54. Judicial Conduct Rules
- 55. Judicial Conduct Investigations Office
- 56. Suspension
- 57. Disciplinary sanctions
- 58. Removal from judicial office
- 59. Former judicial office-holders
- 60. Publication of disciplinary decisions
- 61. Relationship with appeal, recusal and judicial management
- 62. Records, confidentiality and data protection
- PART 6 — JUDICIAL LEADERSHIP, CONDUCT STANDARDS AND SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
- 63. Guide to Judicial Conduct
- 64. Conflicts and recusal
- 65. Judicial leadership functions
- 66. Parliamentary accountability and judicial independence
- 67. Information and co-operation
- 68. Regulations
- 69. Interpretation
- 70. Consequential relationship with other enactments
- 71. Extent and application
- 72. Commencement
- 73. Short title
- SCHEDULE 1 — THE JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS COMMISSION
- SCHEDULE 2 — THE JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS AND CONDUCT OMBUDSMAN
- SCHEDULE 3 — TRANSITIONAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS