The independence of the judiciary: the view from the Lord Chancellor's Office

Abstract

Part 1 The Lord Chancellor's Office and the age of Muir-Mackenzie: the founding of the Lord Chancellor's Office the Muir-Mackenzie era the imperial dimension the changing concept of the judiciary. Part 2 The Schuster era - high policy: the machinery of government and the long weekend a little matter of constitutionalism the Hewart explosion. Part 3 Schuster and the judges: choosing the judges county court salaries - the doctrine of unripeness pay claims - the high court and high drama. Part 4 Schuster and the end of empire: the judicial committee - the beginning of the end a case study of Canada. Part 5 The era of Napier and Coldstream - numbers, appointment and control of the judges: the number of judges choosing the judges controlling the judges the executive and the judiciary. Part 6 The end of Napier and Coldstream - the use of the judiciary: the uses of ignorance, impartiality and independence the classic case - the restrictive practices court restrictive practices - the public doubts another spoke in the wheel - the Lord Chancellor's Office and committees. Part 7 Judicial salaries from the 1940s to the 1980s: the Labour years 1945-1951 the Conservative administration 1951-1964 the later years. Part 8 The later years - vignettes from the end of empire: Canada resiles - Sri Lanka pursues and who, pray, shall sit?. Epilogue: the last decades the perplexing problems of judicial independence criticizing the judiciary the judiciary reformed? the Lord Chancellor's department and the future.