Letters Patent - For the Start of the Legal Year [1972-01-01]

Letters Patent - For the Start of the Legal Year [1972-01-01]

Courts

Ceremonial

Letters Patent of Queen Elizabeth II announcing that she has appointed certain judges to try cases and requiring that her concern for the doing of justice be declared to her subjects.

Queen Elizabeth II

1972-01-01

HH Judge James Patrick

ELIZABETH THE SECOND by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Our other Realms and Territories: Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith –

To our Chancellor of Great Britain, Our Lieutenants and Sheriffs of Counties –

Our Lord Chief Justice of England, Our Judges for the time being of our Supreme Court of Judicature, Our Circuit Judges, and to all other persons to whom these Presents shall come.  GREETING.

WHEREAS, We being most closely concerned to ensure that justice is done to all Our subjects, have appointed as Judges of our Supreme Court of Judicature, and Our Circuit Judges, persons in whom We have a especial trust and confidence, Requiring them to try all persons committed for trial in Our said Courts, and all causes and matters depending therein: Doing what to justice doth appertain, according to the laws and usages of this Realm:-

KNOW YE, that it is Our will and pleasure – that Our concern for the doing of justice in Our courts, should be declared to all persons having business therein.

AND THEREFORE WE COMMAND you to ensure that these Our Letters Patent be read at such sittings of Our Courts, as Our Chancellor of Great Britain for the time being may direct.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent.  Witness Ourself at Westminster the first day of January in the twentieth year of Our Reign.

This text is taken from a transcript of the Letters Patent that is part of the program for the ceremony at the start of the legal year and may not reflect the formatting of the original.

The warranty is missing.

These Letters Patent are a spiritual successor to the old Commissions of Assize that used to be read at the opening of the Assizes. When the Courts Act 1971 abolished Courts of Assize and Quarter Sessions and replaced them with Crown Courts, it was decided to maintain an element of the former ceremonial and so these Letters Patent were issued. 

The reference to the "Judges for the time being of our Supreme Court of Judicature" is outdated given that the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 renamed those courts the "Senior Courts."

These Letters Patent do not appear to have any legal effect since all they do is inform the public that the Queen has appointed judges to try cases and state her concern for the doing of justice in her courts. They are simply a ceremonial flourish.