JCIO 24/24

A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said:

The Lord Chancellor, with the Lady Chief Justice’s agreement, has removed Shaistah Zeidan of the Birmingham & Solihull  Local Justice Area from office as a magistrate.

On appointment, magistrates sign an undertaking to sit for at least 13 full or 26 half-day sittings a year. They are also expected to access the digital sittings rota regularly, keep in contact with their bench chair, and give prior notice if they cannot attend a scheduled sitting.

The summary process in the Judicial Conduct (Magistrates) Rules 2014 enables a conduct advisory committee to recommend a magistrate’s removal from office without further investigation for failure, without a reasonable excuse, to meet their minimum sittings requirement.

Ms Zeidan was appointed to the magistracy in 2019. In 2022, she was reported to the Midlands Region Conduct Advisory Committee (MRCAC) after concerns arose about her failure to undertake the required minimum number of sittings and failure to access the digital sittings rota for several months. The MRCAC decided that the matter should be dealt with informally on that occasion and Ms Zeidan gave assurances as to her future commitment and reliability.

In 2023, Ms Zeidan was again referred to the MRCAC over concerns about her lack of sittings, failure to respond to numerous messages from her bench chair and failure to attend scheduled sittings without prior notice.

In written representations to the MRCAC, Ms Zeidan referred to a number of personal factors which, she said, had prevented her from sitting the required number of times.

The Lord Chancellor and the Lady Chief Justice agreed with advice from the MRCAC that Ms Zeidan’s conduct had demonstrated that she lacked the commitment and reliability expected of a magistrate.

Notes for Editors

Media queries in relation to the JCIO should be made in the first instance to the Judicial Press Office - telephone 020 7073 4852 or via email - press.enquiries@judiciary.gsi.gov.uk

Sanctions for misconduct by judicial office-holders are set out in the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. They are, in order of severity: formal advice, formal warning, reprimand and removal from office.

For more information about the Office, including details on how to make a complaint against a judicial office holder, you can visit the JCIO website at: Judicial Conduct Investigations website