JCIO 68/24

A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office Said:

The Lord Chancellor, with the Lady Chief Justice’s agreement, has removed Dr Elizabeth Wooffinden, a medically qualified member in the Social Security & Child Support (SSCS) jurisdiction of the Social Entitlement Chamber (SEC), from office for failure, without a reasonable excuse, to meet the minimum sittings required of her office.

Facts

The terms of Dr Wooffinden’s appointment as a tribunal member included a minimum sitting requirement of 30 days per year and to attend compulsory training.

The summary process in the Judicial Conduct Rules (Judicial) 2023 enables the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) to recommend a judicial office holder’s removal from office without further investigation where that office holder has failed without reasonable excuse to meet their minimum sitting requirements.

Dr Wooffinden was appointed to her role in September 2021. In March 2022, the SSCS agreed that Dr Wooffinden could defer completion of her induction training for personal reasons. However, following this, Dr Wooffinden did not respond to several attempts by the SSCS to contact her and did not complete her induction training.

Dr Wooffinden’s representations

Dr Wooffinden responded to the JCIO’s request for representations by stating that she had missed the communications and expressing a desire to still take up her appointment.

Decision

The Lord Chancellor and the Lady Chief Justice agreed that the appropriate disciplinary action was to remove from Dr Wooffinden from office.

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