Judicial Attitude Survey 2022

The latest Judicial Attitude Survey is published today (4 April 2023). The report contains an Executive Summary. Previous surveys are also available online.

This is the fourth Judicial Attitude Survey. As with previous surveys, it was carried out for the judiciary by the Judicial Institute at UCL. The range and scope of the survey has continued to develop, with the inclusion of fee-paid judges and non-legal members in the tribunals for the first time in this survey. The response rate to the survey has remained very high with 99% of the salaried judiciary and 60% of fee paid judges and members completing it. 

The survey provides a comprehensive picture of how the judiciary feels across a range of important issues. The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Burnett of Maldon, and the Senior President of Tribunals, Sir Keith Lindblom, commented on the results as follows:

“We are grateful to all those judges and tribunals members who have taken the time to complete the Judicial Attitude Survey and we are indebted to Professor Cheryl Thomas for her enormous contribution to this vital work. The results give clear views from judges and members across a range of important issues and thus guide judicial and wider activity in a number of key areas.”

Background

The Judicial Attitude Survey was anonymous and voluntary, conducted online by an independent research centre, the Judicial Institute of University College London (UCL JI). The survey was designed, administered and analysed by Professor Cheryl Thomas, Co-Director of the UCL JI. A Working Group, which included judicial representatives, assisted Professor Thomas in the design of the questionnaire. The survey had a very high response rate, with 99 per cent of all salaried judges in the England and Wales courts and UK non-devolved tribunals taking part. The UCL Judicial Institute is the UK’s only centre of excellence devoted to research, teaching and policy engagement about the judiciary. For further information contact [email protected]

For the first time, fee-paid judges (including non-legal members) were surveyed. The survey does not cover Magistrates.

Results for Scotland and Northern Ireland are published separately.

Read the survey results for the Judiciary of Scotland (external link)

For queries about the Judiciary of Scotland survey please contact [email protected]

Read the survey results for the Northern Ireland Judiciary (external link).

For queries about the Judiciary of Northern Ireland survey please contact [email protected]

For queries about the England and Wales survey please contact [email protected]