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JCIO 78/25
Date: 30 January 2026
A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said:
The Lord Chancellor, with the Lady Chief Justice’s agreement, has removed Dr Jane Dewar, a Medically Qualified Tribunal Member of the Social Entitlement Chamber, from office for failure, without a reasonable excuse, to meet the minimum sittings required of her office.
Facts
The terms of Dr Dewar’s post include a minimum sitting requirement of 15 days.
Dr Dewar was appointed to the Social Entitlement Chamber in August 2021. She has not sat since her appointment and has not responded to multiple attempts by her leadership judge to contact her.
The summary process in the Judicial Conduct Rules 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 Dewar’s representations
Dr Dewar accepted that she had not been able to give the required time to this role due to personal circumstances. She apologised for her lack of correspondence and engagement. Whilst she indicated an intention to resign, no resignation letter was submitted.
Decision
The Lord Chancellor, with the Lady Chief Justice’s agreement, agreed with the JCIO’s recommendation to remove Dr Dewar from office for failing, without a reasonable excuse, to meet her sitting requirements.
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
