‘Inaccurate’ media lead to judicial death threats, says Lady Chief Justice

Avatar photo

By Rhys Duncan on

2

Baroness Carr calls for ‘objective and accurate reporting’


“Inaccurate reporting” has led to judges receiving death threats and being “doorstepped,” the Lady Chief Justice warned — just days after a new survey revealed that many judges now fear for their personal safety.

Speaking to the House of Lords constitution committee, Baroness Carr added to her previous comment that she was “deeply troubled” by an exchange during Prime Ministers’ Questions where the PM claimed that a judge had made the “wrong decision” in relation to an immigration appeal. This, she said, was a misunderstanding of the case.

“To imply, for example, that a Palestinian family was allowed to settle in this country under the Ukrainian family scheme is simply, wholly wrong,” she said. “But as a result of that headline and the publicity, without going into details or individuals, there have been extraordinarily serious security threats.”

“It’s really important to understand that no one has ever suggested, no one is saying there should not be robust and healthy debate both in and outside parliament, including criticism if necessary of judgments,” she continued. “But the judicial process and judicial independence have to be respected.”

Carr added that if the judgment is wrong the litigants have the option to appeal, however if the law itself is deemed to be wrong, that is the realm of parliament to change.

Whilst debating a judgment is fair game, Carr said, “Inaccurate reporting and abuse of a judge who cannot speak out to defend themselves” is unacceptable. “The trigger for my concern in the context of the need to respect the judicial process is the dangers that arise out of inaccurate reporting.”

 The 2025 Legal Cheek Firms Most List

The committee were told that judges have received death threats and been doorstepped. One judge, Carr said, had been contacted on social media by someone who claimed threateningly that he was standing next to the judge’s child on a bus.

“I welcome reporting and criticism but what I have always asked for, from day one, is fair, objective and accurate reporting,” Carr told the committee.

“This is not about closing the debate down,” she said. “The debate should be wide open. It is for the courts to decide whether a judgment is wrong. But it is absolutely unacceptable — as I must protect my judges and defend them — that they are exposed to the sort of comments and reporting that shatter their lives.”

A recent survey of judges in the UK found that nearly four in ten judges (39%) are now worried about their safety in court, with 26% concerned outside of court.

As a response, Carr continued, the courts and judiciary have taken protection action. “They change the way we work on a day-to-day basis now, she said. “We are taking steps — which I cannot divulge or share — on a daily basis in relation to where we do things and how we do things.”

2 Comments

Anonymous

Not reading. I do not consider Baroness Hale a credible authority.

The person above is clearly an idiot

Er… it’s Baroness Carr.

Fool!

Join the conversation

Related Stories

City law firm partner moves surge to record levels

US outfits driving hiring spree

15 hours ago
3

Tulip Trading v the Twelve Tables: Where Roman ownership meets blockchain chaos

A-level student Ishaan Modi explores how property law needs to adapt to function in the modern age

19 hours ago
1

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

19 hours ago

HFW bumps NQ solicitor pay to £103.5k

3.5% rise sees firm join summer salary scramble

4 days ago
13

My journey from chartered legal exec to law firm partner

CILEX president Yanthé Richardson discusses her varied career, diversity in the law and the introduction of chartered paralegals

5 days ago
news SQE Hub

ULaw strikes SQE training deal with Oxford Brookes 

Partnership will expand to include bar training from September 2026 

5 days ago
2

Freshfields to ‘turbocharge’ future trainees with free tech-focused LLM

KCL masters comes with £20k maintenance grant

5 days ago
9
careers SQE Hub

How to survive the SQE — and why regional firms could be your best career move

Programme and student lead at ULaw, Laura Duffy, discusses the challenges facing lawyers-to-be and the opportunities in the North

6 days ago

Paul Weiss completes refit of Twitter’s former West End office

The vibe is Mayfair hedge fund club privé

6 days ago
3

In the fast-paced world of legal AI, aspiring lawyers should focus on the basics

ULaw graduate and teaching assistant Callum Gee talks legal tech, careers support and his journey through law

7 days ago
Handshake

‘About to start my first vac scheme — what are the dos and don’ts?’

Aspiring solicitor keen to make good first impression

7 days ago
14
news SQE Hub

‘My 10 point plan for SQE reform’

Thom Brooks, professor of law and government at Durham University, puts forward his recommendations for overhauling the SQE

Jun 30 2025 7:33am
28

Bird & Bird bumps NQ solicitor pay to £102k

Rise of just over 4%

Jun 30 2025 7:32am
10

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

Jun 30 2025 7:31am

White lines and harsh fines: cocaine and football banning orders

Aspiring criminal barrister Harry Toy takes a look at changes to legislation on football banning orders.

Jun 27 2025 8:45am
1

Solicitor given suspended sentence for pothole fraud

Legal background aggravating factor

Jun 27 2025 8:45am
3

Regulator flags areas of improvement for College of Legal Practice 

Report finds virtual law school meets standards in five key areas but falls short in two

Jun 26 2025 9:17am

City law firm partner moves surge to record levels

US outfits driving hiring spree

15 hours ago
3

Tulip Trading v the Twelve Tables: Where Roman ownership meets blockchain chaos

A-level student Ishaan Modi explores how property law needs to adapt to function in the modern age

19 hours ago
1

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

19 hours ago

HFW bumps NQ solicitor pay to £103.5k

3.5% rise sees firm join summer salary scramble

4 days ago
13

My journey from chartered legal exec to law firm partner

CILEX president Yanthé Richardson discusses her varied career, diversity in the law and the introduction of chartered paralegals

5 days ago
news SQE Hub

ULaw strikes SQE training deal with Oxford Brookes 

Partnership will expand to include bar training from September 2026 

5 days ago
2

Freshfields to ‘turbocharge’ future trainees with free tech-focused LLM

KCL masters comes with £20k maintenance grant

5 days ago
9
careers SQE Hub

How to survive the SQE — and why regional firms could be your best career move

Programme and student lead at ULaw, Laura Duffy, discusses the challenges facing lawyers-to-be and the opportunities in the North

6 days ago

Paul Weiss completes refit of Twitter’s former West End office

The vibe is Mayfair hedge fund club privé

6 days ago
3

In the fast-paced world of legal AI, aspiring lawyers should focus on the basics

ULaw graduate and teaching assistant Callum Gee talks legal tech, careers support and his journey through law

7 days ago
Handshake

‘About to start my first vac scheme — what are the dos and don’ts?’

Aspiring solicitor keen to make good first impression

7 days ago
14
news SQE Hub

‘My 10 point plan for SQE reform’

Thom Brooks, professor of law and government at Durham University, puts forward his recommendations for overhauling the SQE

Jun 30 2025 7:33am
28

Bird & Bird bumps NQ solicitor pay to £102k

Rise of just over 4%

Jun 30 2025 7:32am
10

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

Jun 30 2025 7:31am

White lines and harsh fines: cocaine and football banning orders

Aspiring criminal barrister Harry Toy takes a look at changes to legislation on football banning orders.

Jun 27 2025 8:45am
1

Solicitor given suspended sentence for pothole fraud

Legal background aggravating factor

Jun 27 2025 8:45am
3

Regulator flags areas of improvement for College of Legal Practice 

Report finds virtual law school meets standards in five key areas but falls short in two

Jun 26 2025 9:17am

City law firm partner moves surge to record levels

US outfits driving hiring spree

15 hours ago
3

Tulip Trading v the Twelve Tables: Where Roman ownership meets blockchain chaos

A-level student Ishaan Modi explores how property law needs to adapt to function in the modern age

19 hours ago
1

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

19 hours ago

HFW bumps NQ solicitor pay to £103.5k

3.5% rise sees firm join summer salary scramble

4 days ago
13

My journey from chartered legal exec to law firm partner

CILEX president Yanthé Richardson discusses her varied career, diversity in the law and the introduction of chartered paralegals

5 days ago
news SQE Hub

ULaw strikes SQE training deal with Oxford Brookes 

Partnership will expand to include bar training from September 2026 

5 days ago
2

Freshfields to ‘turbocharge’ future trainees with free tech-focused LLM

KCL masters comes with £20k maintenance grant

5 days ago
9
careers SQE Hub

How to survive the SQE — and why regional firms could be your best career move

Programme and student lead at ULaw, Laura Duffy, discusses the challenges facing lawyers-to-be and the opportunities in the North

6 days ago

Paul Weiss completes refit of Twitter’s former West End office

The vibe is Mayfair hedge fund club privé

6 days ago
3

In the fast-paced world of legal AI, aspiring lawyers should focus on the basics

ULaw graduate and teaching assistant Callum Gee talks legal tech, careers support and his journey through law

7 days ago
Handshake

‘About to start my first vac scheme — what are the dos and don’ts?’

Aspiring solicitor keen to make good first impression

7 days ago
14
news SQE Hub

‘My 10 point plan for SQE reform’

Thom Brooks, professor of law and government at Durham University, puts forward his recommendations for overhauling the SQE

Jun 30 2025 7:33am
28

Bird & Bird bumps NQ solicitor pay to £102k

Rise of just over 4%

Jun 30 2025 7:32am
10

Monday morning round-up

The top legal affairs news stories from this morning and the weekend

Jun 30 2025 7:31am

White lines and harsh fines: cocaine and football banning orders

Aspiring criminal barrister Harry Toy takes a look at changes to legislation on football banning orders.

Jun 27 2025 8:45am
1

Solicitor given suspended sentence for pothole fraud

Legal background aggravating factor

Jun 27 2025 8:45am
3

Regulator flags areas of improvement for College of Legal Practice 

Report finds virtual law school meets standards in five key areas but falls short in two

Jun 26 2025 9:17am