JCIO 01/26

   

A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said:

The Lord Chancellor, with the Lady Chief Justice’s agreement, has removed Mrs Adele Rugen, of the Greater Manchester Bench from office for failure, without a reasonable excuse, to meet her minimum sittings required of a magistrate.

Facts

On appointment, magistrates sign a declaration and undertaking, which includes a commitment to complete the required minimum number of sittings annually, and if they fail to do so without an acceptable reason, they are expected to resign.

The summary process in the Judicial Conduct (Magistrates) Rules 2023 enables a conduct advisory committee secretary to recommend a magistrate’s removal from office without further investigation where they have failed, without reasonable excuse, to meet their minimum sitting requirements.

The North West Region Conduct Advisory Committee (NWRCAC) recommended Mrs Rugen’s removal from office due to her failure to meet her minimum sittings requirement in 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25, including where her yearly sitting requirements had been adjusted on a pro rata basis to account for leave. The NWRCAC noted that Mrs Rugen had failed to engage with the bench leadership team’s attempts to address their concerns with her, and took into account that for 2025/26, Mrs Rugen had cancelled a significant number of sittings and was not on course to meet the pro-rated sitting requirements before conclusion of the financial year. The NWRCAC concluded that Mrs Rugen is unable to demonstrate the level of commitment to the magistracy that the role requires.

Mrs Rugen did not respond to the NWRCAC’s attempts to contact her about the matter.

Decision

After careful consideration, the Lord Chancellor and Lady Chief Justice agreed with the recommendation to remove Mrs Rugen 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