Recorder (judge)

In England and Wales, originally a recorder was a certain magistrate or judge having criminal and civil jurisdiction within the corporation of a city or borough.

He was a person with legal knowledge appointed by the mayor and aldermen of the corporation to 'record' the proceedings of their courts and the customs of the borough or city.

They then hold office as resident judge for a set period, normally four years, although such appointments are renewable.

In a borough that is coincident with an ancient assize, the position is titular; that is, the resident judge is automatically entitled honorary recorder and continues to hold that title until their retirement from the post.

[5] The appointment of an honorary recorder is made by the borough council concerned, and although it does not require the approval of a higher authority, the Lord Chief Justice has let it be known that he would be pleased if boroughs considering making such an appointment would first consult the Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales.

[citation needed] Due to the reorganisation of courts, especially where local government reorganisation has occurred at the same time, some titles bestowed by one council may be held by the senior resident judge sitting in another borough; a prominent example is the Recorder of the City of Westminster who presides at the Crown Court situated in the London Borough of Southwark.

Honorary recorders who are also senior circuit judges are authorised by the Lord Chief Justice to wear red robes when sitting in court.

Given the small population of some of these towns, the Recordership, which was often a right guaranteed to the townspeople by royal charter, was in several cases, such as Kinsale and Clonakilty, a part-time office.

Hong Kong operates a system of appointing part-time recorders similar to that in England and Wales.

The recordership scheme was introduced in Hong Kong in 1994 to encourage experienced practitioners who are willing to sit as a High Court Judge for a few weeks every year, but are not prepared to commit themselves to a permanent, full-time appointment.

[9] The qualification for appointment as a recorder is the same as that for High Court judge: that is, having practised for at least 10 years as a barrister, advocate, solicitor or judicial officer in Hong Kong or another common law jurisdiction.

He brought all weighty matters under the notice of the king, such as complaints, petitions, and wishes of subjects or foreigners.

All treaties came under his oversight, and he had the care of the national archives or records, to which, as royal historiographer, he added the current annals of the kingdom.