Family Law

Downing Street has announced the appointment of two new family judges to the Court of Appeal.

The appointments follow the retirement of Sir Alan Ward and the forthcoming retirement of Sir Mathew Thorpe. They will be replaced by Mrs Justice Macur and Mr Justice Ryder.

Mrs Justice Macur was called to the Bar in 1979 and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1998. She was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Family Division, on 3 October 2005. She was Family Liaison Judge for the South Eastern Circuit from 2007 until she was appointed Presiding Judge on the Midland Circuit, 2008-11.

Mr Justice Ryder has been the Judge in Charge of Modernisation of Family Justice, since 2011. He published his final report on the modernisation of family justice, which makes recommendations intended to change the culture of the family courts and reduce delays.

In an article in The Times in 2008, Mr Justice Ryder criticised the family court system as being out of tune with society.

He was called to the Bar 1981 and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1997. He was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Family Division, on 4 May 2004.