Dame Caroline Jane Swift, Lady Openshaw (born 30 May 1955), formerly styled The Hon. Mrs Justice Swift, is a British barrister and former High Court judge. She was leading counsel to the Inquiry in the Shipman Inquiry, which began in 2001. Swift was educated at St Aidan's College,

Durham University , mottoeng = Her foundations are upon the holy hills (Psalm 87:1) , established = (university status) , type = Public , academic_staff = 1,830 (2020) , administrative_staff = 2,640 (2018/19) , chancellor = Sir Thomas Allen , vice_chan ...

where she was the President of the

Durham Union Society This is a list of social activities at the University of Durham, including details of clubs, societies and other common leisure activities associated with Durham University. Over 200 student clubs and organisations run within Durham Students' Uni ...

. She was called to the Bar by the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wal ...

in 1977. The following year she began practising on the

Northern Circuit {{Use dmy dates, date=November 2019 The Northern Circuit is a court circuit in England. It dates from 1176 when Henry II sent his judges on circuit to do justice in his name. The Circuit encompassed the whole of the North of England but in 1876 i ...

, later becoming Assistant Recorder from 1992 until 1995, and QC in 1993. She became a

Recorder Recorder or The Recorder may refer to: Newspapers * ''Indianapolis Recorder'', a weekly newspaper * ''The Recorder'' (Massachusetts newspaper), a daily newspaper published in Greenfield, Massachusetts, US * ''The Recorder'' (Port Pirie), a news ...

in 1995, and was elected a

Bencher A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can ...

of the Inner Temple in 1997. On 4 November 2005, Swift was created a DBE upon her appointment as a Justice of the High Court (

Queen's Bench Division The King's Bench Division (or Queen's Bench Division when the monarch is female) of the High Court of Justice deals with a wide range of common law cases and has supervisory responsibility over certain lower courts. It hears appeals on point ...

). Her husband, Sir Peter Openshaw, is also a High Court Judge, and was sworn in on the same day." Swift retired from the High Court on 1 August 2015. From 1 January 2017 Swift was appointed to the position of chair of the

Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) is a tribunal in the United Kingdom that adjudicates on complaints made against doctors, making independent decisions about their fitness to practise. This includes imposing sanctions for decision ...

References

1955 births Living people Alumni of St Aidan's College, Durham English King's Counsel English women judges Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Queen's Bench Division judges 20th-century King's Counsel 21st-century King's Counsel Members of the Inner Temple Presidents of the Durham Union 20th-century English women 20th-century English people {{UK-law-bio-stub

See also

References