The Judge Advocate of the Fleet was an appointed civilian

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

who was responsible for the supervision and superintendence of the court martial system in the

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from 1663 to 2008.

History

The position dates to the sixteenth century but was filled on an occasional basis until 1663 when it became a permanent role. Appointments were by Admiralty Order and included an annual stipend worth £146 between 1663 and 1666, and £182 thereafter. From 1824 the Judge Advocate jointly held the office of Counsel to the Admiralty. later styled as Counsel to the Navy Department, Ministry of Defence. A remunerated position of Deputy Judge Advocate existed from 1668 to 1679, and again from 1684 to 1831. Until 2004 the Judge Advocate shared responsibility for the naval court martial system with the Chief Naval Judge Advocate previously known as the Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet, a legally trained serving naval

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

who was responsible for the appointment of judge advocates. However the Chief Naval Judge Advocate's post was abolished in 2004 following a ruling by the

European Court of Human Rights The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR or ECtHR), also known as the Strasbourg Court, is an international court of the Council of Europe which interprets the European Convention on Human Rights. The court hears applications alleging that ...

that held that, as a serving naval officer, his position was insufficiently

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

. The role of Judge Advocate of the Fleet was taken over by the Judge Advocate General from 2004 onwards. It was formally abolished on 31 December 2008 under the

Armed Forces Act 2006 The Armed Forces Act 2006 (c 52) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It came into force on 31 October 2006. It replaces the three separate Service Discipline Acts (the Army Act 1955, the Air Force Act 1955 and the Naval Discip ...

Judge Advocates of the Fleet

*1663 J. Fowler *1672 J. Brisbane *1680 H. Croone *1689 P. Foster *1689 F. Bacher *1690 Villiers Bathurst *1711 W. Strahan *1714 E. Honywood *1724 J. Copeland *1729 T. Hawes *1743 T. Kempe *1744 Charles Fearne *1768 Sir George Jackson, Bt., MP (Sir George Duckett, Bt. from 1797) *1824 Horace Twiss, KC, MP *1828 Henry John Shepherd, QC *1845 Richard Godson, QC, MP *1849 Richard Budden Crowder, QC, MP *1854 Thomas Phinn *1855

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, QC, MP *1859 Robert Porrett Collier, QC *1863 Thomas Phinn, QC *1866 John Walter Huddleston, KC *1875–1904 Alexander Staveley Hill, KC *1904–1924 Sir Reginald Brodie Dyke Acland, KC *1924-1933 Charles Murray Pitman, KCMr. C. M. Pitman, K.C. The Times (London, England), Friday, Oct 15, 1948; pg. 7; Issue 51203. (471 words) *1933 John Graham Trapnell, KC *1943 John Lhind Pratt *1945 Hon. Ewen Edward Samuel Montagu, CBE, QC *1973 William McLaren Howard, QC *1986 HHJ Andrew Felix Waley, VRD, QC *1995 HHJ

John Lionel Sessions John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

*2004 Moribund *2008 Abolished

References

{{British Military Royal Navy Royal Navy appointments Legal history of England Judiciary of England and Wales Judiciary of Scotland 1661 establishments in England 2008 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Legal occupations in the military Law Officers of the Royal Navy United Kingdom military law Courts-martial in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...