‘Free Lawyers’ opposes govt. move to extend retirement age of superior court judges

Civil society group Free Lawyers has opposed a government move to extend the retirement ages of Superior Court judges.

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The text of their statement: “Free Lawyers expresses deep concern over the government’s continued delay in filling vacancies in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, alongside reported moves to extend the retirement age of judges in these courts by two years. These actions risk undermining judicial independence, exacerbating case backlogs, and eroding public trust in the justice system.

The Government argues for a “bottom-up” strategy, prioritising recruitment of magistrates and lower court judges before addressing the four vacancies in each of the superior courts. It claims this is essential for systemic sustainability and denies that vacancies are being used as leverage.